ST. LOUIS, Mo. — March 4, 2026 – The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) announced the winners of the association’s Annual Achievements Awards for 2026.
Winners will be honored at the NAED National Meeting, May 12-14, at the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Hotel. The NAED Chair Award Banquet will be Wednesday, May 13, at 5:30 pm.
John Cain, CEO Emeritus & Strategic Advisor for Wiseway Supply, is the 2026 NAED Arthur W. Hooper Achievement Award recipient. The Arthur W. Hooper Award is the highest individual honor from the association. Cain is the past-Chair at NAED and the Chair of NAED’s Education and Research Foundation (NERF). As Chair, Cain spearheaded the Association’s Next Level Now initiative, raising nearly $10 million for the association’s Digital Center of Excellence.
Chris Scarbrough, President, Echo Electric, a Sonepar Company, is the 2026 NAED Distributor Distinguished Service Award recipient. Scarbrough is currently the Vice-President of NAED’s Futures Group. The Distributor Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual for outstanding and dedicated service to the association and the electrical distribution industry.
Rich Stinson, President and CEO of Southwire, is the 2026 Associate Distinguished Service Award recipient. Stinson worked in this supply chain for 44 years, highlighted by spearheading the development of the “Alliance to Electrify America”, bringing together leaders from NAED, NECA, NEMA, and NEMRA to improve grid reliability across the country. The Associate Distinguished Service Award is given to an individual with an electrical manufacturing firm who has consistently been active in promoting and supporting the tenets and goals of NAED.
Terri Dumas, Vice-President of Strategic Accounts for RAB Lighting, is the 2026 NAED Trailblazer Award recipient. Dumas has been with RAB Lighting since 1995 and has continued to support NAED’s Women In Industry Forum for several years. The NAED Trailblazer award honors a woman in the industry for outstanding and dedicated service to NAED. Its Women In Industry group, and the electrical distribution industry.
Keystone Technologies is the 2026 Industry Award of Merit recipient. Keystone is a continued supporter of NAED as a Corporate Partner at NAED events. The Industry Award of Merit honors an associate company that has been active in promoting and improving the electrical distribution channel.
NAED is also honoring the following people with the Honorary Life Achievement Award, which recognizes retiring distributor and manufacturer members, recognizes the accomplishments of these members have made throughout their careers to NAED and the electrical distribution channel.
You can register to attend the NAED National Meeting and purchase tickets to the 2026 NAED Chair Awards Banquet at www.naed.org/national-meeting.
If you want to nominate someone for the 2027 NAED Annual Achievement Awards, we are simplifying the process. You can email the name of the person you want to nominate to NAED’s Member Engagement Team at memberengagement@naed.org.