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Women in Lighting - A Column from Denis Caldora

This month's guests: Denise Lane, Becky Dickerson, and Bonnie Laramee of Echo Design Gallery and Teena Miller of The Cape Light House

Hello to everyone in lighting! This fall I was delighted to visit three ladies who have even more energy than I do, if you can believe it. They are part of the design team at Echo Lighting Design Gallery in Iowa and the community there is very lucky to have such a great resource.
     Paul Lane, owner of Echo Lighting Design Gallery, speaks highly of this trio: Denise Lane, Bonnie Laramee, and Becky Dickerson. "Putting the right combination of employees in front of our customers is always a challenge. We feel we have one of the strongest lineups in the country. We pursue builders, designers, and our own retail sales. We have three women who handle these different aspects of our business independently, but they are also a team."
     Paul told me that assembling this powerhouse has not been easy, and is the result of a series of purchases and mergers. (Interstate Electric Supply was founded in 1950 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and opened a lighting showroom in 1988. Jesco Wholesale Electric Supply was founded in 1967 in Sioux Center, Iowa. In 2000, the two companies merged under the holding company name, Echo Group; recently the entire operation was combined under Echo Lighting Design Gallery.)
     And now let's meet this dynamite team.

Denise:
I have been with the group since 1987, and over the years have held many different roles within the company. My current position is the one I enjoy the most. My primary focus is with new construction. I assist one of our outside salesmen on appointments and take the leads from the builders, calling and meeting directly with homeowners. Both sides appreciate our level of involvement in the selection process. To support the builders' needs, we try to maintain and stock a great assortment of product. We carry a wide range of price points, making it easier to assist the purchasers of both spec and custom homes.
     I split my time between outside and retail sales. The enjoyment I get from the time I spend in the showroom is equal to that which I spend in outside sales. Working with retail customers is very rewarding. I love what I do, and I could not imagine doing anything else.

Bonnie:
I wear several hats - as lighting designer, home furnishings and accessories buyer, and also the showroom merchandiser. After graduating from college, I had planned to go into commercial space planning. When I happened upon lighting, I became intrigued and have been a lighting consultant for just over eight years. The combination of buying, merchandising, and designing is very fulfilling. I love working alongside two of my best friends, Denise and Becky. We often exchange ideas on projects, respect each other's opinions, and complement one another. We have similar backgrounds - family life, shared experiences, and interests - and this creates a bond between us, yet our diversity offers balance, allowing different perspectives to emerge.
     I have been provided the opportunity to expand my knowledge into other areas of lighting, and that has given me an edge in selling. Blending the three duties together, I have bridged the communication between what could be separate departments. For example, when I am selling, I am listening to my customers. I hear what they have found that works for them and what they are looking for. When I'm buying merchandise, I am constantly thinking about what my clients have told me they desire. And when I am merchandising, I am planning and organizing so that the shopper can effectively visualize these items in her home.
     The result is an ever-evolving showroom. I want people to feel comfortable about being here, but also excited about the company’s unique qualities. This holds their attention – we want them to keep coming back to see what’s new.
     I truly believe that my passion for lighting stems from the many areas I have explored and my involvement in this wonderful and growing company.

Becky:
I am the newest member of the team and I still remember my first encounter with Echo Lighting Design Gallery. It was a few years ago when I was selecting fixtures for my new home. The process was so easy and the staff was wonderful. My lighting specialist - and now one of my partners in crime - was Denise. It was because of that experience that I became interested in lighting in general and this company in particular.
     Being here almost one and a half years, I am now beginning my primary role of attracting designer business. My goal is to work with interior designers and help them become more familiar with the products we offer and to be more of a resource to them. One way we can assist in making every project they have unique is through lighting controls. I have teamed up with another of our departments, a group of four salesmen who do very detailed lighting and control system layouts using Lutron's HomeWorks®, GRAFIK EYE, and RadioRA®.
     Working with the design community, we have become a more active ASID industry partner member. For example, we have continued our involvement in the NE-IA Chapter Conference Expo, and this past June we won "Best in Show" for our booth. In August, two associates and I took 17 local designers to Florida for Lutron training. September was another exciting month, as we prepared the showroom for the introduction of Schonbek's new Geometrix" crystal collection. During a special evening presentation, we had the pleasure of introducing Denis Caldora to 44 of the area's decorators as we unveiled the line. The event was fabulous! In October, one my associates, John Mayberry, and I went to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to speak to design students and others about the various aspects of lighting and controls.
     Through these steps, we are hoping to gain designers' confidence and trust. It is important that they know and realize that we are there for them and their clients and to make sure their projects turn out the way they planned. We’re off to a great start and will keep up the momentum. Lighting is the most crucial aspect of a design: it can either enhance or destroy the entire look.
     Each of us on the team has an interior design degree and we are working toward becoming ALA-certified Lighting Specialists. Information and knowledge are the keys to dealing with our wide range of customers. The more we keep learning, the better we can assist them and go above and beyond our competition. This is a very exciting and motivating industry. We are constantly moving forward and changing and I am fortunate to be a part of it.