Todaro And Oliver Win EW GEM Awards

Feb. 23, 2006
Electrical Wholesaling magazine recognized two reps for their service to the electrical business at the recent annual conference of the National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA) in Louisville, Ky.

Electrical Wholesaling magazine recognized two reps for their service to the electrical business at the recent annual conference of the National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA) in Louisville, Ky. Charlie Todaro, vice president, General Power and Control Corp., Elmwood, La., won the 2006 GEM Award for Independent Manufacturers’ Representatives; and Barry Oliver, principal, ElectroLink Sales, Albuquerque, N.M., won the 2006 GEM Rising Star.

For the past 35 years, Todaro and his team at General Power and Control Corp. have used a blue-chip package of product lines to serve distributors and end users in Louisiana and Mississippi. He will celebrate his 50th year in the electrical business next year.

In just four years, Barry Oliver and ElectroLink’s operation manager, Beth Alexander, have built the company into a force to be reckoned with in the New Mexico market. They have already won a number of manufacturers’ awards for their efforts, including recognition from Hubbell Electrical Products, Bell, Killark, Picoma and Juno Lighting.

The GEM Award for independent manufacturers’ representatives was established in 1990 in honor of George Ganzenmuller, the magazine’s chief editor for over 30 years, to recognize reps whose business careers exemplify the integrity and fairness that George stood for during his years in the electrical industry.

The GEM Rising Star Award for independent manufacturers’ representatives was established to recognize those industry executives whose early careers and industry contributions show promise of leadership and insight and who have already demonstrated the determination to excel. Ganzenmuller, founder and first editor of Electrical Marketing, was an early and ardent supporter of NEMRA in its formative years, and he gave NEMRA a public forum in the pages of Electrical Wholesaling magazine to allow their voices to be heard. Both winners will be profiled in the March issue of Electrical Wholesaling magazine.