Count on extraordinary vision.
IDEA Board of Directors at the IDEA E-Biz Forum 2011
Top from left: Robert Gaylord, President & CEO, IDEA, Del Nickel, former President (retired), Pentair's Technical Products global business unit (GBU), Greg Linder, VP, Sales Operations and Customer Support, Lutron Electronics, Greg Thrall, Sr. VP, Operations, Border States Electric, Tom Naber, President and CEO, NAED, John Teipen, Director of eBusiness, Graybar, Phil Barrios, Sr. Director, Corporate Marketing and eBusiness, Hubbell, Inc., | Bottom from left: Valerie Jones, VP of Customer Service and Inside Sales, OSRAM SYLVANIA, John Burke, President and COO, Kirby Risk Electrical Supply, Larry Stern, President and CEO, Standard Electric Supply Co., Stephen Sokolow, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Leviton Manufacturing Co. | Not Pictured: Wes Smith, President, Mayer Electric Supply Co., Evan Gaddis, President and CEO, NEMA
IDEA is proud to have a Board that shares a common vision with our Management Team—to anticipate and deliver innovative B2B eCommerce solutions and services that help companies from diverse backgrounds compete, thrive, and profit in an increasingly competitive global economy.
Board Officers |
Voting Directors |
Non-Voting Directors
Board Officers
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President
Robert Gaylord
President and CEO, IDEA
Brigadier General Robert Gaylord (retired) has been president and CEO
of IDEA since December 2007. For the first time since the inception of
IDEA, Gaylord and the Board of Directors rigorously analyzed IDEA's value and purpose in the channel.
full bio
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Chairman
Larry Stern
President and CEO, Standard Electric Supply Co. (WI)
The IDEA Board of Directors elected Larry Stern, president and CEO of
Standard Electric Supply Co. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the IDEA
Chairman of the Board for 2011-2012. He previously served on the Board
as the Vice Chair from 2010-2011 and Treasurer from 2008-2010.
full bio
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Vice Chair
Stephen Sokolow
Chairman of the Board Of Directors, Leviton Manufacturing Company
Stephen B. Sokolow is Chairman of the Board of Directors for Leviton, a
position he has held since 2007. Prior to being named to Board Chairman,
Sokolow served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and as
Executive Vice President for Leviton.
full bio
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Treasurer
John Burke
President, COO, Kirby Risk Electrical Supply
John Burke is President, COO of Kirby Risk Electrical Supply, a Midwest
distributor of electrical products and services with 38 locations in
Indiana, Central and Southern Illinois and Northwest Ohio.
full bio
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Secretary
Valerie Jones
Vice-President of Customer Service and Inside Sales, OSRAM SYLVANIA
Valerie Jones, Vice-President of Customer Service and Inside Sales at
OSRAM SYLVANIA, is responsible for centralized Customer Service and
Inside Sales for General Illumination supporting the central selling
organization for US and Canada: Trade, Retail, OEM/Special Markets,
Special Lighting, and Sylvania Lighting Services (US).
full bio
Robert Gaylord
President and CEO, IDEA
Brigadier General Robert Gaylord (retired) has been president and CEO
of IDEA since December 2007. For the first time since the inception of
IDEA, Gaylord and the Board of Directors rigorously analyzed IDEA's value and purpose in the channel.
The strategic plan completed under his leadership resulted in a new
corporate vision, mission and strategic goals that clearly articulate
IDEA’s purpose - to drive cost out of the electrical supply chain.
Previously, Bob was President and CEO of the Leader-to-Leader Institute
(formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management) in
New York City. Bob retired from the United States Army in 2005 after a
long and distinguished career culminating in his assignment as the
Army's senior strategic communications and public affairs officer. He
serves as a leader for several nonprofit organizations dedicated to
veterans, youth, and the country’s future such as Mission Readiness,
Military Child Education Coalition, and the Military Order of the Purple
Heart Service Foundation. He is a graduate of The Ohio University with a
degree in Fine Arts, and subsequently earned a Master of Technology
degree from Georgia Southern College and a Master of Science degree in
Public Relations from The American University.
Larry Stern
President and CEO, Standard Electric Supply Co. (WI)
The IDEA Board of Directors elected Larry Stern, president and CEO of Standard Electric Supply Co. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the IDEA Chairman of the Board for 2011-2012. He previously served on the Board as the Vice Chair from 2010-2011 and Treasurer from 2008-2010. Stern has been with Standard Electric Supply Co. since 1989 and has held the position of President since 1994. He is actively involved with the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) as a member of the Board of Directors, and he serves on the Affiliated Distributors (A-D) Electrical Division Board and SupplyFORCE Board of Directors. He also participates on several distributor advisory councils with electrical equipment manufacturers. In 1997, Stern received a national award from Electrical Wholesaling magazine as a Rising Star in the electrical distribution industry. Locally, he also serves as an officer on the Board of the Menomonee Valley Business Association and was appointed to the Menomonee Valley Business Improvement District by the Mayor of Milwaukee. Stern obtained his juris doctor from Southern Methodist University School of Law and obtained his undergraduate degree in accounting at the University of Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Stephen Sokolow
Chairman of the Board Of Directors, Leviton Manufacturing Company
Stephen B. Sokolow is Chairman of the Board of Directors for Leviton, a position he has held since 2007. Prior to being named to Board Chairman, Sokolow served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and as Executive Vice President for Leviton. As Executive Vice President, Sokolow directed the company’s manufacturing, engineering, distribution and information technology operations and has been the driving force behind many process improvements in the company’s operations. Beginning his career at Leviton in 1961 in the company’s production control area, he has worked over the course of a career spanning fifty years in all disciplines and areas of the company. Sokolow has served the industry as Technical Chairman of the Electronic Data Exchange Joint Committee of NAED, NEMA and NEMRA and was Chairman of NEMA’s Wiring Device Section. He presently serves as a member of the Board of the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) and as a Board Member and Treasurer of IDEA. He is a recipient of Electrical Wholesaling magazine’s prestigious Ganzenmuller Electrical Marketing (GEM) Award, an honor given to those who lead a company to greatness in the area of electrical marketing.
