Piper Norris, 28
Marketing Engagement Manager
Sonepar USA
Piper joined Sonepar in 2018 as an email marketing specialist. She was responsible for building and sending all internal and external communications for Sonepar and 16 operating companies. “When I started, we were a three-person marketing team supporting the entire United States,” she recalled. “It was a busy time, but I learned a lot and got introduced to many parts of the business. I attended the Rockwell Marketing conference and Automation Fair where I met fellow associates and learned from industry experts.”
Asked how she found the industry, Piper said she applied to Sonepar right out of college without knowing much about electrical distribution. “I found a role that matched my interests in marketing after graduation, and it happened to be at Sonepar,” she noted. “Interestingly, since joining the company, I discovered that I have a family history in the industry. On my dad’s side, family members owned companies in both manufacturing and electrical supply in New York and Massachusetts. So, you could say the industry was in my blood, even if I didn’t know it.”
After a year and a half as an email marketing specialist, Piper transitioned to her next role as a digital marketer. “When my manager went on maternity leave, it created a need, and I embraced the new opportunity to expand beyond email marketing,” she said. “Besides handling emails, I led collaborative meetings with our operating companies and developed strategies to unify our marketing campaigns nationally. This effort initiated the national campaigns we still use today that started from the ones I created over four years ago. I also led the migration from our old platform to our current marketing automation platform, Marketo. This involved setting up and configuring the system, creating custom templates and branded assets, migrating data, and providing training for both our team and the local teams.
As she became interested in managing people, Piper worked with her manager on how to achieve this. “We set a path of trainings and courses to prepare me for success, including independent trainings, growth goals, and Sonepar development programs,” she recalled. “I was also in the first cohort of the Empowering Women Mentorship Program, which helped me gain the knowledge and tools to be a successful people manager. Getting promoted to manager and leading a team in an area I’m passionate about is one of the highs of my career so far. The team increased the email open rate by 62%, click rate by 5%, active contacts by 43%, and email revenue by 84% year-over-year in 2022. We enhanced our meetings to include expanded analytics and benchmarking. We maintained a high level of service, achieving a 4.89/5 rating on our team survey.
Piper’s most recent promotion to marketing engagement manager allowed her to expand her network beyond the United States to the global team. “We now advise on marketing needs for the United States and how that relates to the greater global architecture,” she said. “The projects we work on now benefit the company globally and have a larger impact on Sonepar as a whole. I am grateful for the investment Sonepar has made in me, and I’m excited for the opportunities ahead of me.”
As a new hire, two things really stood out to Piper. “One was the people,” she said. “I was amazed by the dedication and willingness of people in the industry to share their knowledge with a newcomer like me. The other standout aspect was the opportunity. In other industries, people struggle to stay relevant, but here, we can envision and implement changes that drive our industry forward. Not only are we an essential function worldwide, but as the world relies more and more on electricity, we will become even more essential. These are the same reasons I continue to stay. I truly enjoy and respect my colleagues, which makes it easy to go to work every day. I feel more empowered than ever to be a changemaker in my role, making it a great and exciting place to be.”
And while Piper feels, in many ways, the industry is a best-kept secret—it’s not always in a good way. “We are the perfect industry for people who want to make a lasting difference. Studies show that this is more important to our newest workforce entrants than ever before,” she said. “People often get lost in the complexity of electrical distribution and overlook how truly impactful our industry is.”
To address this, Piper focuses on two areas: inspiring newcomers and empowering underrepresented groups. “I run our team’s onboarding and internship programs to invest in our newest people,” she said. “I also have spoken on panels, training modules, and roundtables for our emerging professionals program to encourage them to take advantage of all the opportunities that are available to them. Additionally, I am on the board for the National Association of Women in Construction Palmetto Chapter and Sonepar Pride Employee Resource Group. Both women and LGBTQ individuals are underrepresented in our industry. They not only provide unique perspectives but recruiting and retaining them is essential to our success as an industry in the future.”
Looking ahead, Piper plans to continue to grow in her leadership. “I am focusing on being more intentional with my time,” she said. “I’ve realized that as you progress in your career, every bit of your time becomes more valuable. One framework that I’ve been utilizing lately is the ‘Big Rocks’ theory: Making sure I am prioritizing the important things first and foremost and setting time aside for my team and key areas before anything else.”
What would Piper tell someone just entering the industry? “A mentor of mine said it’s an amazing industry to be in because it is all around us every day. It is so true,” she continued. “Our products light up our homes, power hospitals, protect facilities, and so much more. Plus, it is not a trend that will fade. This industry is stable when times are tough and thrives in years of prosperity. This is an incredible industry to be in and a time with more opportunity than ever before. Take the time to learn from experts in areas you have interest in. Our industry veterans hold a wealth of knowledge. By partnering with them, you can build the future of our industry on the foundation of the past while incorporating your new perspectives.”
When she’s not working, Piper loves to travel, read, and enjoy delicious food. “I’ve visited 30 out of the 50 states. I’ve been ziplining in Costa Rica, enjoyed fish and chips in London, explored the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, celebrated Oktoberfest in Munich, and said ‘yes’ to marrying the love of my life in Northern Italy,” she recalled. “In 2023, I rediscovered my passion for reading and finished 38 books. By the end of 2024, I had read 41 books.” When she’s not reading or traveling, she enjoys the local cuisine in Charleston. “Living in Charleston, I feel so lucky to have a variety of new places popping up and lots of old favorites to enjoy.”
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, people