Al Near
Southlake
Summary
Dynamic leader with a proven track record at Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, driving strategic business expansion and achieving over 15% CAGR in enterprise value. Expert in collaborative team development and growth acceleration, I excel in product development and market analysis, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
CHAIRMAN & CEO, MANAGING PRINCIPAL
Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, LLC
Dallas / Fort Worth
10.2014 - Current
- Company Overview: (Lighting manufacturers' representative agency - 100% S-Corp ESOP)
- Chief Promoter of Employee-Ownership Culture as a key driver of daily value creation for the company
- Executed a comprehensive, multi-year succession plan at every level of the organization to create a 'best-in-class' lighting, electrical, & controls manufacturer's rep agency that now ranks among the largest in the nation at sales generation of more than $200 Million annually
- Led organic development of the company's Controls and Technology division to expand product set and offer new services to the market
- Top graded initial staff of 2 and then expanded staff to 20 over 10 years
- Division revenue growth has exploded at 43.52% CAGR at average OP of 34.6%
- Engineered the acquisition of a neighboring manufacturer's rep agency and the simultaneous integration of two sub-contract organizations to expand the company's geographic reach from the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex to 75% of the state of Texas, adding East TX, West TX, San Antonio, Austin, and South TX to the company's footprint
- A merger with a similarly sized company in 2020 and a smaller follow-up acquisition in 2021 further expanded the company's reach to eight states and further diversified its product offering
- The results of this M&A activity have generated greater +15% CAGR in enterprise value, net of the company's financing activities to address stock repurchase liability
- Trusted advisor on go-to-market matters for the company's largest manufacturer relationships, as well as industry peers
- Primary liaison for the company's banking and financing relationships
- (Lighting manufacturers' representative agency - 100% S-Corp ESOP)
VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
THE LIGHTING QUOTIENT
West Haven
04.2013 - 09.2014
- Company Overview: (Privately held manufacturer of indoor / outdoor asymmetric, architectural lighting products)
- Brought into turnaround YOY erosion of traditional sourced lighting product sales and aggressively promoted the company's new technology in the marketplace
- Responsible for all sales management, inside sales operations, business development, and marketing
- Growth acceleration strategy implemented increased sales of newly introduced product from stagnant results to +15% average monthly growth
- New Product Vitality Index (NPVI) grew to 34% from 6% at time of employment
- (Privately held manufacturer of indoor / outdoor asymmetric, architectural lighting products)
VICE PRESIDENT - LED LIGHTING
SHARP ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Memphis
12.2011 - 04.2013
- Company Overview: (Global manufacturer of consumer electronics & appliances, copiers, solar panels, and LEDs)
- Brand management leader for LED Lighting with P&L, product development, quotations, customer service, marketing, and sales responsibility for this new-business, start-up within Sharp
- Developed initial vision, product specifications, contracts, warranties, terms, pricing, and successful launch for Sharp LED Lighting to enter the North American market, including an ongoing 18-month product roadmap and long-range strategic plan
- Recruited engineers, product planners, initial sales management team members, and a core group of 30 independent lighting agents that covered approx
- 70% of US GDP to execute strategy
- Traveled abroad to Japan and China to work directly with Sharp-Japan design engineers, evaluate potential contract manufacturing partners for select product categories, and to facilitate supply chain alignment with the Sharp LED components division and its strategic partners
- (Global manufacturer of consumer electronics & appliances, copiers, solar panels, and LEDs)
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SALES & MARKETING
USAI LIGHTING
New Windsor
07.2009 - 12.2011
- Company Overview: (Privately held manufacturer of small footprint, high performance, recessed lighting products)
- Recruited to manage technology shift to LED and to reposition the company for dynamic growth
- Responsible for P&L, sales, customer service, quotations, warranty / technical support, product development, and marketing
- Processes implemented more-than-doubled revenues over two years (from under $10 million to more than $26 million), while generating 21% EBITDA
- Implemented top-grade of several agency representatives and sales managers along with placement of representation in every North American territory
- Company only represented in approx 50% of the markets at time of hire
- Instituted New Product Vitality Index (NPVI) metric for driving new product sales and more profitable mix
- Monthly rate increased from less than 2% to +29% during tenure
- Directed company's solid-state lighting product development strategy
- These products won numerous awards and are recognized as top performing fixtures in their lighting category
- (Privately held manufacturer of small footprint, high performance, recessed lighting products)
VICE PRESIDENT, DISTRIBUTOR SALES & STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS
HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.
Greenville
08.2006 - 07.2009
- Company Overview: (A division of Hubbell, Inc
- - manufacturer of lighting, electrical, and power systems products)
- Responsible for the company's overall channel management strategy via the U.S.'s Top 200 electrical distributors (+$560 million in volume) plus numerous national account end-users, such as Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Dillard's, Publix, & Lowe's
- (These accounts were an additional +$90 million in volume.)
- Revitalized the Hubbell 'Alliance' Program with targeted rebate incentives and focused program elements to drive deeper market penetration with key channel partners
- Partners' sales performance moved from flat / declining sales to +12% CAGR during tenure
- (A division of Hubbell, Inc
- - manufacturer of lighting, electrical, and power systems products)
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.
Dallas
05.2003 - 08.2006
- Company Overview: (A division of Hubbell, Inc
- - manufacturer of lighting, electrical, and power systems products)
- Held primary agency sales management responsibility for $120 Million in commercial lighting sales
- Assumed additional management responsibility for North Central Region in 2005 which was another $125 Million in revenue (…for total of $245 Million in sales responsibility.)
