Category: About Us

History of Border States

Two entrepreneurs founded Border States in 1952 to serve the electric utility industry. Our company expanded to additionally serve the construction and industrial markets. Today, Border States employs experts with backgrounds in multiple industries, so we can stay flexible for our diverse customers and adapt our approach to their unique challenges.

We have an incredibly exciting history, and with over 70 years in the distribution industry, one thing has never changed — our unrelenting commitment to serve our customers now and beyond.

1952

Jim Stolee and James (Buff) Thompson each borrow $5,000 and start the Thompson-Stolee Co. from their respective homes in Grand Forks and Fargo, North Dakota, focusing on utility customers. All material is sold directly.

1953

The company enters the construction market, with the addition of General Electric Supply Company as a vendor, providing access to wire, conduit and electrical contractor supplies. Annual sales reach $219,800. Two owners remain with no branch locations.

1956

Thompson-Stolee Co. moves to a facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, establishing our first branch location. They hire the first full-time employee, Roy Davidson.

1958

Harold Madson joins the business, and Thompson-Stolee Co. is incorporated. Buff Thompson is named President, Jim Stolee serves as Secretary/Treasurer and Harold Madson serves as Vice President.

1959

With one branch in operation, annual sales top $1 million.

1960

Thompson, Stolee and Madson establish two new companies. Border States Electric Supply Co. moves forward as an electrical distributor in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Thompson-Stolee Co. continues to operate as a waterworks distributor. Border States acquires Northwest Electric Supply in Fargo, North Dakota. Thompson serves as President of Thompson-Stolee Co., Stolee serves as President of Border States Electric Supply Co., and Madson serves as President of Border States Electric Supply Co.

1961

The company’s acquisition of Northwest Electric Supply Co. allows Border States authorization to sell Allen-Bradley products.

1967

Computerization begins when Dean Ferguson, Controller/Credit Manager, takes a home study course in FORTRAN computer language. The company shares time on an IBM 1130 (1 megabyte with 8K of RAM). Annual sales top $5 million. There are two branch locations.

1969

Thompson-Stolee Co. is sold to Northern Plumbing Supply of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

1974

Border States opens a third branch location in Bismarck, North Dakota, to provide better delivery options to customers in western North Dakota, eastern Montana and parts of South Dakota. The company is ranked the 85th largest electrical distributor in the United States.

1977

Border States merges into Border States Electric Supply Co. of North Dakota. Jim Stolee serves as CEO and Board Chair, and Harold Madson serves as President. Annual sales top $25 million, and there are three branch locations.

1978

Border States acquires its first fleet of delivery trucks to serve locations not normally covered by commercial truck lines. Harold Madson serves as President and Board Chair.

1979

Border States opens its fourth branch in Minot, North Dakota. A demo van is added to bring products and solutions to customers. The computer system is upgraded to an IBM System 38, reducing the delay in inventory data from two days to one hour and providing more timely and accurate product availability, pricing and order status.

1980

Border States opens its fifth branch location in Dickinson, North Dakota, to provide a more central location for shipping to western North Dakota and eastern Montana. A sixth branch is also opened — the first one outside of North Dakota — in Plymouth, Minnesota, to better serve utility customers in Minnesota.

1981

Border States is ranked the 25th largest electrical distributor in the United States.

1983

A recession causes the company’s annual sales to drop 15%.

1984

Paul Madson is named President, with Harold Madson serving as CEO and Board Chair. Border States opens its eighth branch location in Rapid City, South Dakota, launching a new logo that features the BSE “brick.”

1985

The Board establishes the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), effective April 1, 1984. Border States joins Affiliated Distributors, a marketing organization for independent distributors.

1986

Border States acquires Heritage Electric Supply Co. in Billings, Montana. The Minot, North Dakota, branch location closes.

1988

The company’s legal name changes to Border States Industries. Annual sales top $50 million. There are 255 employee-owners and eight branch locations.

1989

Border States implements the Rigel operating system and installs an IBM AS/400 computer that expands memory capacity by 24 and storage capacity by 48. The company opens its ninth branch location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The fleet consists of 13 delivery trucks.

1990

Border States acquires Korber Electric in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to expand its footprint and diversify business, reducing reliance on oil and agriculture. The Fargo, North Dakota, branch location and corporate employee-owners move into their new 63,000-square-foot facility in Fargo, North Dakota.

1992

Border States deploys its first job trailer. Additionally, the company’s sharing trust merges into the ESOP. The company acquires Sterling Electric Supply with three branch locations in Minnesota.

