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McDonald Associates Seals Deal to Rep

Aug. 15, 2003
As part of a reorganization of its metropolitan Chicago sales efforts, Lutron Electronics Inc., Coopersburg, Pa., has appointed McDonald Associates Inc., Arlington Heights, Ill., as its new local manufacturers’ representative in the area and created a new specification team.

As part of a reorganization of its metropolitan Chicago sales efforts, Lutron Electronics Inc., Coopersburg, Pa., has appointed McDonald Associates Inc., Arlington Heights, Ill., as its new local manufacturers’ representative in the area and created a new specification team.

Paul Trively, Lutron’s vice president of specification sales, said the new sales configuration, which went into effect on Aug. 1, is intended to enhance relationships with existing customers and strengthen Lutron’s presence in the Chicago market.

“Members of the newly formed Lutron specification team will be directly calling on the specification community in the Chicago market,” said Trively.

Lutron has used the specification team approach in the New York metropolitan market and some other markets and the approach works well, said Rick Angel, Lutron’s senior vice president. “It does work for us and it does help us expand the market so we can get more Lutron products used throughout buildings, residential and commercial,” he said.

Angel said Lutron chose McDonald Associates because the manufacturers’ rep knows how to “make” market share.

Dennis McDonald said his company’s experience selling automation control products in Chicago’s industrial market will make for a smoother addition of the high-end lighting controls to its product package. To gear up for the new line, McDonald Associates is hiring four sales specialists.

“On the surface, it doesn’t look like it fits,” said McDonald. “This is a lighting product. We’re not lighting people. But we really analyzed our company and looked at our core competencies to sell technical products. We have made a nice niche for the last 18 to 19 years in the industrial control marketplace. While we’re really strongly committed to continuing to grow that part of our business, this was a great opportunity to take a couple of bricks out of our building, shuffle them around and make it stronger.”

This isn’t the first time McDonald Associates has moved into new market terrain. Over the past few years, the company has built new business niches in the security market and with catalog houses like McMaster-Carr.

“We are excited about building awareness of Lutron’s broad capabilities,” said McDonald. “We will be working closely with the Lutron team to service all of the lighting control needs of area electrical distributors, lighting showrooms, contractors and end users.”

According to Lutron’s Trively, the specification team will offer enhanced services such as same day job layout assistance, enhanced software for the design of lighting control systems, a factory direct team of specification lighting control specialists to meet specific needs and new product introductions.

Trively, who has been involved in the design and application of numerous lighting control products in various worldwide projects, will head the specification team. For other members of the specification team, see People on page 6.