Chicago Rep Firm McDonald Associates Announces Change in Lutron Relationship

July 13, 2012
McDonald Associates Inc., Rolling Meadows, Ill., announced a change in its relationship with Lutron Electronics, Coopersburg, Pa.

McDonald Associates Inc., Rolling Meadows, Ill., announced a change in its relationship with Lutron Electronics, Coopersburg, Pa. Beginning Aug. 31, McDonald Associates, Inc. (MAI) will no longer be responsible for servicing the commercial contractor market for Lutron in the northern Illinois trading area, but will continue to represent Lutron for the stock-and-flow business with its electrical distribution customers.

In a press release announcing the change, Dennis McDonald, president, said, “Lutron has made the decision to build a direct sales team to call on commercial contractors. MAI will continue in the role of managing and growing Lutron’s stock-and-flow business through distribution. We are proud of the market share we built with Lutron in northern Illinois and look forward to continuing our success with our channel partner’s stock-and-flow business.”

In other news at MAI, Larry Bisaillon, owner of Chicago Lighting, Arlington Heights, Ill., has joined the company. He will join Christopher Wiedlin, Aimee Morris and Richard McDonald (all current employees of McDonald Associates Inc.) in becoming shareholders of the company. Chicago Lighting will cease to do business and will transfer, where applicable, contracts for representation. Several employees of Chicago Lighting will also join Bisaillon in moving over to MAI. MAI’s Kevin McDonald, company V.P., said in a press release, “We have been talking with Larry regarding options to building our teams and provide our principals with the highest quality representation in our trading area. This has been in the works for a while and due to recent developments, we moved forward sooner than later.”

Dennis McDonald told Electrical Marketing that going forward the agency’s approach in servicing Chicagoland’s lighting market will be to focus on “the four pillars” — specification, industrial, distribution and contractors. Bisailon, Wiedlin, Morris and Richard McDonald will each manage one of these market segments for MAI.