EY Family Business award winners 2019-20 - USA

Integrity is the founding principle of the City Electric family business.

We are delighted to celebrate the recipients of the EY Family Business Award of Excellence 2019-20, an honor that recognizes excellence in family businesses. Congratulations to this year’s winners for USA:

Thomas Hartland-Mackie - President and CEO, City Electric Supply

When Thomas took over the reins of City Electric Supply (CES), he was just 20 years old and had only two years of experience working in the family business. He was grateful for the words of his grandfather, who founded CES in 1951: “If you take care of your employees, they take care of your customers.”

It proved to be sage advice. Thomas’s increase in responsibility coincided with the 2008 financial crisis. Thomas says it was a sink-or-swim moment and drowning wasn’t an option. So he followed his grandfather’s advice and turned to his employees for help, asking for input as pivotal decisions arose. CES emerged from the crisis and under Thomas’s leadership, the company achieved its ninth year of double digit revenue growth, representing 14% growth year-over-year.

Thomas has been instrumental in the digital transformation of the business, in keeping with his determination to always adapt to customer needs. He has also focused on growing the company's renewable energy department and his ambition now is to work on electric vehicle charging. He has continued the family values of integrity and treating employees as family. The family has established two foundations, each committing 5% of its global profits to charity.