- Drove sales initiatives and promotions that yielded double-digit YOY growth over three years
- Cultivated performance metrics to measure specification sales effectiveness and various tracking metrics to gauge distribution sales efforts
- Several were adopted as company 'best practices'
- (A division of Hubbell, Inc
- - manufacturer of lighting, electrical, and power systems products)
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.
Dallas
11.2001 - 05.2003
- Company Overview: (A division of Hubbell, Inc
- - manufacturer of lighting, electrical, and power systems products)
- (A division of Hubbell, Inc
- - manufacturer of lighting, electrical, and power systems products)
VARIOUS POSITIONS
LITHONIA LIGHTING
Conyers
04.1994 - 12.2000
- Company Overview: (A division of Acuity Brands, Inc
- - manufacturer of lighting and lighting control products)
- Rapidly promoted up through the organization to gain product development & marketing responsibility for residential recessed lighting and then later architectural outdoor products
- Developed product roadmap and oversaw the engineering and pilot manufacturing of a line of architectural area lighting designed to compete in the high-end specification market
- Implemented product development and cost reduction plan for downlighting product group
- Resulting sales growth of +30% annually took division from an operating deficit to profitability
- (A division of Acuity Brands, Inc
- - manufacturer of lighting and lighting control products)
Education
B.S. - MANAGEMENT
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Atlanta, GA06.1993
Skills
- Collaborative Team Development
- Sales Team Leadership
- Strategic Implementation
- Channel Strategy Development
- Strategic Business Expansion
- Business Valuations / Acquisitions / Integrations
- Customer Loyalty Development
- KPI Design
- Growth Acceleration Expertise
- Financial Strategy Development
- Product Development Expertise
- Process Optimization
- Partnership Development
- Strategic Board Interaction
- Market Analysis and Brand Strategy
- Talent Acquisition & Development
Associations
- Member, Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA)
- Member, The ESOP Association
Board Positions
- Chairman of the Board, Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, LLC, 2015, Present
- Board Member, Hatfield & Company, 2024, Present
- Agency Advisory Council, Leviton Lighting - VISCOR Brands, 2024, Present
- Agency Advisory Council, Hubbell Lighting / Current Lighting, Inc., 2015, 2023
- Agency Advisory Council, Legrand - North America - Lighting & Building Control Systems, 2016, 2023
- Advisory Board, Isolite, Inc., 2019, 2022
Demonstrated Success
- Driving Revenue & Profitability Growth, Led unprecedented sales and profitability growth at Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, LLC, one of the largest lighting fixture & controls manufacturer's representatives in the US. More than quadrupled sales over a ten-year span and improved margins by more than 19% CAGR over that same period.
- Mergers & Acquisitions, Spearheaded 2 acquisitions, 1 merger, and 3 organic expansions with Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, LLC to diversify its product portfolio beyond just lighting and lighting controls into electrical products and industrial motor controls. Additionally, these strategic moves expanded the company's geographic reach beyond Texas, to a total of 8 contiguous states throughout the South-Central U.S. Emphasis on immediate cultural integration, promotion of innovative products and services, and change management have allowed the bolt-on businesses to create incremental value for Hossley and eclipse $200 million per year in booked sales. (Over $1.4 billion in total goods sold during tenure in role.)
- Market Penetration, Optimized the Hubbell 'Alliance' Program with targeted rebate incentives and focused program elements for the Top 200 electrical wholesalers and national account distributors in North America. Partners' sales performance moved from flat / declining sales to +12% CAGR. ($560 Million in revenue flowed through partnered distributors.)
- Product Development, Developed two, award-winning families of LED Lighting products during tenure at USAI Lighting which propelled strong double-digit CAGR%. Devised strategy to bring LED lamps, troffers, downlights, and high bays to market for Sharp Electronics, and managed the development of outdoor and downlighting products at Lithonia Lighting.
- Brand Management, Improved the Lighting Quotient's new product adoption rate from 6% of total sales to 34% and climbing in less than 12 months by focusing sales efforts on LED product offering, strategically adjusting price, KPI measurement, increased use of CRM, and aggressive promotion. Realized similar product vitality index increases with USAI Lighting and with Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, LLC.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
CHAIRMAN & CEO, MANAGING PRINCIPAL
Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, LLC
10.2014 - Current
VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
THE LIGHTING QUOTIENT
04.2013 - 09.2014
VICE PRESIDENT - LED LIGHTING
SHARP ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
12.2011 - 04.2013
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SALES & MARKETING
USAI LIGHTING
07.2009 - 12.2011
VICE PRESIDENT, DISTRIBUTOR SALES & STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS
HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.
08.2006 - 07.2009
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.
05.2003 - 08.2006
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.
11.2001 - 05.2003
VARIOUS POSITIONS
LITHONIA LIGHTING
04.1994 - 12.2000
B.S. - MANAGEMENT
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Similar Profiles
Steven AtkinsonSteven Atkinson
Vice President of Lighting Controls at Hossley Lighting And Power SolutionsVice President of Lighting Controls at Hossley Lighting And Power Solutions
Alberto GomezAlberto Gomez
Professional Services Consultant at Power Move Solutions LLCProfessional Services Consultant at Power Move Solutions LLC
SHADRACK OCHIENG OTIENOSHADRACK OCHIENG OTIENO
GIS Data Collector at Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC)GIS Data Collector at Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC)