What do you do after acquiring lighting and industry knowledge over a span of four decades?
Find ways to pass that knowledge on to others. Bob Bridges began his career in 1983 when he landed a job at a local branch of a national electrical distributor, entering a world that he knew nothing about. He quickly realized that finding a specialty might be a good way to turn a job into a career and lighting became the path he chose to follow. With the guidance of a mentor in his office and others willing to share their own experiences, his journey began.
More than 40 years later, Bob is a member Emeritus of the Illuminating Engineering Society and recipient of the Section Meritorious Service Award received for serving on Ottawa Section committees and as President on two separate occasions. He also received the prestigious IES Distinguished Service award in recognition of longtime service to several society-level committees that are primarily tasked with supporting, developing, and recognizing other IES members and volunteer leaders at all levels.
Bob is Lighting Certified by the NCQLP, a credential held since 2004. A lifelong learner himself, he has taught and continues to teach lighting classes to new and established lighting practitioners alike, whether new electrical engineers, or those working for rep agencies, electrical distributors, property managers, or public agencies. Those classes include courses and seminars developed by the IES, or those that he developed himself to meet the needs of specific audiences.
Bob has worked in technical sales and sales management and has developed pragmatic lighting solutions as part of design-build teams and thoughtful energy retrofit lighting projects that improved lighting quality in addition to lowering energy costs. He helped early adopters of solid-state lighting cut through the hype to include the right LED luminaires and sources in application where it made sense. He has a strong understanding of the lighting supply chain from end to end and has helped others understand the purpose of each of the links in that chain.