Page 43 - Lighting Magazine November 2018

members is its proven commitment to standing up for the residential lighting community in the face of impending government legislation. “The ALA has been in support of tax reform,” Jacob- son recounted. “Despite my testimony and the testimony of others [on Capitol Hill] regarding the implementation of tari s, lighting was not removed [as an a ected category] from the list. The ALA implores the government to move away from tar- i s,” he remarked, suggesting some other means for bolstering domestic manufacturing be found. The ALA has fought for retail lighting showroom members in this regard, and Jacobson said it will continue to do so. “The ALA led two briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court concerning Sales Tax Fair- ness. [The ruling in June] was an important victory and the ALA appreciates the Court’s decision.”
Jacobson also outlined additional bene ts of ALA membership, including updated content on its website that can be utilized by lighting show- rooms for their own website blogs. This year’s gathering in Asheville welcomed 111 rst-time ALA Conference a endees, some of which are new members. The 2019 ALA Conference is set for September 15-17 at the JW Marrio Desert Ridge hotel in Phoenix, Arizona.
Pete DeSteiger of Ray Lighting Centers, a third-generation lighting family member, took the podium as the newly elected Chairman of the Board. Noting his rst Conference was in 1977 when the organization was under the Home Light- ing Association name, DeSteiger recalled the past challenges that the industry had to overcome — rst from the proliferation of home centers, then with the age of the internet, and more recently with legislative issues. “Because of all of those, we’ve had to change our business models a li le bit,” DeSteiger said. “We’re not going to stand idly by and let [roadblocks] happen to us. Research shows that customers still enjoy personal a en- tion during the shopping experience. We have great opportunities ahead of us,” he commented. “By updating our showrooms, we can go beyond [what can be achieved by showing customers an image of a xture on the internet]. Many of our showrooms have e-commerce capabilities and members are successfully using ALA content on their social media platforms to engage customers. I’m honored and humbled to serve as your Chair this year and I’m commi ed to keeping our indus- try strong.”
CONGRATULATIONS, PILLARS OF INDUSTRY!
Tim Stumm, Michael Estrin, and Chris Primous received this year’s Pillars of Industry Award in their respective categories.
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From the moment Tim Stumm entered the lighting industry, he knew it was very di erent from his pre- vious career in property management — and that’s a good thing. Upon receiving his award, he thanked fellow retailers Denise Duncan of Lighting Etc. and Lisa Dixon of Pace Lighting for their support as well as Eric Jacobson and Larry Lauck of the ALA for their leadership.
An eight-year veteran of the ALA’s P.R. Com- mi ee, Stumm commented, “I am part of a great organization dedicated to the future of lighting. I am the future of lighting, and it’s my voice – and ev- ery single person here has a voice – in the industry. And when we come together, that collective voice cannot be unheard.”
Stumm whipped out his cell phone and took a sel e from the stage, captioning it #Iamthefuture- o ighting. “Now go back to your showrooms and have your sta post their own sel es [with that hashtag],” he quipped.
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AARON HOGSED PHOTOGRAPHERY