Wholesale & Distribution International - Fall 2017 - 51

ARIZONA LIGHTING SALES INC.

such as the one that occurred throughout the country in 2007.
Fortunately, the economy since has recovered to full strength,
and Baumgartner and Szymanski see potential for growth.
"This was at one time an area that was really known as a retirement destination," Szymanski says. "But in more recent
years, the area has become a lot younger with families moving
to the area, but the real estate is still very affordable. When we
look at Phoenix, we see nothing but growth potential and we
fully intend on participating in that growth."
Indeed, Phoenix is one of the faster-growing areas in the
United States, and as it continues to grow, Arizona Lighting
Sales should grow as well. Since Szymanski and Baumgartner
joined the company, they have seen its employees go from
eight to its present staff of 26.
They recruit people from all sorts of backgrounds, sales or
otherwise. "We have hired employees with experience with
certain well-known brands such as Hubbell," Baumgartner
says. "But a lot have come from various sales backgrounds. We
really try and find those that are motivated to excel in sales and
the construction business."

ADAPTING TO LED

Arizona Lighting sees much growth potential because
Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.

The key goal of Arizona Lighting is to find the most suitable
products for its end-users. "We strive to have the right product
for every complete application," Baumgartner says, "regardless of what the project is."
The team has built its reputation on executing that idea, and
its leadership realizes that is what sets it apart. "Anyone can
go across the street and buy what we're selling," Baumgartner
says. "We set ourselves apart with honesty and integrity. We always tell the truth, and we always stay true to who we are."

Although Arizona Lighting's approach to relationships is a constant, it has had to keep up with rapidly changing technology
within the lighting industry. In particular, the advent of energy-efficient LED lighting has forced the company to evolve.
"The world of LED has dramatically changed our industry,"
Szymanski notes. "And that is an understatement."
Szymanski notes what where before there was an emphasis
on individual lighting fixtures, the advent of smart technology
has put more focus on building control units. "The shift has
definitely been to the controls arena," Szymanski says. "With
modern technology, a person running a building controls system in a 40-story office building can adjust lighting controls for
one individual on the 35th floor."
To stay ahead of the curve, Szymanski and his team spend
considerable time with electrical contractors and design firms
to come up with efficient lighting systems, and importantly,
find the right products to use in those systems. For an established company like Arizona Lighting, that means a line card of
established, high-profile names such as Hubbell and Lutron.
"Certainly, we do carry some shining stars," Szymanski says.
"That gives us credibility with customers, and leads to more
requests for potential business."
Carrying high-profile brands combined with extensive
application experience has led to Arizona Lighting landing
some significant projects. One of those was a major facility
for the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. Arizona Lighting secured the
lighting for Mayo's Proton Beam facility, which uses highly
targeted precision beams to target cancerous tumors.
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