Gary Tubbs: Born to Be in a CES Branch
Charlotte District Manager Gary Tubbs was practically born to be in a City Electric Supply branch. In 1996, he watched his father become one of the first CES hires in North Carolina. At 18 years old, he became a part-time truck driver at the branch in Concord, North Carolina.
“It started as just a part-time job for me because I needed income,” said Tubbs. “I was taking classes at the time and putting my focus there.”
But it didn’t take long for Tubbs to become enamored by the day-to-day work in the branch.
“No two days are the same. It was just a job I had for income until I came into the branch, saw how it operated, and fell in love,” said Tubbs. “After two months, I went full time and never looked back.”
From there, he worked his way up to the warehouse, counter sales, operations manager, outside sales, and then branch manager at the uptown branch in Charlotte. There, he got to work on one of the biggest projects he’s ever worked on at CES.
“One of the biggest projects I’ve been a part of was the IKEA®,” said Tubbs. “We did most of the electrical, and I’m proud to have played a part in it. It’s kind of a landmark in the area.”
He was branch manager for 11 years until he was promoted to Charlotte District Manager in 2015. Ordinarily, district managers work out of a district manager’s office, but Tubbs wasn’t ready to give up branch life quite so easily.
“I like being close to the action, so I moved my office into a branch,” said Tubbs. “I feel more connected here. When you’re not in a branch, you’re not in a branch. Even if you’re just across the street. I feel more a part of it here with the guys.”
And it’s how, even as district manager, he gets his fill of exciting day-to-day challenges.
“I love being a part of CES. I find it exciting,” said Tubbs. “Seeing CES go from zero customers in the area to a huge player in the Charlotte market, the nation, and the world? It’s a remarkable success story, and I’m proud to be a small part of it.”
Someone else who’s proud? His father, Cleve Tubbs, one of the first inductees into the CES Hall of Fame.
“My dad never pushed me to have a job at CES, but he inspired me,” said Tubbs. “When I saw him choose CES over competitors, that meant a lot to me. He took a leap of faith to leave behind a career he’d built. He started with a new company with zero customers and zero sales because he saw the potential.”
And Gary Tubbs continues to see the potential today.
“There’s still so much to do,” said Tubbs. “My goal right now is to continue to oversee the Charlotte district and help keep us a top district in the country. And my larger goal is to be a part of the team helping push the CES organization to new heights.”
“CES is a family business, and I love that part of it. It definitely has the feel of a family business,” said Tubbs. “I like to tell employees that when you work in a branch every day with five to seven other employees, it’s a family. And we love it.”
We are so glad he has been in our family for 25 years and is still going strong. Thank you, Gary Tubbs, for sharing your passion, skills, and time with City Electric Supply! We can’t wait to see what you do next.
