Bob Benton, the recently retired president of RB Sales Corp., Marion, Iowa, won the 2004 GEM Award for Independent Manufacturers’ Reps. Benton received the award at this year’s NEMRA Conference in Philadelphia. Benton and his wife, Sherry, started RB Sales in 1979 and recently named son-in-law Bill Devereaux as CEO and president of the company.
The GEM Award for independent manufacturers’ representatives was established in 1990 in honor of George Ganzenmuller, Electrical Wholesaling’s chief editor for over 30 years, to recognize reps whose business careers exemplify the integrity and fairness that Ganzenmuller stood for during his years in the electrical industry. Ganzenmuller 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.
This year’s winner of the GEM Rising Star Award is Richard Whitecraft, principal, Keyline Sales, Albuquerque, N.M. Whitecraft and his wife, Kim, started the business in 1990.
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.
Both winners will be profiled in this month’s issue of Electrical Wholesaling magazine.