Lindsay Thompson, 33
Director of Marketing & Strategic Planning
Rexel Energy Solutions
Upon graduating from Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I., in 2010, Lindsay started her career with Munro Distributing as a marketing analyst assisting with conferences, trade shows, website management, online advertising, and more.
“Over the next several years, I progressively took on more responsibility until, a year after the sale of Munro to Rexel USA, I was promoted to marketing manager for Rexel Energy Solutions (RES),” she said. “A few years later, I was promoted to my current role of director of marketing and strategic planning where I manage the team that is responsible for designing and implementing marketing strategy that advances sales and business growth plans. Additionally, we lead collaborative efforts with manufacturers, reps, associations, and customers to create training and networking events; develop digital marketing strategies; and execute on federal, state, and utility RFPs.”
Lindsay found the industry while in college. “The job at Munro was posted on a job portal through the office of career development,” she recalled. “I was eager for the opportunity to join a company that was experiencing so much growth, as LEDs were becoming cost-effective in the marketplace. It was exciting to have a role within a company that was transforming the market to a more efficient lighting solution and to collaborate with utilities as they were incentivizing these energy efficiency upgrades. It was also clear that the company had a strong culture of productivity and loyalty.
“Being a family-owned business, it was apparent that the team was supportive, loyal, and honest,” she continued. “Today, the same core values appeal to me as we continue to grow and introduce new technologies to support the country’s electrification efforts including EV charging, battery storage and more. Every RES project helps to reduce carbon footprints, so it’s rewarding to play a part in the battle against climate change and to accelerate decarbonization. Additionally, our team has fostered and nurtured the same family culture and its even stronger than it was 11 years ago.”
Lindsay explained that the RES business model is different from the traditional electrical distributer, as RES specializes solely in the energy efficiency, utility and ESCO space. When asked about a challenge the industry is currently facing, Lindsay said, “Right now, utilities are pushing for new technologies to be implemented to support their electrification and decarbonization goals. It’s been a challenge to quickly learn, train our teams, and promote these technologies to our customers who have been primarily focused on lighting retrofits. We’ve overcome these challenges by collaborating with customers to train and help them understand the technologies and how to sell them and implement them in their lighting projects. We’ve partnered with the best manufacturers to develop the training content and sales resources needed to support the evolution of these new technologies.”
Lindsay pointed to another challenge that she has faced recently: Engaging with customers in a COVID world. “I place high value in building trust, creating connections, and strengthening relationships to offer unsurpassed support for our customers,” she explained. “As part of this strategy, we have historically hosted conferences, events, and comprehensive product and technology training to equip our customers with the knowledge and resources they need to excel. The pandemic made it impossible to connect with customers in the way that has been successful for us in the past. We quickly pivoted our strategy to adapt and launched our WFH (Work from Home) Webinar Series. We hosted sessions on lighting and controls, EV Charging products and software packages, smart motors, VFD solutions, smart transformers, HVAC controls, upper plenum and air quality solutions, UV-C lighting, market trends, rebates, and incentives, and more. Many of our webinars also allowed attendees to earn CEUs. In parallel, we created an extensive library of training content to be accessed on-demand and rolled this out to our audience. Through the webinar series, we reached more than 3,500 people total in first few months, averaging 90 attendees per webinar. Our webinars led to opportunities for engagement like we’ve never experienced before and our WFH webinar series has become part of operating DNA moving forward.”
Lindsay looks forward to continuing to grow within the company and develop innovative strategies to help foster and grow business. “My professional goal is to widen and deepen the impact of my efforts to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions,” she noted. “Currently, I am furthering this goal by growing my current team to expand the reach and depth of RES’ offerings and message to help to speed the implementation and adoption of carbon reduction technologies. I also plan to stay on the cutting edge of new technologies being brought to market through professional organizations and trainings.”
Asked what she would say to someone just entering the industry, Lindsay responded: “Create connections and network to find a mentor, develop trust and ask questions. It’s an exciting industry with a lot of tenured professionals—learn all you can from them and don’t be afraid to think outside the box and present new ideas. Always strive to be a step ahead – focus not on what is currently being sold or implemented, but what is coming in the months and years ahead. Think about how you can become a champion of those technologies and ideas so that you become an invaluable resource for members of your company, your customers, and your partners.”
When she’s not working, Lindsay enjoys cooking, live music, golfing, reading, Peloton workouts, running, yoga, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and hiking with her dog, Sophie.
Each year tED magazine recognizes 30 of the industry’s best and brightest under the age of 35. Please visit tedmag.com/30Under35 for nomination information and updates about the 2021 program. Questions can be sent to tED Editor Misty Byers at mbyers@naed.org.
Tagged with 2021 30 Under 35, 30 under 35, people, Rexel