Randy Reid is planning to retire from his many roles in the lighting industry. He is best known as the editor (& owner) of EdisonReport.com. His EdisonReport Media Network includes seven lighting industry media properties listed in the interview that follows. He is also a past president of the IES. I’m honored that he granted LightNOW this exclusive interview.
Shiller: It is hard to imagine the lighting industry without you in the middle of it. Do you expect to completely retire or take on new types of projects?
Reid: The industry thrived before I came along and will continue to thrive after I’m gone. However, I don’t plan on fully retiring—just slowing down. I love this industry and can’t imagine not being part of it, but I would like to reduce my workload.
Shiller: Is it true that you are seeking a buyer for EdisonReport and your other media properties (designing lighting, designing lighting global, EdisonReport.tv, Today in Lighting, LM&M Magazine, and EnergyWatch)? If true, and anyone reading this is interested, how should they contact you?
Reid: Thank you for the question and the opportunity to clarify. We now refer to these properties as the EdisonReport Media Network. We are considering several options, including a sale. Over the years, I have been approached about selling the company, but I wasn’t ready until recently. During discussions with one potential buyer, I realized from their questions that they intended to cut costs drastically and extract as much money as possible from the company. That’s when I decided to pause the process and cast a wider net. As a result, we have now engaged Generational Group out of Dallas to assist us. Our contact there is Lance Thomasson.
Shiller: Can you share anything about what you hope to spend time on, post-retirement?
Reid: The most important thing is family! I have five incredible grandchildren, and my wife, Lori, and I just spent a week with them at the beach. However, during that time, I was still scoping out potential sites for my podcast, TodayinLighting.com, answering emails, and interviewing designers on Zoom for our August issue of Designing Lighting (dl) magazine. I am now in a position where I don’t need to work and would love to step back from the day-to-day grind. Additionally, I would like to dedicate more energy to The Nuckolls Fund for Lighting Education as well as focusing on starting a non-profit that has nothing to do with lighting, which I hope to announce in 2025.
Shiller: If you look back to when you entered the lighting industry, and all of the profound changes since then, what thoughts can you share about it?
Reid: Profound is the right word. One of the biggest changes has been the shift from focusing solely on energy savings to emphasizing the quality of light. For most of my career, the focus was on energy efficiency. For example, High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lighting was installed in some factories and warehouses despite having a CRI of 22—all in the name of energy savings and long life. HPS is bad enough outside, but using it indoors was horrific. The trick was to install warm white, fluorescent lights in cafeterias and restrooms to minimize contrast. Today, the incredible benefits of LED technology allow us to achieve outstanding quality of light while maintaining energy efficiency.
There is still a lot of bad lighting out there, but it’s an incredible time to be in the industry and to be part of the movement to improve people’s lives by improving the lighted environment.
Shiller: Are there big picture changes happening in the lighting industry that you don’t think people are paying enough attention to? Any warnings or cautions for the industry?
Reid: Some people complain about channel stack and say our industry’s go-to-market channels are outdated. Yes, there are many players in the channel: OEMs, reps, distributors, contractors, and lighting designers—but each one has an important role. If any of these channels to market are removed, the quality of light will be compromised, and price will become the lowest common denominator. While there are many channels in the lighting industry, each plays a valuable role in maintaining the overall quality and integrity of the products we deliver.
Shiller: On the positive side, what are the lighting industry developments that you think are the most exciting, to you personally?
Reid: When I started in the industry in 1983, the three big lamp companies—GE, Philips, and Sylvania— controlled the industry. One could argue that the two primary ballast companies, Universal and Advance, also held a lot of the power. Today, the leadership of the industry lies with the lighting designers, and that is a very good thing.
We have many great trends now. When I started, the industry was diametrically opposed to the International Dark Sky Association (as it was called then). Now, we embrace dark skies. Although Light & Health has not progressed as I had hoped, it’s not dead. As I transition from my day-to-day work, I would like to be more involved in communicating the benefits of circadian lighting.
Another great trend is the circular economy, and we will be hosting a free event, Happy Circular Hour, for lighting designers in Boston on 9 SEP.
Shiller: Given your decades of experience reporting on the lighting industry, do you have any advice for people entering or new to the industry?
Reid: Be willing to adapt. In the early 2000s, I bet on electronic HID ballasts and probably sold more of them than almost anyone in the world—nothing to be proud of. A decade later, I pivoted to Light Emitting Plasma (LEP) and likely sold more LEP than anyone else—again, nothing to be proud of. In 2016, I began to embrace LED technology, both with EdisonReport and my luminaire company, LumEfficient. I was about ten years behind the industry in adopting LED. My point is, it’s never too late to change.
Also, it’s important to be flexible in your role. I started as a lamp salesperson, then moved to selling ballasts, and later fixtures (in addition to my work in media). Although I switched roles, I never switched industries. Staying in this industry through its ups and downs has allowed me to gain extensive knowledge and build deep friendships, which have been instrumental in my career.
My final advice is to get involved in the industry. I was a mid-level regional manager when I became president of the IES in 2002, which really launched my career. Besides IES, there are many great organizations like IALD, Business of Light (BOL), Light Justice, and Women in Lighting Design (WILD), just to name a few.
Get active and help make our industry better.
Shiller: Randy, thank you for the opportunity to learn more about your career and plans moving forward. Thank you also for your many decades of service to the lighting industry.
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