December 30, 2025
These Lighting Agents Made Headlines in 2025
Strategic deals reshape competitive dynamics in commercial lighting and controls
The lighting representation channel spent 2025 redrawing territorial boundaries, settling longstanding legal disputes, and navigating an increasingly consolidated market where scale matters more than ever. From Florida to Forest Park, from Manhattan to McKinney, agencies made strategic moves that reshaped competitive dynamics across North America's most lucrative lighting markets. Some expanded through acquisition. Others lost anchor lines they'd represented for decades. A few found themselves in federal court, litigating the messy aftermath of severed partnerships.
What emerges from the year's headlines is a portrait of an industry channel under pressure. The traditional independent rep model — built on local relationships and manufacturer loyalty — is giving way to something more complex: regional powerhouses seeking geographic scale, manufacturers consolidating their agent rosters, and a legal system increasingly called upon to arbitrate disputes that previous generations might have settled over handshakes. The question facing 2026 isn't whether this consolidation will continue. It's who will still be standing when it does.
Central US:
JAW Lighting Shakeup Redraws Cooper's Rep Map »
In seven months, JAW Lighting went from ambitious Cooper Lighting multi-state startup to retirement and dissolution. Owner Jim Williams cited health considerations in stepping away, triggering Cooper Lighting to reassign Tennessee to Ardd + Winter, Kentucky to Lighting Associates, and Ohio territories to Lighting & Controls. The rapid unwinding left Cooper managing its sixth Cincinnati rep in sixteen years, with new agents scrambling to stabilize markets that had seen whiplash-inducing turnover since late 2024.
Ohio Acuity Reps Merge to Form DLS Group »
Two Ohio-based Acuity representatives — Lighting Systems of Columbus and Jack Duffy & Associates — are merging to form DLS Group, effective January 1, 2026. The consolidation builds scale in a region where multi-state agencies expand across the central U.S., and fragmented regional players face mounting competitive pressure.
Current’s Michigan Moves Trigger Market Realignment »
Current replaced its longtime Michigan rep, awarding HLI and GLI product lines to four-year-old Wizard Lighting effective June 1, 2025. The decision forced Wizard to drop Signify's Genlyte Solutions after exactly three years, leaving Michigan Lighting Systems without a major anchor line and dealing EMI a second major loss in 60 days following its earlier departure of Wattstopper.
Chicago Lightworks Deal Sets Changes In Motion »
Chicago Lightworks acquired Indiana's Techlite Corporation to form Indiana Lightworks, taking on Signify's Genlyte Solutions across most of Indiana effective April 15. The deal left Professional Lighting Services without its anchor manufacturer line. Chicago Lightworks also stepped in as interim Genlyte representative for Michigan after Wizard Lighting's abrupt exit with no standard transition period — an unusual arrangement suggesting either a falling out or that Signify already had a long-term replacement plan in motion.
Lightspec Expands Territory With Gormley Acquisition »
Upstate New York-based Lightspec acquired Pittsburgh's Gormley Farrington, filling a conspicuous gap in its expanding multi-state footprint and completing a years-long chess match for Signify's Genlyte Solutions representation across Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The deal followed Genlyte's departure from REPCO II, with Gormley stepping in before ultimately merging with Lightspec. The acquisition deepened Lightspec's alignment with Genlyte while raising questions about Lutron's path forward and creating an awkward overlap with SESCO in Kentucky — where two of Genlyte's key agency partners now share one state.
Signify Bets on LightSpec in Michigan Expansion »
Signify appointed Lightspec to represent Genlyte Solutions in Michigan, validating the agency's growth strategy and signaling manufacturer confidence in its expanding footprint as Signify continues optimizing its North American rep structure.
St. Louis Carve-Out: Current Moves HLI Line to Schaeffer »
Current carved St. Louis and southern Illinois out of Convergence's multi-state HLI territory, appointing Schaeffer Marketing Group as its new rep effective November 1, 2025.
The precision move — rare for Current, which typically favors regional consolidation — ended Convergence's four-year St. Louis partnership while leaving the agency intact across Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and western Missouri. For Schaeffer, the timing proved fortuitous: the family-owned firm gained a lighting anchor just as Cree Lighting entered furlough, and brought back HLI DNA through Don Calcaterra, who had represented the line at his agency LEC before joining Schaeffer in 2021.
