From Volume 2 Issue 3 of Connected.
You don't have to look far to find an example of a professional association. They exist within most industries and across multiple disciplines. These organizations serve their members with a variety of benefits. According to Aluminati.net, “If you want to grow your business and stay on top of the latest industry developments, then a professional association is one of the best ways to achieve this.”
J. Kirby Risk, who founded Kirby Risk in 1926, understood how professional associations could help companies build good business. He joined trade associations including the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED), The Electrical Apparatus Service Association, Inc. (EASA) and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). He even became NAED president two years running from 1965-1966. According to his son, Jim Risk, Chief Executive Officer for Kirby Risk Corporation, “My father had a love affair with NAED and was one of its greatest cheerleaders.”
Kirby's involvement in NAED through the years earned him the very first Arthur W. Hooper Award, which was given posthumously in 1992. According to NAED, “This award is given to an individual who has had an exceptional career in distribution that covers the span of many years and has a 'positive impact' on NAED and the industry.”
Kirby was known to be a savvy businessman, but it was ultimately the relationships he built that were key to his long running success. Kirby made strong connections and life-long friendships with people throughout his business and association involvement that helped him build the foundation for the Kirby Risk Corporation as we know it today.
CONTINUING THE LEGACY
Jim has continued his father's legacy with involvement in professional associations NAED, EASA, NAM, National Association of Wholesaler Distributors (NAW) and Affiliated Distributors (AD). He has leveraged the benefits provided through these industry associations to educate and train Kirby Risk employees, build new opportunities, share best practices and network with industry peers. These benefits have helped Kirby Risk continue to grow and provide service excellence to its customers for almost 100 years.
In 2017, Jim became the second generation of the Risk family to be awarded the Arthur W. Hooper award. In a tED Magazine feature, Love What You Do, by Carol Katarsky, Jim attributed much of his own success to having been able to network with so many business leaders at a relatively young age. His early-career desire for connection and relationship building, as well as seeking new learning opportunities, would be some of the hallmarks of his own long career.
“What sets him apart is his lifelong cultivation of genuine, caring relationships with others,” says Jason Bricker, CFO and Executive Vice President of Kirby Risk Corporation. “He has a unique ability to connect and stay connected.”
BUILDING A PATH TO THE FUTURE
There is a clear connection between a company's involvement in professional trade associations/organizations and their ability to grow, cultivate and build relationships that benefit the overall development of the company, its employees and the customers they serve. For Kirby Risk, this connection is integral to its foundation and can be seen throughout its Values and Principles such as Development, Relationships and Customer Service Excellence.
Today, the company's leadership remains committed to actively participating in and supporting key associations that include giving back through time spent on association boards and programs. Kirby Risk continues to support associations whose missions provide education and growth for its members and for the industry at large.
As noted in Electrical Wholesaling Magazine in June 2007, Kirby Risk contributed to the NAED Education& Research Foundation (NERF) in memory of the company's founder, J. Kirby Risk.
“A distributor's greatest asset is its team of employees … and their continued education and training are critical to future success. The NAED Education & Research Foundation plays a vital role in providing the necessary resources for people development. Contributions to the Foundation are important investments for our industry's future,” says Jim.
In May, Kirby Risk Corporation was acknowledged by the NAED Education & Research Foundation (NERF) for their commitment in support of their Next Level Now Campaign. tED Magazine shared, “Kirby Risk is committed to the concept of sacrificial service and prides itself on going above and beyond every day to Make It Happen! for its customers. This guiding philosophy is evident through the company's long history of selfless service and leadership with NAED and the Foundation.”
Kyle Krizan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Kirby Rick Electrical Supply, and chair for the NAED Education & Research Foundation Board, expressed in a recent interview, “To continue to grow and be relevant, we really need to modernize the way we interact as a channel, and the Next Level Now campaign lays the groundwork for how we can accomplish that more quickly and more efficiently.”
John Eggleton, President and Chief Operating Officer for the Kirby Risk Corporation, and NAED Board Member added, “we are pleased to support the Next Level Now campaign and the overall growth and advancement of the industry. This is an exciting time for our industry with the global focus on digitization and electrification. And NAED certainly has a long history and strong track record of bringing the industry together to solve problems while moving the industry forward with center led initiatives.”
Kirby Risk remains dedicated to the support and involvement in industry associations with a long standing and rich history that began with the company's founder, J. Kirby Risk. That leadership and vision has been carried forward and enhanced by his son, Jim Risk, and the company's committed leadership team.