Universal Lighting Technologies (Nashville, Tenn.): Bruce Spencer has been promoted to vice president, Distribution Sales, from his current position as senior director, Distribution Sales U.S. In his new role, Spencer will oversee the sale of all Universal and Vossloh-Schwabe products within the distribution channel throughout the United States.
Baynes Electric Supply Co. (Brockton, Mass.): Chris Antonellis has been promoted to vice president and general manager. Baynes Electric Supply is a 55-year old electrical distributor with locations in Brockton, Boston, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Canton, Nantucket and Hanover, Mass., and Middletown, R.I.
Power/Mation (St. Paul., Minn.): This automation distributor has appointed Jim Gottschalk as president and CEO, effective Oct. 18. Before coming to Power/mation, Gottschalk was V.P. in charge of the sales, engineering and manufacturing divisions at HESCO, an electrical automation distributor in Hartford, Conn. Prior to that he served 17 years in management at McNaughton-McKay Electric Co., Ford Motor Co. and Rockwell Automation. He has a BS in electrical engineering from Kettering University. Along with its St. Paul headquarters and offices in Alexandria, Duluth and Owatonna, Minn.; Power/mation has facilities in Wood Dale, Ill.; Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa; Wahpeton, N.D.; Omaha, Neb.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Waukesha, Neenah and Green Bay, Wis.
Summit Electric Supply (Albuquerque, N.M.): Former Austin Service Center Leader Mike Kizer has taken the reins at the company's Dallas location. Kizer, an industry veteran with deep ties to the Dallas market, had been the Austin service center leader since August 2009. Prior to joining Summit, Kizer managed five locations in the Dallas area and has worked in the Texas market since 2001. He joined the industry first as a manufacturer's representative in 1994 before transitioning to distribution in 1999.
Matt Darling will be taking charge of the company's Austin branch. Darling, who joined Summit in February 2009 as an account manager, has a strong background in sales and inventory management. Darling began his career in the industry in 1998 and held various management positions, including as a district manager responsible for sales and inventory management at 10 warehouses from Atlanta, Ga., to California. From 2006-2008, he served as a corporate purchasing manager.
Rexel Inc. (Dallas): Mark Daniel is now senior vice president and general manager, with overall leadership responsibility for the U.S. organization. Daniel will oversee “the continuing development of customer-focused support initiatives to accelerate the business' growth and strengthen Rexel Inc.'s position as a premier U.S. electrical distributor,” the company said.
Daniel has held several leadership positions in Rexel Inc. and IESC, most recently as division sales president for Rexel, Inc., with responsibility for the South East Division field sales operations, including all branch operations, customer relations and division staff. He has also served as vice president sales and North East Division president for Rexel Inc. and as vice president New Business Development for IESC, with responsibility for the company's U.S. acquisition strategy.
A.O. Smith (Tipp City, Ohio): Daniel Drexler was named V.P. of international sales and general industries for this motor manufacturer. During his 24 years with the company he has held several executive posts. Drexler has a BA in electrical engineering from Ohio University
Tyco International Ltd. (Schaffhausen, Switzerland): Frank Sklarsky is joining the company as executive V.P. and CFO, effective Dec. 1. In this role, he succeeds Christopher Coughlin, who will advise Tyco on certain projects until his retirement in 2011. Coughlin has served as the company's executive V.P. and CFO since 2005. Sklarsky joins Tyco from Eastman Kodak where he was executive V.P. and CFO for the past four years. Sklarsky has also held executive posts with ConAgra Foods, Chrysler, Dell and Ernst & Young. He earned his M.B.A. from Harvard University and a BS in accounting from Rochester Institute of Technology.
WAC Lighting (Garden City, N.Y): Timothy Vislay has been appointed Western Regional Sales Manager and will work closely with lighting showrooms and electrical distributors located west of the Mississippi River. He previously worked as national sales manager for Maxlite and Minka Lavery, a division of Minka Lighting; product development manager for Minka; store manager for EXPO Design Center; and for Lamps Plus.
Arteche PQ Inc. (Milwaukee): This manufacturer of power quality equipment hired Chuck Gougler as V.P. of sales. He has more than 30 years of experience in the power quality and energy management fields. Gougler is active with the IEEE and most recently served as marketing and business development manager for Staco Energy Products Co.