Nick Letourneau, 34
Assistant Manager
NorthEast Electrical
Nick joined the industry in a truck driving/warehouse position after graduating high school in 2008. “Like many others in the industry I found my way to it through family,” he said. “Having a father who worked in the industry exposed me to the business at an early age. I could see how personable, fast-paced, and hands on it was, and that piqued my interest. I started with limited knowledge of the products, industry, and day-to-day operations of the business and have since been promoted from that truck/warehouse position to counter sales, then to inside sales, and, currently, to assistant branch manager.”
Asked what continues to appeal to him about this industry, Nick put relationships built over time with customers, coworkers, and vendors at the top of his list. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many amazing people, many of whom have helped me grow both personally and professionally, and I cannot say enough about how grateful I am for that,” he explained. “I also love that there are an endless number of things to learn—from new products to internal systems, procedures, tricks, and tips, whether in our transaction processing software or data systems, our digital sales and solutions platform, or other aspects of the business that I am not heavily involved in on a day-to-day basis. The list goes on as I continue to learn daily, and I enjoy that aspect of what we do.”
Nick listed some other appealing aspects of the industry: “Electrification has changed the world and is heading toward a more efficient and sustainable future. We are seeing this with the implementation of renewable sources such as solar and EVs. It’s exciting to be at the forefront of a transitional period that will so positively impact our planet,” he said. “The innovation in this industry never ceases to amaze me. I also love the fact that you can start as a truck driver or warehouse worker and, by displaying hard work, commitment, dedication, a willingness to learn, and patience, many opportunities for promotion will present themselves. You truly have many opportunities for career advancement if you really apply yourself. And finally, I take immense pleasure in mentoring others, being a part of their growth and development, and helping them to see that they have amazing opportunities within the industry.”
As far as industry challenges are concerned, Nick pointed to workforce struggles. “There are many aspects to achieving the goal of providing the absolute best customer experience at the OpCo level—such as maintaining a friendly, helpful, efficient, and knowledgeable crew to ensure our customers get greeted and attended to as soon as they walk through the door, make that phone call, or send us that email,” he explained. “Every role played here in our OpCo is a key role when it comes to meeting and exceeding that goal—and this can prove challenging during a labor shortage period.
“The COVID pandemic was a terrible time for us all, but it really highlighted labor shortage issues as companies struggled to maintain their workforce, and those struggles have lingered,” Nick continued. “We’ve been able to combat this by establishing a positive work environment. Empowering our teammates gives them the knowledge, freedom, and confidence in what they do to be successful. Also, it means wearing many hats when shorthanded or helping other locations when they are shorthanded. This problem will become more prevalent in the coming years as the wave of Baby Boomers retire. In an industry where electrical distributors sell the same material, what will set us apart is maximizing the customer experience with not only in-person experience, but also digitalization. Automation and digitalization will also help with any potential labor shortages now and in the future.”
Asked about future career goals, Nick noted that “Over the past 16 years I have been fortunate to be hands on in many of the day-to-day positions within the OpCo. I know what it takes for a location to be successful, and I look forward to an opportunity to advance into more of a leadership role to help grow market share and help mold future rock stars. That could mean transitioning into the branch manager position at my current location, stepping into a leadership role in another market as guys retire, stepping into an underperforming branch to help turn it around, being given the opportunity to open a brand-new location as we expand as a company, or, further down the line leading a region of branches. The possibilities are endless and I’m looking forward to future opportunities to grow and bring value. Continuing to learn and improve my skills and bringing as much value as I can to my company and those around me are always at the top of my list of goals.”
What would Nick tell someone just entering the industry? “The sky is the limit,” he said. “The opportunities will be there. Knowledge is power and the best way to grow is to become a great student. Ask questions, be curious. Be hands on. Have a positive attitude, be helpful and kind. You will encounter so much you will be unfamiliar with you have to dive right in and soak up the information. There most likely will be veterans of the industry around you; they are banks of knowledge, and that knowledge will help you to understand products, systems, relationships—maybe not all the answers but more importantly how to find the answers. At the end of the day, we all get out of bed every day and put our best foot forward for one reason or another. That reason may vary but as the great and powerful Jim Rohn said, ‘You can have more than you’ve got because you can become more than you are.’ Continue to work on yourself personally and that will translate professionally.”
Outside of work Nick likes being active—going to the gym, playing softball, snowboarding, fishing, and enjoying the sunshine and water. “I also enjoy spending time with my girlfriend, friends, and family,” he said, “and I love to travel and experience new cultures, especially food—I love trying new restaurants. I also enjoy doing small projects around my house; I even like mowing the lawn!”
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 2025 program. Questions can be sent to tED Editor Misty Byers at mbyers@naed.org.
Tagged with 2024 30 Under 35, 30 under 35, awards, people