1993

Electronic data interchange (EDI) automates vendor invoices and customer orders to improve accuracy and productivity. Border States is authorized as an Allen-Bradley distributor for Arizona. Additionally, the company acquires J.E. Redmond Supply with two branch locations in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Annual sales top $100 million, and there are 13 branch locations.

1995

The company begins promoting material management solutions to customers.

1997

The first Executive Committee is established. Border States creates an electronic commerce site for customers (a precursor to e-commerce).

1999

Border States implements SAP, a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Additionally, the company conducts its first successful storm response with a strategic business relationship (SBR), helping Sheridan Electric Cooperative restore power in a time of great need.

2000

Border States becomes 100% employee-owned and elects to be taxed as a Subchapter S corporation. The company also establishes a 401(k) plan. Branches open in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Janesville, Wisconsin, to serve a long-term alliance agreement with Alliant Energy.

2002

Border States establishes an industrial supply division. Brad Thrall is promoted to CEO and Board Chair.

2003

Border States implements Haht e-commerce software.

2004

Border States acquires its first truck-mounted forklift on a 40-foot tractor-trailer in Phoenix, Arizona. Additionally, the company acquires Bates & Associates in Grand Haven, Michigan. This is the first nonelectrical distributor acquisition, adding gas materials and expertise.

2006

Tammy Miller is promoted to CEO and Board Chair. Border States acquires Nunn Electric Supply, adding 17 branches in Texas and New Mexico. Additionally, the company develops a strategic plan called “Blueprint to Billion.” Radio frequency transactions are implemented at the Fargo, North Dakota, branch location for goods receipt, material inquiry and stock putaway. The company launches a website, border-states.com.

2007

Border States acquires Minnesota Electric Supply Company, adding eight branch locations in Minnesota. Annual sales top $500 million. There are 1,089 employee-owners in 51 branch locations, and Border States is ranked as the 10th largest electrical distributor in the United States.

2008

Border States takes on Ameren/PAR Electrical’s “Power on Project” sales model, where only services are provided. The company opens a branch location in Wentzville, Missouri, to serve this three-year project. Additionally, Border States acquires Harris Electric Supply Company, adding seven branch locations in Tennessee.

2009

Border States signs a long-term supply chain agreement with Xcel Energy and establishes a new branch location in Denver, Colorado.

2010

A recession causes sales to drop 13.8% for the year, resulting in all employee-owners taking a pay cut to avoid layoffs and preserve the company’s stock value.

2011

Border States’ “Service Excellence” initiative launches. Annual sales top $1 billion. There are 1,317 employee-owners and 58 branches. The company is ranked as the seventh largest electrical distributor in the United States.

2013

Border States opens a branch location in Greeley, Colorado, to serve the oil and gas market. The company acquires Electrical Wholesale Supply of Utah, adding eight branch locations in Utah.

2014

Border States launches its intranet site, “Borderline,” to bring real-time communication to employee-owners. Additionally, the company acquires Western Extralite, adding 17 branches in Kansas and Missouri.

2016

Border States acquires Shealy Electrical Wholesalers, adding 17 branches in North Carolina and South Carolina.

2017

Border States acquires Kriz-Davis Co., adding 19 branch locations in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

2018

Annual sales exceed $2 billion. There are 2,522 employee-owners and 109 branch locations. Border States is, once again, ranked the seventh largest electrical distributor in the United States.

2019

Employee-owners move into the new Branch Support Center (corporate office) in Fargo, North Dakota. The company expands into the pipes, valves and fittings (PVF) market in western North Dakota.

2020

David White is promoted to CEO. The Unity Council is established.

2022

Border States acquires Advance Electrical Supply with one location in Illinois, bringing us into the Chicago market. We are ranked the sixth largest electrical distributor by the Electrical Wholesaling magazine. The company chooses to use “Border States” as its one name and ends the use of “BSE.” A new logo is also introduced.

Giving Back

Commitment to community

As a 100% employee-owned company, our commitment to community is what drives our ownership culture. Our employee-owners truly care about giving back to and taking care of the communities where we live and work because, when we do, the rest seems to have a way of taking care of itself.

We value the lives and well-being of our neighbors and those who may not have the resources we have, which is why we actively volunteer our time and serve our communities through fundraisers, cleanup projects, mentoring programs and community service efforts. 

When the world needs more, we’re ready to give back and leave an impact.

12.9 Industry Associations

AD

Affiliated Distributors (AD) is a dynamic community of independent distributors and manufacturers of construction and industrial products. It’s the largest wholesale marketing group in North America.

AWEA

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is the voice of wind energy in the United States, promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger country.

APICS

The Association for Operations Management (APICS) is the global leader in operations management and provides improvement solutions trusted by a worldwide network of industry professionals.

