Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JANUARY 2020 56 L ast year, the largest consumer technology buying group, ProSource, announced an exclusive agreement with lighting designer, educator and author David Warfel to help steer the lighting initiative by providing expert advice and education to its ProSource members. Formerly chair of the lighting design program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Warfel teaches regular continuing education seminars in lighting design that include immersive training experiences. Warfel is a vetted facilitator for the Illuminating Engineering Society and serves on the Educational Material Review committee. He is also highly regarded as a registered continuing education provider for the American Institute of Architects. Maureen Jenson, Editor-In-Chief of ProSource's Insider magazine, recently sat down with David Warfel to share an update on ProSource's training initiatives and product offerings. Jenson: David, bring us up to date on your work with the ProSource Lighting and Shading Committee. Warfel: ProSource members continue to access our growing lighting accelerator program with its exclusive members-only benefits. ProSource dealers are already seeing fixture sales of $20,000-$100,000 per project, with more possible. We've developed tools to introduce lighting to architects, builders and interior designers. We've built sales brochures, delivered on-site staff training and helped with showroom design, and that's just the beginning. Jenson: Tell us about your experience at LIGHTFAIR International 2019, the commercial lighting trade show and conference. Warfel: My team and I spent an entire day canvassing the floor to search out lighting vendors who are friendly to custom integration, and those with unique or potentially revolutionary products. The following day we organized a series of tours for ProSource members, personally guiding them through the enormous floor while weeding out the distractions and focusing on trends and tools to make their businesses grow. We networked with vendors on and off the floor, saw secret future products that weren't on public display, and educated the membership on the lighting field. The manufacturers responded well, and several have already improved their programs with us as they recognize the potential of our partnership. It was a terrific time and cemented ProSource as a major player in the lighting channel. Jenson: What was your experience at CEDIA EXPO 2019? Warfel: At CEDIA I spent time at the ProSource booth answering dealer questions and created a walking tour map of lighting vendors on the show floor with notes on what to see. I also spent considerable time building relationships with current vendors and digging deeply into the offerings of other vendors. ProSource members attended off-site training from DMF and American Lighting, and I spoke on the power and potential of linear lighting at American's pre conference training. It was a great hands-on training with a product and technology deep dive. Linear lighting is a significant opportunity to grow business beyond recessed downlights. Every event builds our relationships with current and potential vendors. The more interest we get from dealers the more interest we receive from the vendors. What was an emerging initiative just months ago now feels like a solid foundation facing extraordinary growth. Jenson: What are your next steps? Warfel: I am preparing monthly webinars for ProSource to help accelerate growth in the lighting channel. These are short, focused opportunities to dig deeper into experiential sales strategies, vendors and products, and to work with trade partners. We are committed to filling the education gaps to master the lighting category, and new webinars are just one of our tools. Videos, manufacturer training, and much more is in the works, along with new initiatives. Stay tuned for exciting announcements in this area. Dave Workman is CEO/president of ProSource, a member-governed buying co-op representing more than 550 tech retailers and custom integrators. With annual sales of more than $5 billion, ProSource is the largest specialty consumer electronics merchandising group in the U.S. For more information visit www.prosourceinfo.com. RO B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S PROSOURCE ACCELERATES LIGHTING CATEGORY

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