Episode 50 | The Biggest City Electric Supply Wins of 2022
This is a year of huge wins at City Electric Supply (CES). As we end 2022, CES employees, customers, and vendor partners have tons to celebrate, from company growth to community impact. Learn about the electrical wholesaler’s biggest wins of the year and get excited for all the momentum CES has heading into 2023!
CES opened 21 branches in 2022
Since opening the first U.S. branch in Florida in 1983, City Electric Supply has stretched coast to coast across 30 states. Today, CES has over 550 branches throughout the U.S., including the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.
“Starting as a driver, I did not expect to be in the branch manager position today,” said Outside Sales Rep Jaime Naranjo. “I take great pride in this company as it has changed my life and given me opportunities to grow and start a career.”
CES has hired over 1,400 new employees so far this year
More locations and increased demand at existing locations mean City Electric Supply continues providing new career opportunities nationwide, too.
“We’ve always set the bar high, but you can pick it up and learn it,” said Branch Manager Samantha Lacroix. “Just listen closely, be involved with the company and the industry, and be willing to teach yourself. You can make your own path, and there are so many areas of opportunity at CES.”
CES celebrated 25th anniversaries at over 20 branches
What’s also exciting is how many of the branches are long-standing fixtures of the community. Each 25th-anniversary event invited and thanked local customers and vendor partners. In turn, these attendees showed their appreciation to the CES branch teams.
Many of those branches have employees with over a decade of experience at CES, such as CES Rock Hill.
“Coincidently, this is also my 25th anniversary at the company. It’s been so exciting and fulfilling to see how far this branch has come from where it started,” said Regional Manager R.T. Smith.
CES now has five distribution centers across the U.S.
To support the growing branch network and customer base, the company opened three more centers in 2022. The strategically located distribution centers reside in Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Nevada, and Texas, with a sixth in Canada on the way.
Each facility features at least 100,000 square feet to stock the inventory that branches and customers need. CEStv even featured the inner workings of the Indiana distribution center with an exciting drone flythrough.
“With these additional centers, we rely less on other carriers and ensure customers get their orders in a more timely fashion. We avoid delays, track shipments better, and improve the quality of deliveries. My team does a great job packing products,” said Area Fulfillment Center Manager Demetri Caldwell.
CES hosted Connect 2022, the biggest company event to date
Over 2,000 electrical professionals and more than 50 industry-leading manufacturers gathered at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida, in June. For the first time, CES invited customers to its largest Counter Day in company history!
“It’s a big challenge, but the benefits outweigh the challenges,” said Creative Director Juan Villalba. “It’s an opportunity to get everyone under one roof and celebrate because having over 600 branches in North America is a tremendous feat.”
CES has contributed over $400,000 to Make-A-Wish® since 2020
Branches across the nation came together to help grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. And CES Apex won the national CES fundraising competition, raising over $6,000 alone. CES Cares presented Make-A-Wish® with a check for $389,000 during CES Connect 2022, for over $400,000 donated since the partnership began.
“CES wanted a campaign that helped everyone in the company feel like they could help with the partnership in some way,” said CES Cares Social Impact Manager Karen Gray. “The Make-A-Wish fundraiser kicked off by challenging each branch to raise $500. We gave the branches a few suggestions of ways they could raise money, and their immediate excitement blew me away.”
No signs of slowing down
As City Electric Supply continues its mission to go above and beyond, it finds new opportunities to serve communities nationwide. Through the dedication of each employee, more customers each day discover that they prefer the next-level service that each branch provides. With an innovative drive to be customers’ one-stop shop, the future is exciting at CES!