Celebrating Founder’s Day at City Electric Supply

Each year, City Electric Supply (CES) celebrates Founder’s Day — a time to honor Tom Mackie and everything he built. We remember where we started, celebrate the people and culture that carry us forward, and continue building on the values Tom Mackie laid as our foundation.

Our Founder

In 1951, 28-year-old Tom Mackie was a husband and father of three living in Coventry, England. With the family’s savings of 300£ (about $11,000 today), Tom and his wife Georgina made the bold decision to buy an electrical business that was about to close. It was a risk, but Tom saw a chance to build something great.

He started his company in a 1,200-square-foot horse stable, constructing a desk from an old door, two tea chests, and some red bricks. Through years of hard work and dedication, he brought City Electrical Factors to life.

Tom operated by five simple rules:

• Work hard
• Empower people
• Be passionate
• Take care of your customers
• Always do what’s right

In 1983, Tom brought these same rules to North America and opened the first City Electric Supply branch in Florida. With an unwavering focus on customer service and empowering local decision makers, one branch grew to hundreds. More than 40 years later, CES now has over 700 branches across North America, following the same model for excellence that Tom mapped out.

Our Culture

The inclusive culture set in motion by Tom Mackie has been carried forward not only by three generations of his family in leadership, but by each and every team member.

At CES, careers grow and stay. More than 100 team members have been with CES for 25+ years, and more than 75 have multiple family members on our team. They share our values and principles, strengthening our company every day — and we’re proud to raise them up in recognition of their work.

Our People

As a people-focused business from day one, we know our success comes through collaboration with the people around us. We take great pride in working alongside communities that prioritize relationships over profit and tirelessly serve others. From customers who show up when their communities call, to vendor partners who donate materials for meaningful projects — CES thrives on trusted relationships and shared values.

We thank everyone who’s been part of our story and carried Tom’s vision forward. Here’s to building the future together — just as he envisioned.