Jim Posney knows electrical supply better than most.
He should — he’s been in the business for 50 years, including the past two decades as owner of Allegheny Valley Winlectric Co.
For Winlectric’s 20th anniversary celebration Tuesday, the community and customers came out to celebrate his company’s legacy. And while Winlectric’s electrical supply operations have benefited businesses, it’s their customer service and family ethos that set them apart.
“I walk in, and they know who I am,” said Brandon Verrico of SATCO|NUVO Lighting. “They greet me by my name, and while I’ve only been with them for two years, I feel like family — like I’ve been here for the full 20.”
Winlectric is an electrical wholesaler, selling electrical supplies to contractors, schools, churches and other organizations.
Posney opened the Brackenridge business April 1, 2005.
“We have constantly grown the business over the last 20 years,” Posney said. “Just about everyone knows of us in the Valley,” he said.
For Posney, creating longevity and sustainability reflects the fact that they are a generational business.
At the celebration Tuesday, Joe Miezin, principal at Kunz Powell & Associates, served as a vendor.
“We are excited and happy to support a family-owned business. Twenty years is an accomplishment,” Miezin said.
“We are also excited to see the next generation take over and to witness the next 20 years.”
Posney’s father, Thomas, began Posney Electric in Tarentum in 1957. When Jim Posney graduated from Saint Vincent College in 1972, he planned to become a teacher. However, he decided to stay home and run the business in the early 1980s, which cemented his passion.
He operated a branch with Gerome Electric Supply Co. from 1982 to 1992. They were later acquired by Brown and Powell Electric Supply Inc., where Posney worked as a branch operator.
By 2005, he learned about WinWholesale, based in Ohio, which offered him the opportunity to buy into its business. WinWholesale handles back end services, allowing Posney and his team to focus on sales and service.
“That has been a perfect plan for us. It has worked out, and we have grown the business 60% in the last couple of years,” Posney said.
“We have a very strong clientele.”
There aren’t many electrical supply companies in the Alle-Kiski Valley, making them a mainstay. They hold 90% of the market share for what they sell, according to Posney.
Electrical wire is their top selling product. With the recent storms, they have also had an uptick in calls for generators.
A typical day begins at 7 a.m. and ends around 4:30 p.m. Mornings are busy, with customers picking up supplies for the day. They also have two trucks making deliveries throughout the day. Another influx of customers arrives in the afternoon.
Tuesday’s celebration featured vendors, Del Vecchio’s food truck and a raffle. Prizes included a Klein socket set, a Milwaukee Tool lawn mower, LED caps and lighting products.
“We do good business with them. We buy a lot of products from them. They are genuinely nice people. They are a loyal relationship,” said Ed Veah, a contractor with the Allegheny County Housing Authority. “They take care of us greatly.”
Speaking about industry trajectory, Posney said: “Sometimes you start at the bottom and then work your way up. A lot of it is relationship-based.
“If the customer can rely on you for good pricing, having products on hand and filling orders efficiently, that saves them money. If they have history with you, they will stick with you,” Posney said.
“We have been working with them forever,” said Gisela Heusser, purchasing manager at CID Associates Inc.
“Since they opened, we’ve been a partner and client. It is really a partnership. They are very responsive and supportive of our needs,” Heusser said.
Having national buying power allows them to keep prices competitive and pass those savings on to customers.
Dave Wessel of Power Pros in Springdale has been a longtime customer.
“Their service is impeccable, and they are really good guys,” Wessel said.
For him, it’s also about their responsiveness.
“If something is wrong, they’ll run things down to us anytime,” he added.
Outside of electrical supply, Posney has a passion for golf. Golf paraphernalia lines the walls of his office. He, his wife, Jane Ann, and their son, Cam, often go to the driving range.
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“We take our customers on a lot of golfing trips. We have three to four golf outings per year with our customers, and they appreciate that,” he said.
Cam works with his father as operations manager.
“We are members of the community. We live in Brackenridge and want to support the Alle-Kiski Valley,” Cam said.
“We want to keep this thing alive for many years to come,” he said. “We love serving the community here.”