QUESTION: Who are the original founders of B-K Lighting?

ANSWER:

Back in 1984, as the story goes, independent Sales Representative Doug Hagen and luminaire designer Skip Herbert, met at a fine local Fresno establishment to discuss the finer points of lighting specifications and fixture design. To keep the conversation fresh the gentleman enjoyed a particular adult beverage from the cool spring-waters of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

After fully investigating the dimensional qualities of their aluminum 7 oz. beverages Doug had a rather momentous idea; if they could fit an MR16 halogen lamp inside a similarly sized and weather-tight tube of aluminum it would make the perfect, inconspicuous floodlight. Doug prophetically exclaimed, “We could sell a million of’em!”

Starting any business or company is no small task. There are real-world considerations; investment capital, profitability, inventory, employees, manufacturing and a host of other concerns that can break a start up. Fortunately for B-K Lighting, the timing was right and the lighting industry itself was being heavily influenced by a growing interest in landscape architecture and commercial lighting applications.

Doug and Skip were joined by Bruce Kalkowski and Thomas Hines. Brad Kious's contracting company (Kious Electric) became the first and at that time, the largest customer. He also became one of the founders.

The original B-K building location. In 1984 there were only 5 official employees and they worked "in the back."