Page 28 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - May 2016

Ed Sherman

Founder of Paci c Lighting Agency

and rapidly grow our organization. The Texas group

said they would organize everything & the rst Dal-
las Lighting Market was established at the LaBaron

hotel and evolved into the lighting market we have
today.

wHat are some of tHe biggest cHanges

you’ve seen?

When I started in the industry, every condo on
Miami Beach had a pulldown xture in the dining

room. Then it changed to cast Spanish bronze crys-

tal chandeliers, and later to Williamsburgs. Today
there is an ever-changing and diverse cross-section

of styles in complete ux.
How did you get your start in tHe ligHting business?
Before such a major shi in the supply chain to

I remember it clearly: I was working for the Pillsbury Co. in their indus- o -shore manufacturing from either European im-

trial division in South Florida. It was in May and I had just a ended a ports or domestic manufacturing, the showroom P
10-day management training course in Minneapolis. When I le Miami distribution channel always had back-up inventory. E
R
it was 85 degrees and it was the same when I returned. In Minnesota, Today the product inventory has, for the most part,
however, the temperature ranged from 30 degrees below 0 to a high shi ed to the importers’ and manufacturers’ ware- S
E
of 10 degrees below 0 the entire trip. When I returned to Florida, I houses. We are very proud to still represent several L
A
got a phone call congratulating me on being promoted and that they domestically manufactured product lines.
were moving me to the home o ce in Minneapolis. My response was The retail supply chain has spread across all seg- S
|
“Thanks, but no thanks.” They said the relocation wasn’t optional. My ments of retail businesses – including box stores
response was, “I do have a choice and it has been wonderful working and the Internet – and changed the purchasing D
N
for you.”
process. I do believe there is a place for the smart E

Although I wanted to become an independent food broker at the showroom operator, representative, and manufac- G
time, I ended up taking a job in the lighting industry with Thomas Indus- turer/importer. Changes are happening so rapidly E
L
tries in Louisville, Kentucky. I grew to enjoy lighting more than the food and all will have to follow the changing technolo-
industry. A er 4 1/2 years, I was able to pick up several really good lines gies, lighting sources, and the consumers’ changing

and have been an independent rep ever since.
lifestyles.

In the early 1970s, I had a showroom customer in Hollywood, Florida
called Lighting Showcase. The owners, John and Trudy Hazel, had met wHat do you tHink Have been tHe keys to

working for Progress Lighting and they had a daughter, Linda, who your success?
worked there part-time while in high school. We all became great Maintaining integrity, honesty, consistency, and

friends. Linda became the rst female rep hired by Nutone/Lightcra service. Our job is not nished until all tasks have

of California for the Atlanta territory and was later promoted to the been satisfactorily completed and that can only be
Southern California territory.
accomplished with diligent, hard, smart work.

I had dinner with Linda during the summer Dallas Market in 1986
— and the rest is history. We decided we wanted to share our lives to- wHat do you know now tHat you

gether. I sold my company – which had grown to cover Florida, Georgia, wisH someone Had told you wHen you
started?
Alabama, North & South Carolina – to the key people in my agency and
moved to California in 1987. Having a loving partner in life and business How rewarding a life in this industry could be and

has been the best choice of my life.
has been. This is a relationship business and the
I later became the founding president of the NALR (National As- most enjoyable part of it is the people: the custom-

sociation of Lighting Representatives), which rocked along for a while ers, factory people, and other sales reps. I’ve made

with about 35 members. I ew to Dallas and had a meeting with 35 so many life-long friends worldwide over the past
Texas agents who joined en masse. I suggested that there had not been 50 years. I feel privileged to have been able to

a national lighting show since New York closed and proposed we start
a new lighting show and require reps to be members to work the show
Continued on page 36

26 enLIGHTenment Magazine | May 2016
www.enlightenmentmag.com