Southern US:
SESCO Lighting Acquires ELS: But What's Next? »
Florida-based SESCO Lighting acquired Engineered Lighting Sales, moving into Kentucky for the first time effective April 1. The 12-employee ELS team, including Ernie Cruse and Fred Ernstberger, joined SESCO after Cooper Lighting abruptly parted ways with ELS in late 2024. The acquisition raised immediate questions: Signify's Genlyte Solutions is represented in Kentucky by Lightspec, creating a rare overlap between two of Genlyte's most important agency partners — SESCO and Lightspec — in a relatively low-volume state where neither can likely challenge market leader LHI without major manufacturer support.
SESCO Expands into Texas, Acquires ERT »
SESCO Lighting also acquired Engineered Representation Technologies (ERT), an Austin-based agency serving the central Texas corridor including San Antonio, marking SESCO's furthest westward expansion. The deal, closing July 1, pushed SESCO into 11 states, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Rather than entering through Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston, SESCO inserted itself into central Texas along the I-35 corridor — a strategic positioning that raised questions about whether this represented the opening move in a broader Texas campaign. The acquisition deepened SESCO's alignment with Signify's Genlyte Solutions portfolio and created growing concentration risk as SESCO's share of Genlyte's national revenue continued climbing.
SESCO Expands Into Dallas With NEXGEN Acquisition »
One week after announcing its Central Texas entry, SESCO acquired NEXGEN Lighting Solutions, a 35-person Carrollton-based agency, connecting the dots across the I-35 corridor from San Antonio through Austin to Dallas. Both acquisitions closed July 1, 2025, bringing SESCO's employee count to over 515 and installing the agency as Genlyte Solutions' representative across a major swath of Texas. NEXGEN, founded in 2016 as an employee-owned firm, represented multiple Genlyte brands — creating seamless manufacturer continuity across SESCO's rapid Texas expansion. The dual acquisitions leaves Houston as the conspicuous gap in SESCO's Texas footprint.
Smart Acquisition: Bell & McCoy Moves Into Atlanta »
Bell & McCoy acquired Smart Lighting Solutions, establishing its first Georgia presence and likely marking its largest single lighting-market acquisition outside Texas. The deal brought over 25 employees, dedicated offices in Duluth and Forsyth, and came as the Bell & McCoy/FRM combined entity continued methodical Southeast expansion. Smart — founded in 2014 after Acuity's split with Lighting Associates — had been aligned with Current and Lutron since Acuity's 2022 departure. The acquisition plugged the final major hole in Bell & McCoy's Southeast strategy, with Atlanta bringing both scale and operational depth.
The Westward March of Bell & McCoy »
Bell & McCoy acquired Bob Jones & Associates, a 50-year-old Phoenix hybrid electrical and lighting rep, marking its second Arizona acquisition in 18 months and first formal Nevada presence. The deal — modest on paper with no marquee lighting lines changing hands — fits a broader pattern of methodical expansion into underserved markets. Combined with Wild West Lighting's 2024 acquisition, Bell & McCoy now represents over 90 lighting manufacturers across Arizona and has launched warehousing infrastructure in Las Vegas. The acquisitions position the agency in one of the few territories where it still lacks exclusive Current and Lutron partnerships — hedging for the day those lines become available.
NYC Metro:
ELA + Synergy Gains Momentum as USAI Switches NYC Agents »
USAI Lighting terminated its decades-long partnership with SDA Lighting & Controls, shifting an estimated $20+ million in annual NYC metro sales to ELA + Synergy effective March 14. The move simplified USAI's presence by consolidating New York City and Northern New Jersey under one agent, with Diversified losing its North Jersey representation in the process. For SDA, the departure followed its 2023 split with Coronet and entry into LumenWerx partnership — strategic moves that may have optimized profitability but came with revenue trade-offs. The realignment reunited USAI and Coronet under ELA + Synergy's roster and positioned the merged agency as a growing force in New York's competitive specification market.
Lutron and Thea to End 31-Year NYC Partnership »
Lutron announced it would part ways with Thea Enterprises at the end of August, closing a 31-year relationship that made Thea the largest Lutron rep in the country by volume. The split marked only the second time in Lutron's 64-year history that New York City has changed representatives — following Warshaw Electric's original appointment and Thea's 1994 arrival. Despite the magnitude, the announcement was measured and respectful, with industry insiders expecting Thea to recalibrate without destabilizing. ELA + Synergy emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace Thea, given its proven Lutron experience in Eastern Pennsylvania, growing NYC footprint, and roster rich with Lutron legacy including former longtime employee Hagen Denton.