ELECTRI International

ELECTRI International is globally recognized as an independent organization that provides unbiased, cutting-edge information for the electrical construction industry. The foundation works with industry leaders and uses its resources to commission and disseminate collaborative and innovative research, education and technology solutions that advance the future growth and prosperity of the electrical construction industry.

IDEA

IDEA is an e-commerce provider owned by the electrical industry that’s designed to drive costs out of the electrical supply chain by setting standards and synchronizing data.

IESNA

The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) is the recognized technical authority on illumination — advancing knowledge and disseminating information for the improvement of lighted environments.

ISA

The Industrial Supply Association (ISA) is a leading trade association for the maintenance, repair, operations and production (MROP) supply channel, which helps members improve through performance initiatives and knowledge sharing.

IEEE

With a global membership of over 400,000, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world’s leading professional association for the advancement of technology.

PES

The IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) is a worldwide, nonprofit association that provides scientific information on electric power and energy for the betterment of society.

The interNational Association of
Lighting Management Companies

The interNational Association of Lighting Management Companies delivers services and information, forms industry relationships and offers certifications to enhance the lighting industry.

MEA

MEA Energy Association (MEA) empowers the energy industry through education, leadership development and industry connections. Energy companies, contractors and suppliers around the country benefit from summits, roundtables, webinars, 400-plus online technical courses, safety assessments, evaluator training, operator qualification compliance tools and leadership courses for field personnel.

MMSDC

The Minnesota Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) connects minority business enterprises and corporations to promote information sharing, partnerships and cooperation.

NAED

The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) provides networking opportunities, training and research to its members in the electrical distribution industry.

NAW

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) encompasses over 100 national line-of-trade associations — helping members network and benchmark their success.

NFPA

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides and advocates consensus codes and standards, research, training and education to reduce fire hazards and increase quality of life.

NECA

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) supports businesses that bring power, light and communication technology to buildings and communities.

NAAUD

Members of the North American Association of Utility Distributors (NAAUD) share information and promote the newest ideas and best concepts for the electric utility industry.

SME

The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) is the largest organization to exclusively serve professionals in the global mining community, helping its members network to develop new solutions for the mining industry.

supplyFORCE

supplyFORCE is a leading organization for maintenance, repair and operation commodity management and procurement services. It delivers process, inventory and product cost savings for large industrial businesses.

UPMG

The Utility Purchasing Management Group (UPMG) is the utility industry’s source for sharing information, ideas, concepts and best practices related to procurement and material management.

USMA

The Utility Supply Management Alliance (USMA) is a multinational association that serves water, electric and gas utilities and provides skills and tools to maximize supply chain processes.

Technical Solutions Partners

Our Technical Solutions team is comprised of highly trained Application Engineers, Specialists and support staff strategically spread throughout the United States.

Our goal is to use our experience and industry knowledge to help provide all of Border States’ customers with world-class support and product expertise.

To successfully enable that outcome, we have partnered with several outstanding technology partners listed on this page.

For more information about any of these partners, products and services, please contact techsolutions@borderstates.com. 

AFL

Electric utilities have relied on AFL for over 30 years — from transmission and substation accessories to cable and fiber optic hardware. That same infrastructure also supports FTTx networks for delivering new services to electric utility customers. AFL’s FOLLOW THE POWER® and PON ON PRIMARY® services simplify fiber installation to a network that electric utilities know very well, which is their own power network. The electric utility power network from generation all the way to the consumer is similar to a fiber network that can go as far as that same consumer.

Learn more

Arteche

Arteche is an international leader in developing solutions for the generation, transmission, distribution and industrial market segments. Arteche’s technological capabilities, financial independence and experience gained over 70 years ensure their products achieve the highest levels of quality and reliability. Arteche USA is a North American manufacturer of medium-voltage (up to 69 kV) instrument transformers and offers a wide range of oil-free, resin-insulated instrument transformers to meet your requirements. Arteche has been supplying instrument transformers to the North American market for over 20 years and has over one million units installed worldwide.

Learn more

Aclara

Aclara helps utilities manage change, seek new approaches and harness data and new technologies to supply more efficient and reliable services to their customers. As an end-to-end, smart infrastructure solutions (SIS) partner, Aclara couples innovative technology with data-driven solutions to predict, plan and respond to system conditions across electric, gas or water distribution networks.

Learn more

Belden

Belden delivers the infrastructure that makes the digital journey simpler, smarter and secure. Belden is moving beyond connectivity — from what they make to what they make possible through a performance-driven portfolio, forward-thinking expertise and purpose-built solutions. With a legacy of quality and reliability spanning 120-plus years, Belden has a strong foundation to continue building the future.

