May 27, 2016 – “Our high-performing and caring culture is what sets us apart from our competition and as an employer,” beams Elaine Gerrie, co-president & CEO of Gerrie Electric Wholesale Ltd.

Best Managed companies embrace innovation, seize opportunities and inspire talent. EBMag reached out to all of the electrical industry players* who made the grade, hoping to learn a little more about what it is they are doing right, and why the distinction of being a Best Managed company matters to them and, truly, should matter to us all.

To read the full article with all the Best Managed electrical companies, check out the Spring 2016 edition of Distribution & Supply. Meantime, back to Gerrie Electric Wholesale Ltd., a Requalified Best Managed company.

“Our team of employees passionately help customers be more successful, and we believe they truly feel that entrepreneurial spirit and that the company is their own,” adds Heather Gerrie Kwant, co-president & CEO.

The distributor traces its roots to September 1957, when Ken Gerrie opened a storefront electrical supply counter on Florence Drive in Oakville, Ont., population approaching 10,000.

“I was selling anything from pole line for farm wiring and standard house wiring material to sump pumps and water heaters,” Ken reminisces. “During the festive holiday season, we’d sell small appliances. Light bulbs were a big item to help our December sales. In fact, we sold whatever we could buy.”

The company now sports divisions for electrical, process, automation, lighting, project services, supply chain and IP network, and is located in about 20 cities and towns across southern Ontario.

“Being named as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies is a recognition that has a tremendous reputation across our country,” notes Elaine, who explains the qualification process ensures key focus areas of the business have been thoroughly studied and analyzed, “as [judges] are looking for market leaders and those companies who stand out in innovation, in leadership, in employee engagement, financial stability, to name a few areas.”

With annual sales in excess of $150 million, family-owned Gerrie Electric is involved in numerous markets, such as industrial, OEM, contractor, institutional, commercial, IP network, utility and retail. It is a member of Electro-Federation Canada and Affiliated Distributors.

“We are so very proud of our entire team at Gerrie, as they are the reason we were selected as meeting the criteria and for the culture that is throughout the organization,” adds Elaine.

FYI… Best Managed awards are granted on five levels

1. Best Managed: One of the new winners selected each year.

2. Requalified member. Repeat winners retain the Best Managed designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review.

3. Gold Standard winner. After three consecutive years of maintaining their Best Managed status, these winners have demonstrated their commitment to the program and successfully reapplied for the designation.

4. Gold Requalified member. Gold Standard winners may requalify for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review.

5. Platinum Club member. Winners that maintain Best Managed status for a minimum of six consecutive years.

* For the purposes of D&S specifically, we only highlighted electrical manufacturers and distributors operating in Canada.