Now Official: Lutron Taps ELA + Synergy in NYC »
Lutron officially appointed ELA + Synergy as its New York City, Long Island, and Northern New Jersey representative effective September 1, cementing ELA + Synergy's consolidation of the Philadelphia-NYC-North Jersey corridor. The agency joins an exclusive club: only three reps have ever represented Lutron in NYC across the company's 64-year history. The appointment followed ELA + Synergy's 2024 merger, which brought together ELA's seasoned NYC team with Synergy's multi-region presence and deep Lutron experience dating back over 15 years in Philadelphia. The transition continues a pattern — ELA + Synergy also took over Signify's Genlyte Solutions from Thea in the same markets.
Lawsuits & Legal Matters
Former Cooper Agent Files Lawsuit Against JAW Lighting »
Columbus-based Spectrum Lighting and owner Rick Vollhardt filed suit against JAW Lighting, alleging that JAW owner Jim Williams falsely proposed acquiring Spectrum in late 2024, used those negotiations to access confidential information and identify key employees, then abandoned the deal and hired six Spectrum staff members who allegedly violated non-compete agreements.
The complaint claims JAW's actions enabled it to poach employees, clients, and Cooper Lighting's Ohio territory — ultimately contributing to Spectrum's exit from the rep business entirely.
$588K Dispute Unfolds Between SCI and Cole Lighting »
SCI Lighting & Controls and C.W. Cole & Company — once tied by one of Southern California’s longest-running lighting alliances — are now locked in a legal battle over $588,469 in unpaid commissions. Irvine-based SCI, one of the region’s largest lighting rep firms, alleges years of unpaid earnings. Cole, a century-old outdoor lighting manufacturer, admits to owing $154,206 but disputes the rest, citing expired “buy-sell” arrangements and economic hardship.
A court-approved lien and rejected defenses point to deeper fractures. The case sheds light on the hidden costs reps often bear—samples, fieldwork, and support delivered without guaranteed pay. Despite the litigation, the two firms still operate under a buy-sell agreement for current business. Whether this signals reinvention or slow collapse, the courtroom now holds answers the conference room could not.
Current and LAI Settle Georgia Breakup Lawsuit »
Current and Lighting Associates Inc. settled their Georgia dispute, ending litigation that exposed the financial complexity of manufacturer-rep divorces including commission calculations, territorial boundaries, and contract termination provisions both sides typically prefer keeping confidential.
Lighting Agency Sues Former President Over Software Launch »
South Carolina's Carolina Architectural Lighting + Design filed federal lawsuit against former president Brent Medearis, alleging he transformed the agency's internal business tools into Pickaxe LLC — a commercial software product now embedded in the lighting industry's OrdrTrak ecosystem.
CAL+D claims Medearis used agency time, data, and $16,000 monthly in company resources to secretly develop the platform while still in leadership, then launched it commercially after quietly forming Pickaxe LLC in August 2023, months before officially stepping down. The suit seeks damages for breach of fiduciary duty, noncompete violations, and trade secret misappropriation.
Mlazgar vs. Current: Partial Dismissal & Subpoena Tussle »
The ongoing Mlazgar vs. Current litigation reached a procedural milestone with partial dismissal and discovery disputes over subpoena scope, demonstrating how manufacturer-rep lawsuits consume years of resources while parties remain locked in combat over commission payments that may have originated from projects bid long ago.
Mlazgar Wins Key Ruling in Focal Point Lawsuit »
Mlazgar secured a significant legal victory against Focal Point in a separate lawsuit, winning a ruling that could establish precedent for commission disputes when manufacturers terminate longstanding representation agreements — a rare win for the agency side in litigation typically favoring manufacturers with deeper legal resources.
Looking Ahead
The representation channel's 2025 trajectory suggests structural transformation rather than cyclical adjustment. Aggressive consolidation, strategic realignments, and courtroom confrontations point to a business model under existential pressure as manufacturers increasingly favor larger, multi-state agencies with sophisticated infrastructure over smaller regional independents.
Looking toward 2026, expect acceleration: territorial consolidation will intensify, long-established manufacturer-rep relationships will continue fracturing under economic strain, and legal systems will stay busy adjudicating severed partnerships. The agencies that survive will possess either sufficient scale to meet manufacturer demands or specialized expertise valuable enough to resist commodification.
