In Memoriam: Ron Naus of B-K Lighting

Ronald S. Naus, President of B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination in Madera, Calif., passed away May 31 at the age of 47. He is survived by his wife, Danielle; their two children, Christian and Kai; his mother Belinda; sister Linda; and brother Rich.

Raised on Long Island, N.Y., Naus spent his formative years in McHenry, Ill., serving as an intern with the Illinois Department of Commerce Commission during his senior year of high school. He attended Illinois State University, where he majored in Political Science.

Naus’ first job in the lighting industry was with Big Beam Emergency Systems, Inc. in Crystal Lake, Ill., and went on to become the principal of Silver State Lighting in Las Vegas. In 2001, he accepted a position with B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination in California, joining the B-K Lighting team as Sales Manager. Within six months he was promoted to Sales & Marketing Manager. In 2006, he was promoted to Executive Vice President and appointed President in 2012.

According to his colleagues, his inventiveness and dedication to the specifier was evident in his creation of B-K University (BKU). It was Naus’ firm belief that if both sales representatives and lighting industry specifiers were brought into BKU where they could be shown how products were designed, manufactured, tested, and finished, he could prove how B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination products are uniquely positioned to meet the requirements the industry demands. BKU has seen thousands of participants and continues to be one of the most polished and exclusive events within the lighting industry. Naus’ love of hands-on learning was incorporated into the return of B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination’s participation at Lightfair 2012 after a four-year hiatus.

Naus’ coworkers said his best moments were in front of groups of people, leading them in the classroom, at a trade show or teaching them about lighting, its rapidly changing technology, and the future of the company and the lighting industry as a whole. They added that his work in raising funds for the IALD Educational Trust was a very natural extension of his personality.

Naus’ daily routine not only included answering clients’ lighting issues, conducting Webinars with sales reps, working with the IES, the IALD, and technology vendors, and developing new products that pushed the envelope of lighting design. The private ownership of B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination was a source of pride for him, often saying that “Lil ‘ol B-K Lighting continues to show what can be done and what conglomerates think can’t be done.” He was a leader who expected great things not only from his peers and coworkers, but from himself.

His coworkers said, “No words can adequately express our sadness at Ron’s passing or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.”

B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination has establishing a benefit fund for Naus’ children. For more information, contact Dionna Smith at dionna.smith@bklighting.com.