Learn more

Eaton

Eaton’s Cooper Power Systems makes medium- and high-voltage electrical equipment, components and systems that help bring electric power to homes, industries, businesses and institutions throughout the world. Used in substations, overhead, underground and in-plant medium-voltage distribution systems, Eaton’s Cooper Power Systems products include capacitors, voltage regulators, reclosers and sectionalizers, distribution switchgear and distribution automation equipment.

Learn more

eSmart Systems

eSmart Systems is a leading provider of AI-powered services and solutions for the inspection and maintenance of critical energy infrastructure. In 2018 and 2019, eSmart was selected as a finalist for Microsoft’s AI Partner of the Year out of 2,600 AI companies. eSmart has commercial revenues from large and established utilities and transmission and distribution grid operators around the world. Key investors in the company include Energy Impact Partners, Kongsberg Digital, Equinor Ventures, Nysnø, Innogy Ventures and several Norwegian utilities. In 2019, eSmart Systems raised $34.4 million in funding to accelerate its growth in North America, where it continues to expand and grow market share.

Learn more

Itron

Itron enables utilities and cities to safely, securely and reliably deliver critical infrastructure solutions to communities in more than 100 countries. Itron’s portfolio of networks, software, services, meters and sensors helps their customers better manage electricity, gas and water resources for the people they serve. Itron helps improve the quality of life, ensures safety and promotes the well-being of millions of people around the globe, and they are dedicated to creating a more resourceful world.

Learn more

Landis+Gyr

For more than 125 years, Landis+Gyr has been an industry leader in energy management solutions. Using their advanced metering infrastructure and other cutting-edge Smart Grid technologies, Landis+Gyr have helped utility companies all over the globe improve their operations, protect their assets, lower their operating costs and provide better customer service. With a focus on quality, reliability and innovation, Landis+Gyr’s portfolio of products and services can help you do the same and modernize your Smart Grid for the future.

Learn more

Pacific Volt

Pacific Volt has established a new market for series injection voltage regulation technology that meets the increasing demand for voltage regulation and Smart Grid solutions in the power distribution sector. The company’s groundbreaking products help future-proof the electric grid, increase energy efficiency and improve power quality.

Learn more

PTI

Partner Technologies Incorporated (PTI) manufactures and repairs liquid-filled distribution and small- and medium-size power transformers up to a base rating of 30MVA at 145kV.

Learn more

Rycom Instruments,® Inc.   

Established in 1946, Rycom Instruments® has become a leading manufacturer of cable-, pipe- and fault-locating equipment. Originally a developer of telegraph carrier equipment for railroad communications, Rycom Instruments® began designing and manufacturing locating equipment in the 1950s. Today, they devote all of their effort to sales, service, manufacturing and engineering in the locating industry, successfully serving markets around the world.

Learn more

Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leading positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation and data centers/networks. They also have intelligent electric meters, software and digital services.

Learn more

Sharper Shape

The utility asset intelligence software, Sharper CORE, is at the heart of their platform agnostic ecosystem that seamlessly enables third-party integration. Powered by AI and cloud-based, it offers collection, visualization and analysis of all utility asset and vegetation inspection data, as well as forecasting and actionable reporting. By giving utilities a powerful process made of the most advanced tools based on cutting-edge technology, they empower efforts to stay sharper, and as a result, utilities stay better.

Learn more

SkySkopes

SkySkopes is a professional service provider with a highly qualified operations and geospatial team. The team operates a wide variety of advanced sensors and aircrafts for transmission and distribution line inspections, oil and gas applications and many other innovative use cases that focus on adding value. SkySkopes’ platforms include drones, helicopters and mobile systems.

Learn more

Tantalus

Tantalus provides a multi-purpose Smart Grid solutions platform for advanced metering, demand response, distribution automation and grid optimization. TUNet® — the Tantalus Utility Network — is an award-winning, end-to-end communications and applications system that enables electric, water and gas municipal and cooperative utilities to automate processes, improve business operations and deliver top-tier customer service. TUNet® is deployed at utilities that are determined to manage resources intelligently and meet ambitious

efficiency goals.

Learn more

Von Corporation

The Von Corporation is known throughout the industry for their portable high-voltage test and cable fault locating equipment. Their primary goal is to provide top-of-the-line equipment and great customer service, which is demonstrated through its on-site training and 24-hour technical service that is included with every purchase.

Learn more

Divisions of Border States

Our company’s journey began in 1952 as Thompson-Stolee Company, Inc. Since then, we have grown organically and through mergers and acquisitions with exceptional companies. These connections have helped us become who we are today: Border States.