John Burke
President, COO, Kirby Risk Electrical Supply
John Burke is President, COO of Kirby Risk Electrical Supply, a Midwest distributor of electrical products and services with 38 locations in Indiana, Central and Southern Illinois and Northwest Ohio. Prior to joining Kirby Risk in 2001 Burke most recently held positions as Chief Operating Officer with SourceAlliance, Southeast Division, President of Rexel, S.A. and Vice President, General Manager of EESCO Division of WESCO International. Burke began his career with GE where he spent 15 years engaged in various management positions in the areas of Government Contracting, Sourcing and Materials Management in the Power Systems and Electrical Distribution businesses. Burke serves on numerous electrical industry advisory boards for electrical manufacturers, the supplyFORCE Board of Directors, the NAED Education and Research Foundation Board of Directors and an Advisory Board for the School of Industrial Distribution at Purdue University. Burke graduated from the State University of New York at Albany and received an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
Valerie Jones
Vice-President of Customer Service and Inside Sales, OSRAM SYLVANIA
Valerie Jones, Vice-President of Customer Service and Inside Sales at OSRAM SYLVANIA, is responsible for centralized Customer Service and Inside Sales for General Illumination supporting the central selling organization for US and Canada: Trade, Retail, OEM/Special Markets, Special Lighting, and Sylvania Lighting Services (US). Jones joined OSRAM in New York in 1983 and relocated to Indiana in 1993 to manage the OSRAM SYLVANIA National Customer Support Center. Jones focused on transitioning the center from “transaction-oriented” to sales and service-oriented strengthening customer relationships and optimizing the center’s touch points. The name of the center changed to The National Customer Service and Sales Center with continued focus on inside sales and world-class customer service. Jones earned her MBA from the University of Indianapolis in 2000. She has served on the IDEA Board of Directors since 2008.
Voting Directors
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Phil Barrios,
Sr. Director, Corporate Marketing and eBusiness, Hubbell, Inc.
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Vice President
Greg Linder,
Vice President, Sales Operations and Customer Support, Lutron Electronics
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John Teipen,
Director of eBusiness, Graybar
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Del Nickel
former President (retired), Pentair's Technical Products global business unit (GBU)
The IDEA Board of Directors elected Delton D. Nickel, former president (retired) of Pentair’s Technical Products global business unit (GBU) in Anoka, Minnesota, as the IDEA Chairman of the Board for 2010-2011. He previously served on the Board as the Vice Chair from 2009-2010 and Secretary from 2008-2009. Nickel brings over 40 years of experience in the electrical industry, including a distinguished 18-year career at Pentair. His retirement was announced by Pentair March 2010. Nickel was appointed President, Pentair Technical Products, Americas effective March 20, 2007 and held the position of President, Hoffman Enclosures Inc. since October 1, 1996. Nickel joined Hoffman in 1992 as Vice President, Sales and Marketing, after serving 23 years in a variety of sales and marketing positions within Rockwell/Allen-Bradley. He is a graduate of North Dakota State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He is active in the NAED Manufacturing Advisory Board and is a member of the NEMA Board of Governors.
Non-Voting Directors
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Tom Naber,
President and CEO, NAED
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Evan Gaddis,
President and CEO, NEMA
President Robert Gaylord President and CEO, IDEA Brigadier General Robert Gaylord (retired) has been president and CEO of IDEA since December 2007. For the first time since the inception of IDEA, Gaylord and the Board of Directors rigorously analyzed IDEA's value and purpose in the channel. full bio
Chairman Larry Stern President and CEO, Standard Electric Supply Co. (WI) The IDEA Board of Directors elected Larry Stern, president and CEO of Standard Electric Supply Co. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the IDEA Chairman of the Board for 2011-2012. He previously served on the Board as the Vice Chair from 2010-2011 and Treasurer from 2008-2010. full bio
Secretary Valerie Jones Vice-President of Customer Service and Inside Sales, OSRAM SYLVANIA Valerie Jones, Vice-President of Customer Service and Inside Sales at OSRAM SYLVANIA, is responsible for centralized Customer Service and Inside Sales for General Illumination supporting the central selling organization for US and Canada: Trade, Retail, OEM/Special Markets, Special Lighting, and Sylvania Lighting Services (US).
