EASLEY, SC— Electrical wholesale distributor City Electric Supply (CES) is thrilled to announce the opening of the newest location in Easley, South Carolina. This store is led by Branch Manager Gary Gilleland, who began his journey with CES more than 12 years ago. Before he started with the company, Gary worked in the Atlanta metro, where industry connections led him to CES, to now managing his own branch.
“One of my customers was the CES Toccoa driver when I had the opportunity to move to Anderson, South Carolina. The Toccoa driver set me up with now District Manager Don Corbett, and I got a job with CES as a driver, which was a great new experience for me,” said Gary.
While he was able to learn the area and get to know customers, Gary had his eyes set on bigger goals and growing in the company.
“When I first started with the company, I was 38 years old. Moving to a new state and basically starting over was a learning moment, but it all worked out. In my first year as a driver, I went to the Toccoa branch for a pickup, and I told Don Corbett that one day, I was going to be the branch manager of my own store. Not long after, he became our district manager. Twelve years later—through hard work and dedication—I fulfilled my prediction to him.”
Within 12 years, Gary has worked through every position at a CES branch. Now, he gets to build his own team and help customers.
“When customers started coming in to see us, they immediately said, ‘I’m so glad you guys are open here now!’” said Gary with a laugh. “We have a lot of various types of business here, so CES is ready and excited to offer them a large variety of products.”
“When CES Easley opened, I got so excited. The location is on the way to my office—if I need something, I can stop by the branch first thing in the morning,” said Alex Pressley, Owner of GG Computer Repair, LLC. “Our business does ground-up network infrastructure. I needed 12,000 feet of cable recently, and the team got it when I needed it.”
The new Easley location hopes to service customers by playing to the strength of its team members. With an emphasis on being a tool-heavy store and having a large showroom, Operations Manager Austin Baker will be able to utilize his specialized industry experience.
“Austin was a carpenter in his previous job, giving him a lot of knowledge with tools and problem-solving. He also has worked with the company for three years in a counter sales position. He knows our product and has installed it. He has experience working with plant managers and maintenance men, giving him the know-how when it comes to what he is selling,” said Gary.
District Manager Don Corbett added, “CES has such a large array of tools and brands, and this branch will really showcase that. Austin is a tool guy, and we wanted him to have ownership of the showroom being such a tool-intensive location.”
CES Easley is 7,500 square feet, and the showroom alone takes up 2,500 square feet of that space.
Don spent six months scoping the area to find the facility. What started as an empty warehouse and a six-month renovation, the new store is now complete and ready for business right off Main Street.
“CES really wanted to focus on the Easley area, and we knew that’s where our next location needed to be. The building had to be entirely gutted. But it was in a great spot, and we knew the potential was there,” said Don.
The team inside CES Easley comes with plenty of knowledge and experience.
Outside Salesman Nathan Wentz was the lead electrician for his company for 13 years and a customer of CES at the Anderson branch. Before his time with CES, Gary worked at an electrical distribution warehouse for nearly 10 years.
“We have a well-trained staff that has worked in the field and the distribution side. I’m so proud to be able to lead this team. This company has given me everything I wanted in a career and more,” said Gary.
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