We believe that unstoppable businesses shouldn’t go it alone, which is why we have dedicated more than 70 years to providing quality products, innovative services and flexible solutions to ensure they don’t have to.

Mergers and acquisitions

Our deep history of growth through mergers and acquisitions has helped us gain industry knowledge, grow our product expertise and fulfill our customers’ needs. Through this, Border States has become a source of incredibly talented people and great companies with an unrelenting commitment to service.

The companies listed below no longer operate under these names — they do business as Border States.

Northwest Electric Supply

North Dakota

1961

Heritage Electric Supply

Montana

1986

Korber Electric Supply

New Mexico

1990

Sterling Electric Supply

Minnesota

1992

J.E. Redmond Supply

Arizona

1994

EPL

Michigan and Wisconsin

1995

Gorman-Bruce Electric Supply

Texas

1998

Electro Service Center

Montana

2000

Bates & Associates

Michigan

2004

Miller Electric

Wyoming

2004

Nunn Electric Supply

Texas and New Mexico

2006

Minnesota Electric Supply

Minnesota

2007

Harris Electric

Tennessee

2008

Electrical Wholesale Supply

Utah

2013

UtiliCor

Tennessee

2013

Western Extralite

Kansas and Missouri

2014

Shealy Electrical Wholesalers

North Carolina and South Carolina

2016

Kriz-Davis

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas

2017

Advance Electrical Supply

Illinois

2022

Excellence connects our divisions

From the beginning, our core value has always stayed the same — to make customers our primary focus. So, rest assured that when you need innovative products and supply chain solutions for your construction, industrial or utility applications, our experts won’t rest until you — and your customers — are taken care of.

About Border States

We believe unstoppable businesses shouldn’t go it alone.

We are owners — of relationships, of outcomes, of every moment these unstoppable businesses need to deliver.

When the world needs more, you provide. Your work is complex, time-sensitive and critical, and it never stops — it can’t.

Our work is to move you forward through a promise to treat your business as our own.

That promise means:

  • Accountability during the everyday and unrelenting commitment during the not-so-everyday.
  • Experts alongside you during the first hour of the project, and collaborators you depend on in its eleventh.
  • Relationships grounded in authentic human connection.
  • Flexibility to meet you where you are, adapting our approach to your unique challenges.
  • Transparency that proves your best interest is always our priority.

We are the employee-owners you can rely on in your unstoppable world. Your success is our success, and we don’t rest until you — and your customers — are taken care of.

Border States. For the unstoppable.

At Border States, we believe unstoppable businesses shouldn’t have to go it alone. And as one of the largest 100% employee-owned companies in the United States, we have teams all over the country that supply services and solutions to businesses in the construction, industrial and utility markets.

Our history began in 1952 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where two entrepreneurs wanted to serve the electric utility industry. Since then, Border States has grown into the sixth largest electrical distributor in the United States. You can depend on us for exceptional products, responsive and knowledgeable service, material management solutions and delivery and logistics expertise — no matter the complexity or size of your business objectives.

With 70+ years in the electrical distribution business, our mission and values have always been centered on delivering exceptional service to our customers, building strong business relationships with our vendors and giving back to the communities where we work and live.

We know our customers expect to receive quality products and services, which is why we value the strong, responsible business relationships we have built with our vendor partners, who we rely on heavily to help us deliver on our promise.

Border States is a company comprised of employee-owners who come from diverse backgrounds. We are committed to improving our culture; building an even more diverse, inclusive and equitable organization; and eliminating hurtful discrimination, hatred and racism.

We established a Unity Council in 2020 to help celebrate diversity and promote equity and understanding, so all employee-owners can build a stronger foundation for Border States and beyond. The council​ works closely with our Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to develop strategies and objectives, implement programs, create awareness and educate employee-owners as we work to address the important initiative of diversity, equity and inclusion.

About Us

About Us

  • Careers
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  • Industry Associations
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  • Meet Our Leaders
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    Border States leadership

Meet Our Leaders

Jason Seger

President and CEO

Jason joined Border States in 1999 and has passionately served the organization in a variety of roles, both in the corporate office and in the field. With over two decades of leadership experience that spans sports, school, community and business, he has helped lead the organization through multibillion-dollar growth with a track record of taking care of and developing great people, empowering people to succeed and achieving results that matter. He attributes his success to the people he works with and learns from every day, at every level of the organization.

Jason Stein

Chief Information Officer

Jason joined Border States in May 1995 as a Management Trainee. He worked in various customer- and vendor-facing positions of increasing responsibility, including Product Manager, Account Manager, Regional Industrial Sales Manager, Vice President Sales and Vice President Northwest Region. Jason was named Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing in 2018 and Chief Information Officer in January 2024. He joined the Officers Council in 2009. In 2010, he was appointed to the Executive Committee and also participates on the company’s Compensation Committee.

