Page 30 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - May 2016

Tony Davidson

President and CEO of Kichler

relationship. Working for the Mino family and

having Sam Mino as my mentor is something
that I will forever treasure. He has given me an

education one cannot buy. I also realize the more
responsibility I was given over the years, the

more I was dependent on others for our success.

Kichler has a lot of assets that show up on the
nancial reports, but our greatest assets are the

people behind the numbers. We have dedicated
and caring employees that give us a competitive

advantage.

wHat do you know now tHat you wisH

you knew wHen you first started?
How did you enter tHe industry?
I’ve learned to not be overly occupied with good
R
EI started my lighting career working on the south competitors. I used to be too concerned about
R
side of Chicago, hanging xtures and taking dis- what others were doing, but pu ing the greater
Utributors’ inventories. My rst two years were emphasis on how we can improve and execute as
T
Cspent either on a ladder or in a warehouse, which a company is really the only thing we should be
helped me to understand what made a light- focused on. Our major competitor is not another
A
Fing showroom operate. I learned early on that a lighting manufacturer, but our own scorecard of
U
Nsuccessful showroom was dependent on every metrics: ll rates, order turn time, customer satis-
department being linked together for its success. faction, quality levels, new product acceptability,
A
MWhen I was eventually assigned my own sales ter- etc. Our goal is to be be er than our “best perfor-
ritory, it was important for me to know the role of mance.” It will have the greatest in uence on our
|
every person in the business.
company and employees, and is the only thing we
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Ecan control.
DwHat Have been some of tHe biggest
A
cHanges you’ve seen?
wHere do you envision kicHler to be in
EI have seen many changes that have impacted tHe next 5 to 10 years?
L
our industry, but the biggest transformation is Kichler is approaching 80 years in business, and

what’s happening today in LED technology and yet longevity gives us no assurance in our future.
the advancement of it. Not only the usage of the Having a sound business strategy is important;

light source by the end-user, but a re-education however, the challenge of any strategy is the suc-
throughout the supply chain from product de- cessful execution and in the end, the customer has

sign, certi cation requirements, manufacturing, to bene t from our strategy. We are a company

retailers/wholesalers, installers and ultimately the that continues to have a laser focus on improving
consumer. Nothing in my career has delivered that year over year through product leadership and

kind of change.
operational excellence. We will continue to strive
to be a company that values our employees and

wHat do you tHink Has been tHe key to the individual contributions each of them brings to
your success?
Kichler. We will continue to focus on our custom-
I wouldn’t say there’s only one; several have in u- ers and help them grow, support their businesses,

enced my career. This is my 30th year with Kichler and achieve the end result they desire.
and working in a family business has provided a

sound footing to operate within and has guided

me in my day-to-day dealings with our employees,
customers, and sales representatives.

The company’s entire business philosophy is
centered on the customer and not a transactional

28 enLIGHTenment Magazine | May 2016
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