Metra Associates

Metra Associates, Inc. was founded in 1975 by two partners, Robert J. Bishop and Gerald Kerensky. In 1976 a third partner, Dennis Lopez, joined the Company. The partners had extensive experience in the electrical, electronic, consumer DIY (do it yourself) and the automotive aftermarket fields, but decided to concentrate in the electrical and HVAC wholesale markets. The company was organized to exploit on what the partners believed to be a lack of modern management and marketing techniques in similar businesses in Florida. Because of previous educational and business training, the partners were highly qualified to organize this manufacturer's representative firm and compete effectively with the existing representatives in the state. It was decided as one of the key goals of the organization that Metra's aim would be to attain a ranking in the top three firms of its type in Florida within a period of ten years. To accomplish this, the partners agreed that: Metra must secure the services of the best people in their fields to fill the needed vacancies. The partners' income would be secondary to those of all key people and the acquisition of required facilities and equipment. The reputation of the company would be built on integrity, sound business practices and loyalty to manufacturers at the expense of expedient short range tactics that could prove harmful in the long range growth plan. The selected market segment would be electrical products for residential, industrial, HVAC, MRO, utility, commercial and OEM sold through the wholesaler markets. The partners would look toward their respective strengths to avoid serious overlaps in responsibilities and resultant inefficiencies. Experience, trust, industry knowledge and hard work became the essential ingredients of Metra's success. The business has flourished through several recessionary periods and it is the common goal of the partners to accelerate this success pattern in the future.