Jeremy Welsand

Chief Financial Officer

Jeremy joined Border States in December 2011 as the CFO. He is a member of the Officers Council, Executive Committee and the Board of Directors, and leads the finance, accounting, customer financial services and risk management functions of the company. Before working at Border States, Jeremy was an Audit Partner with Grant Thornton, LLP, a national public accounting firm and international accounting organization. He has experience working with public and private companies in the technology, manufacturing, distribution and construction industries. Jeremy worked in London, England, from 2005–2007, gaining experience with international financial reporting standards and has significant experience with mergers and acquisitions.

Kelly Dawson

Executive VP Human Resources

Kelly joined Border States in August 2018 as Senior Vice President Human Resources. As a member of the Executive Committee and Officers Council, Kelly provides vision, direction and leadership for our company talent strategy and leads the Human Resources and Communication teams. She has worked to establish and guide the Unity Council and their work to foster diversity, equity and inclusion and led the COVID-19 response team, helping navigate Border States through the pandemic. Kelly was promoted to her current position April 1, 2021. Prior to joining Border States, Kelly was the Vice President Human Resources at Noridian Healthcare Solutions where she was responsible for more than 2,000 employees in 44 states. Before joining Noridian, Kelly held human resources leadership positions in the manufacturing, healthcare and food industries. Kelly is a Florida native and a graduate of Stetson University. She earned a master’s degree from Claremont Graduate University.

Nick Vaughn

VP General Counsel

Nick started with Border States in July 2018, where he was Senior In-house Counsel and Director of Employee Relations and worked within the Human Resources team to address labor and employment matters and ensure state-by-state compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In March 2020, Nick became the Director of Legal and Managing Counsel, where he led the Legal team. He was named to his current position in August 2023 and also serves as a member of the Leadership Council. Nick has a passion for providing practical, solution-oriented legal advice and enjoys the common purpose that comes with working in an in-house legal role. Before joining Border States, Nick worked at the North Dakota Attorney General's Office for three years as an Assistant Attorney General and served as the General Counsel to the North Dakota University System and the State Board of Higher Education. He also worked previous in-house counsel roles for American University in Washington, D.C., and the State of Massachusetts. Nick lives in Fargo, North Dakota, with his wife, Tasha, their son, Ike, and Norm, their 100-pound Newfoundland/Labrador mix. In his free time, Nick enjoys spending time with family and friends, coaching baseball, playing golf and traveling.

Don Masters

Executive VP Sales and Marketing

Don joined Border States as Southeast Region Vice President with the acquisition of Shealy Electrical Wholesalers 2016. On January 1, 2021, Don was promoted to Executive Vice President – East Region and joined Border States' Executive Committee in April 2021. He was named to his current position in April 2024. Don entered the distribution industry in 1998 as a Sales Trainee with a regional Midwest industrial distributor. After a successful tenure as a Sales Engineer, he joined a Southeast regional electrical distributor as a Supplier Partnership Services Manager, working in Alliance business development and management. He progressed at that company through roles with increasing P&L responsibility as District Manager, Division Manager and Region Vice President. Don next partnered with a telecom entrepreneur in an indoor wireless telecom systems (DAS) startup business. After the successful start of that business, he returned to the electrical distribution, joining Shealy in 2013 as an Area Business Manager, a role that quickly expanded into a Construction Core Market Sales Vice President role.

Matt Eddleman

Executive VP Construction

Matt joined Border States in June 2005 as the Southwest Region Manager, covering six branch locations in Arizona; New Mexico; El Paso, Texas; and Juarez, Mexico. He was named Vice President Southwest Region and an Officers Council member in 2006 and was promoted to his current position in January 2021. Matt’s 38-year career has been focused exclusively on electrical manufacturing sales, sales management, and regional leadership and executive leadership positions within electrical distribution. On January 1, 2021, Matt was promoted to Executive Vice President – West Region and he joined Border States’ Executive Committee in April 2021. Matt was named to his current position in April 2024. His responsibility for the West Region has expanded to 13 states with 42 branch locations, which have revenue of over $1 billion and 950 employee-owners.

James C. Sipe

Executive VP Supply Chain

James joined Border States through the Shealy Electrical Wholesalers acquisition in 2016, where he was Vice President of Operations. James was promoted to Vice President Strategy Enablement and joined the Officers Council at Border States on April 1, 2017. He was promoted to Vice President of Operations on April 1, 2018, and to Senior Vice President Supply Chain on November 1, 2020. James was named to his current position on April 1, 2022 and is responsible for delivering a highly innovative and effective supply chain that makes our customers better. He is a key leader in the organization for delivering efficiency, process improvement and has worked closely on integration projects and delivering maximum value on strategic projects.

