Summit Electric Supply Names Industry Veteran to Management Position

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Summit Electric Supply announced that Mike Richardson has joined its team as Vice President of Supplier Collaboration, a new position at the company. Richardson was recently the vice president of sales and business development for Irby, a large regional electrical distributor owned by Sonepar USA, where he was responsible for vendor relations, sales, margin, and operating performance. He will report to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Victor Jury Jr., and will be based out of Summit’s Houston, Texas, offices.

“Mike’s breadth of experience is impressive and he has a deep understanding of numerous roles within the business, which will benefit Summit as we strengthen our strategic vendor partnerships,” says Jury. “Adding an experienced player like Mike to our team demonstrates how much Summit values our supplier relationships and how committed we are to enhancing these partnerships.”

In addition to working with suppliers to enhance their working relationship with Summit, Richardson will oversee Summit’s central replenishment, products and pricing, purchasing, inventory management, and rebate administration.

“Summit has long had a reputation for customer focus and customer service. I am honored to be able to join a company with that type of culture. I look forward to working with our supplier partners as Summit continues to grow and evolve,” says Richardson.

Richardson has 17 years of experience in the distribution industry, including nine years in executive leadership positions. His diverse background includes management of operations, inside sales, supply chain, warehousing, logistics, and quotations.

In his most recent role at Irby, Richardson managed more than 400 associates working across seven states in 36 branches and two distribution centers. Previously, he was president of an electrical distributor in Houston, worked as director of material management and planning for Wesco Distribution, and directed purchasing and supply chain performance for a Texas supplier.

Richardson has an MBA in operations management science and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of North Texas, and also served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army.