Every two years, City Electric Supply brings together team members, senior leadership, vendor partners, and special guests from across North America for our company conference and largest event: CES Connect. This June, more than 2,000 people gathered at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee for three days built around a simple goal: strengthen the relationships and ideas that help us serve our customers better.
Connection: Real conversations and strong partnerships
One of the things that sets CES apart is that leadership doesn’t observe from the stage — they participate in every part of the business. That attitude is on display at CES Connect, where attendees had real, one-on-one access to senior leadership throughout the weekend. Team members heard directly about company updates, milestones, and where we’re headed next, and had the chance to ask questions in the moment.
That same spirit carried into Counter Day, our trade show event, where more than 70 industry-leading vendor partners showcased their latest products and innovations. Beyond the product demos, Counter Day is where branch teams and vendors build the relationships that translate into educated support and the right product on the shelf when a customer needs it.
Also in attendance at Counter Day was a group of special guests who uniquely contribute to strengthening the workforce of tomorrow. Chris and Stephanie Travis, the owners of Travis Electrical Service in Tennessee, operate their own Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program for their employees. Chris, Stephanie, and 10 students attended Counter Day, giving them the opportunity to meet vendor partners, learn about new products, and get an inside look at the vast number of opportunities available in the industry — building a foundation of knowledge and relationships they’ll utilize throughout their careers.
Community: Giving back in Nashville and beyond
A highlight of every CES Connect is granting a child’s wish through Make-A-Wish®. This year, we granted five-year-old Everett’s wish to visit LEGOLAND in Orlando, Florida — a moment that reminds us why we show up for our communities, not just our customers.
Attendees also worked together to assemble 400 bikes for children, decorated and personalized with notes from CES team members. The bikes were donated to the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and the Nashville Police Activities League (PAL), where they made a direct impact on local children and families.
Celebration: Nashville after hours
The relationships built during the day carried into the evenings. An exclusive show at the iconic Grand Ole Opry gave team members and vendor partners from across North America more time to cultivate meaningful connections, and our CES Awards Night recognized the dedication and results coming out of branches across the network.
What it means for our customers
CES Connect isn’t just a celebration — it’s where our branch teams, senior leadership, and vendor partners get face-to-face time to align on the products, knowledge, and relationships that show up at the counter every day. The conversations started at Counter Day turn into stronger vendor partnerships, better product recommendations, and faster solutions. The direct access to leadership keeps every branch connected to company-wide priorities. And the time spent together, in service projects and after hours alike, builds the kind of trust across our network that helps us collaborate to power our customers’ projects.
CES Connect 2026 is in the books. We’re bringing the energy, ideas, and partnerships from Nashville back to our branches — and we’re looking forward to what that means for the customers we serve.
Last updated on July 14, 2026