Richelle Bishoff

VP Procurement

Richelle joined Border States in 2011 and is currently responsible for leading all procurement functions for the organization, including procurement operations (costing, purchasing, procurement services, alliance sourcing) and regional procurement (inventory and demand planning, cost analyst, alliance inventory). Throughout her 11-plus years as an employee-owner, Richelle has held multiple supply chain roles across the inventory, costing and sourcing functions with leadership and balanced experience in operational and customer-facing roles and, most recently, she served as the Director of Procurement Operations. Richelle has a passion for defining and implementing strategies to address and improve business needs and for team development and career planning. She was a recipient of tED magazine's “30 under 35” award in 2018 and the United Way’s 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Program in 2019–2020. Richelle is active in the Fargo, North Dakota, community and serves as a member of the YWCA Programs Committee and the BIO Girls Believer’s Circle Advisory Committee.

Ryan Evans

VP Construction Solutions

Ryan Evans joined Border States in January 2019 as VP Sales and Marketing - Construction and was named to his current role in April 2024. As a member of the Officers Council, Ryan is responsible for growing our construction market by working closely with key vendors, our Marketing team and the sales leadership to develop strategies and initiatives that solve our customers’ greatest business challenges. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Ryan spent the last 22 years in the electrical and industrial distribution industry, most recently from Sonepar, where he served as Vice President of Sales for World Electric. Ryan started his career in the warehouse as a summer temp at age 16 and worked his way up through warehouse, outside sales, branch management, district management and profit and loss leadership positions.

Geoff Murphy

VP Vendor Strategy and Relations

Geoff joined Border States in January 2019 as Vice President of Vendor Relations and was named to his current role in April 2024. He leads strategic vendor relationships as a primary contact to ensure growth and profitability initiatives are executed consistently across our three core markets — construction, industrial and utility. Geoff also is responsible for our Affiliated Distributor (AD) relationship and the associated strategies that benefit our valued vendors and customers. He has more than 20 years senior level experience in the electrical, lighting and datacomm industry. Geoff served Philips Lighting as Director of Distributor Sales in 2012 managing the AD and Imark relationships and served on the NAED CAP Council during that time. In 2015, he was named President/CEO of Auburn Armature Incorporated (AAI) in Western New York. While at AAI, Geoff led the reorganization initiatives, due diligence process and ultimate sale of the entity. Geoff is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a degree in communications. He also holds certificates in strategic finance from Harvard Business School of Executive Education and sales management strategies from the University of Michigan Business School.

Tony Serati

VP Supply Chain Strategy and Optimization

Tony joined Border States in 2003 and has served in several roles within the Branch Support Center (corporate office) in Fargo, North Dakota — Buyer, Inventory Supervisor, Purchasing Manager, Pricing and Sourcing Manager and Director of Procurement. Tony was named Vice President Procurement in 2020 and named to the Officers Council. He was named to his current position in April 2024 and has overall responsibility for purchasing, costing, inventory, demand planning and sourcing functions within the company. Tony has a passion for overall process improvement and efficiency in conjunction with focus on end-to-end process improvement in the supply chain. He also serves on the Border States Technology Advisory Committee. Tony graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in Management Information Systems (MIS). He also holds CPIM and CSCP certificates from the Association for Operations Management (APICS). Tony serves on the Board of Directors for the NDSU College of Business and has served on the Eaton Distributor Advisory Council.

Patrick Novak

VP Utility Sales

Patrick joined Border States in December 2000. He held a variety of positions, including Strategic Business Relationship Specialist, Utility Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Electric Utility Marketing Manager, Utility Market Manager and Director of Marketing. He was promoted to Vice President Marketing and became a member of the Officers Council in 2013. Patrick was named Vice President Midwest Area – North Central Region on April 1, 2018. He assumed the position of Vice President Customer Experience on April 1, 2021, was named VP Utility in August 2022 and named to his current role in April 2024.

Jeff Stauffer

Senior VP Utility

Jeff has been in the utility distribution business for over 27 years, serving in a variety of roles, including sales, branch and sales management, operations, customer service and Division President. He has extensive experience securing and growing alliance relationships at large and small utilities. Jeff serves as the Secretary/Treasurer for the North American Association of Utility Distributors (NAAUD). He joined Border States in 2019 as Utility Sales Director, supporting the Great Lakes Region in the Utility Sales Management role. Jeff was named Utility Alliance Director in February 2021, VP Strategic Alliances in May 2021 and to his current role in April 2024.

