September 4, 2025
Ohio Acuity Reps Merge to form DLS Group
Lighting Systems and Jack Duffy unite, signaling shift toward unified territory model
For decades, electrical manufacturers’ reps in Ohio have acted as if the state were a single territory — even when some manufacturers didn’t.
That informal strategy has gradually seeped into how lighting agents go to market in the Buckeye state. The latest example: a newly announced merger between Lighting Systems of Columbus and Jack Duffy & Associates, two long-established lighting reps representing Acuity in Central and Northeast Ohio, respectively. The two agencies announced plans to merge and will formally launch as DLS Group on January 1, 2026.
DLS Group was chosen as shorthand for Duffy + Lighting Systems — not LSD Group, which would’ve sent an entirely different message.
Leadership and Shared Lines
The new agency will be led by four principals: Shannon Fry and Scott Fenton from Lighting Systems of Columbus, and Stephen Nagy and John Baranek from Jack Duffy & Associates.
“This merger is about combining strengths,” said Fry. “Together, we have the reach, the product diversity, and the technical know-how to serve our clients better than ever before.”
In addition to Acuity, the two line cards already share several overlapping manufacturers, including Fluxwerx, ALW, PA-CO and New Star Lighting. A single rep structure is expected to streamline coordination across specs, submittals, and distributor support — especially for regional accounts that operate across both cities.
For now, customers are encouraged to continue working with their existing points of contact in Columbus or Cleveland. More details about personnel changes and account support are expected closer to year-end.
Agency-Led, Manufacturer-Blessed
This appears to have been an agency-driven initiative, but it would be surprising if Acuity wasn’t aware of the move and didn’t give its blessing. While the manufacturer may not have pushed consolidation in Ohio, it seemingly hasn’t stood in the way, either.
That’s notable because Acuity has historically resisted lighting agent mergers that other large brands embraced years ago. Cleveland and Akron, for example, remained separate Acuity rep markets into the 2010s — despite the tight geography and minimal market distinction. The company is the only major lighting anchor that continues to divide New England among three different representatives, even as competitors treat it as a unified six-state region.
This latest merger suggests a quiet evolution: not a shift in official policy, but a willingness to approve consolidation when it comes from trusted agents.
Part of a Broader Realignment
Ohio’s lighting map has been redrawing itself for the better part of a decade, with major brands consolidating their representation across key metro areas. Genlyte Solutions now uses Lightspec across Ohio. Current is aligned under Lighting Dynamics in Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo. Earlier this year, Lighting & Controls, the Cooper Lighting agent in Cleveland, expanded its footprint as part of cleanup duty following the unraveling of Cooper’s Ohio partnership with JAW Lighting earlier this year.
DLS Group fits cleanly into that larger trend: a move toward integrated, multi-market coverage that reflects how business is actually done.
What Remains Unchanged — for Now
Acuity’s representation in Cincinnati and Toledo remains unchanged, with King Lighting continuing to cover Cincinnati and Detroit-based Gasser Bush holding Toledo. Whether this consolidation sets a precedent for further realignments remains to be seen. But it does mark the second time Acuity has allowed Ohio reps to combine.
It’s not the loudest merger. But in a market that prizes relationships, history, and consistency, it may prove to be one of the more consequential.
