Saylite Makes the Most of NALMCO Membership

By Parker Allen

What separates successful businesses from their unsuccessful counterparts?

Quality products is surely a factor. Good customer service is key. But, arguably the most important factor is company culture. Strong organizational culture has been the driving force behind companies like Publix Super Markets and Southwest Airlines becoming leaders in their respective industries.

Saylite, a manufacturer based outside of Dallas, is an American-made lighting brand that describes themselves as “people you can reach and count on, with the experience and attitude to do what's right for your business.” They have created a successful, employee-centric culture, making it a priority to invest in the education and training of their roughly 250 employees, as demonstrated by their recent involvement with NALMCO.

They joined NALMCO in the fall of 2021 and immediately set out to take advantage of the benefits of membership. Missie Kline, Business Development Manager, candidly explained, “The smarter Saylite employees are, the better it is for business.”

Saylite showed their commitment to employees by encouraging them to pursue the various NALMCO certifications. NALMCO offers two technical certifications – the Certified Apprentice Lighting Technician™ (CALT™) and the Certified Senior Lighting Technician™. Additionally, they offer two professional certifications, the Certified Lighting Controls Professional™ (CLCP™) and the Certified Lighting Management Consultant® (CLMC®).

To that end, in January they brought Erik Ennen, Treasurer and President-Elect, and Brian Baker, Vice President, to their headquarters to host a training and content review. The goal here was to make the process of pursuing certifications easy and accessible and encourage participation in NALMCO. The first step was education – make people aware of who NALMCO is and what they do. The second step was training – what are the certifications offered, and what does each require. The third step was accessibility – make it easy for Saylite employees to pursue the appropriate certification.

Erik and Brian spoke in depth about certification exam requirements and the registration process. Every employee of Saylite was invited to attend, regardless of their role. Additionally, the training was offered virtually. Furthermore, Saylite generously made the sessions available to others in the NALMCO world. Anyone could log in and participate. Close to 50 people joined either in-person or virtually, and recordings of the event were made available to all in attendance. Finally, as if they hadn’t done enough already, Saylite committed to paying for the cost of the certification examinations for their employees.

In its vision statement, NALMCO asserts, “The lifeblood of this organization is the ability of its members to draw upon their collective knowledge. We provide a forum to facilitate the open and free exchange of ideas and knowledge and business opportunities among all of our members.” Missie shared a small anecdote that speaks to the value of the collaborative environment that NALMCO seeks to foster. While Brian Baker was onsite, he met with engineers to troubleshoot a problem. Brian’s company, Energy Management Collaborative, is working with Saylite on a project, and they sat together in front of the white board, working out a solution to a problem to make it easier for their technicians in the field. This collaboration is a real-time example of members fulfilling NALMCO’s mission.

Saylite’s commitment to NALMCO doesn’t end here. They are sponsoring the 2024 Spring Seminar in Dallas and already have big plans in place for that week, including a tour of their facility and a trip to The Puttery, an immersive, 21+ mini golf experience. It is sure to be an event that you won’t want to miss.

Erik Ennen and Brian Baker join Saylite at The Puttery

Photo Credit: Missie Kline

Erik described the full day event as “a huge success.” This is a perfect example of a NALMCO member taking advantage of everything membership has to offer, and the organization and the industry as a whole are better off as a result. ■