Shane Kerska

VP Industrial Solutions

Shane joined Border States in September 1993 in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, location. Having a customer mindset and serving in a variety of positions has provided Shane with a deep understanding for people in those same roles today. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the industrial market, Shane built the growth strategy in that market for the company. He was named to his current role in April 2024. He works closely with the market Sales Directors and Managers to ensure we can exceed our customers’ expectations by giving our field sales team the tools to succeed. He enjoys listening to customers and learning how Border States can improve and acting on their feedback. Shane sees working with a wide variety of employee-owners to deliver solutions to our customers as one of the most rewarding parts of his job.

Megan Friedrich

VP Revenue Operations

Megan joined Border States in February 2023 and was named to her current role in April 2024. She is responsible for leading our revenue shared-services function, consisting of marketing, sales enablement, customer success and digital customer experience. Megan has over 18 years of experience with business and technology companies leading and executing on customer-centric go-to-market teams. Most recently, Megan held the position of Executive Director of Revenue Enablement at Deluxe Corporation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is experienced in creating business strategies centered around helping the customer and driving scalable, transformational change across the business. Megan is active in the Brainerd Lakes Area (Minnesota) community and serves on our Women’s Experience Employee-owner Resource Group.

Industry Associations

Border States’ Industry Associations help you grow your business

Affiliated Distributors

Affiliated Distributors (AD) is a dynamic community of independent distributors and manufacturers of construction and industrial products. It’s the largest wholesale marketing group in North America with 450 members.

American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)

With 2,400 members and advocates, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is the voice of wind energy in the United States, promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger country.

Association for Operations Management (APICS)

The Association for Operations Management (APICS) is the global leader in operations management—providing improvement solutions trusted by a worldwide network of industry professionals.

ELECTRI International

ELECTRI International is world-recognized as an independent organization that provides unbiased, cutting-edge information for the electrical construction industry. The Foundation works with industry leaders and uses its resources to commission and disseminate collaborative and innovative research, education, and technology solutions that advance the future growth and prosperity of the electrical construction industry.

IDEA

IDEA is an e-commerce provider owned by the electrical industry that’s designed to drive costs out of the electrical supply chain—by setting standards and synchronizing data.

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA

The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) is the recognized technical authority on illumination—advancing knowledge and disseminating information for the improvement of lighted environments.

Industrial Supply Association (ISA)

The Industrial Supply Association (ISA) is a leading trade association for the maintenance, repair, operations and production (MROP) supply channel, and helps its members improve through performance initiatives and knowledge sharing.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

With its global membership of 400,000, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world’s leading professional association for the advancement of technology.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power & Energy Society (PES)

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power & Energy Society (PES) is a worldwide, nonprofit association of more than 29,000 members that provides scientific information on electric power and energy for the betterment of society.

The interNational Association of Lighting Management Companies

The interNational Association of Lighting Management Companies delivers services and information, forms industry relationships, and offers certifications to enhance the lighting industry.

MEA Energy Association (MEA)

MEA Energy Association (MEA) empowers the energy industry through education, leadership development, and industry connections. Energy delivery companies, contractors, and suppliers around the country benefit from our 55 summits, roundtables, and webinars, 400+ online technical courses, safety assessments, evaluator training, operator qualification compliance tools, and leadership courses for field personnel.

National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED)

The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) provides networking opportunities, training and research to its members in the electrical distribution industry.

National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW)

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) encompasses over 100 national line-of-trade associations—helping members network and benchmark their success.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

With its 70,000 members, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides and advocates consensus codes and standards, research, training and education to reduce fire hazards and increase quality of life.

National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA)

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) supports the businesses that bring power, light and communication technology to buildings and communities.

North American Association of Utility Distributors (NAAUD)

Members of the North American Association of Utility Distributors (NAAUD) share information and promote the newest ideas and best concepts for the electric utility industry.

Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME)

The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) is the largest organization that exclusively serves professionals in the global mining community—helping its 14,000 members network to develop new solutions for the mining industry.

supplyFORCE

supplyFORCE is a leading organization for maintenance, repair and operation commodity management and procurement services that delivers process, inventory and product cost savings for large industrial businesses.

Utility Purchasing Management Group (UPMG)

The Utility Purchasing Management Group (UPMG) is the utility industry’s source for sharing information, ideas, concepts and best practices related to procurement and materials management.

Utility Supply Management Alliance (USMA)

The Utility Supply Management Alliance (USMA) is a multinational association that serves water, electric and gas utilities—providing its members skills and tools to maximize their supply chain processes.