Press Release: William “Bill” Brown Passes Away
at 95
(Niles, IL). Bill Brown, founder and chairman of Bill Brown Sales and A.L.P., passed away peacefully yesterday, surrounded by family, in Glenview, IL. He was 95 years old.
Bill and his wife Norma started the Bill Brown Sales component sales agency in 1955 from the kitchen table of their apartment while raising their young family. Bill felt pressure to expand services as the business grew, so he entered the manufacturing industry, founding A.L.P. in 1972. Over the course of his almost 70-year career, he witnessed and responded to a technological revolution in lighting, moving from traditional light sources to LEDs. Bill created growth opportunities by listening, learning, and finding new ways to meet customer needs.
Bill’s entrepreneurial talent and engaging personality made him a central figure in the lighting community, and his enduring relationships will remain his legacy. He was a prolific correspondent who sent out hundreds of follow-ups weekly, first by US mail and then by email. Over the years, he received numerous industry awards and accolades, including the first-ever Edison Report Lifetime Achievement Award, the IES Louis B Marks Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from RSM McGladrey. He gave back to others in many ways, supporting his local synagogue, Temple Jeremiah, and the cancer research of the City of Hope, among many charitable organizations.
Despite its growth, the organization remains a family business at its core, with Bill’s son Steve serving as CEO and his recently retired son David sitting on A.L.P.’s Board of Directors. Grandson Michael is a Regional Sales Manager for BBS, while grandson Scott serves as a Process Analyst. The values Bill Brown instilled, including mutual respect, philanthropy, and good old-fashioned hard work, will remain as the company’s guiding principles, honoring his memory for years to come.
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Bill Brown Appears on the Get a Grip on Lighting Podcast
Hear the industry’s elder statesman discuss lighting’s past, present and future.
WHAT: Bill Brown has operated his eponymous lighting component sales agency since 1955. In this interview, he traces his roots back to his entrepreneurial upbringing, the beginnings of his lighting sales career, and reviews the myriad changes he has observed in lighting over the decades. Sit back and listen to Bill’s storied history, hear opinions on everything from customer service to international competition, and learn where he thinks the industry is heading. Whether you are a lighting veteran, or just starting out, you can’t help but benefit hearing from someone who has literally seen it all in modern lighting.
WHEN/WHERE: The Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast is the official podcast of the National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors (NAILD). The podcasts were developed as a forum for people in the lighting industry to get together and discuss the multitude of topics and issues relevant to our dynamic field.
Get A Grip On Lighting Podcasts are hosted by Michael Colligan and Greg Ehrich, who have over 30 years of combined experience in the lighting industry. Michael is an entrepreneur and inventor. He’s a subject matter expert in commercial and industrial lighting supply, lighting retrofits, and finding recycling streams for hard-to-recycle waste. Greg Ehrich, LC is the former President of NAILD and owner of a progressive lighting distributorship.
HOW: Click here to be redirected to the Get A Grip On Lighting website. There, you’ll be able to listen to Bill Brown’s interview, along with podcasts with numerous other distinguished lighting leaders. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a second of this valuable broadcast!
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