Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tyrone DeNeal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tyrone, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?

I started my sales representative company on November 4, 2016. I chose to start an independent sales representative business so I could leverage over 42 years of sales and marketing experience with General Electric Company. My first principals were Contract Manufacturing companies. I later signed up a couple automation companies and in July 2020 I signed up a manufacturer of high efficiency electric motors.

Representing a high efficiency electric motor manufacturer introduce me to energy efficiency space. The technology is revolutionary, and the most significant advancement in motor design technology in over 60 years. The motor features a built-in generator coil that is placed in the same magnetic field of the motor windings. This allows the motor to generate some energy that offset losses of a traditional induction motor. The Power Factor (PF) is near 100%. Therefore, it saves energy on the electrical grid and saves money on electric utility bills.

I was proud to represent this company and this innovative technology. I presented the motor and innovative technology to my list of potential customers and conducted webinars to variety of plant engineers, However, the technology was confronted with skepticism. Many said the efficiency was too good to be true. Over the next several months the manufacturer pursued 3rd party testing and validation. The claims were proven by recognized industry testing and standards organizations.

I was slow in getting new testing results and proof back to my customers and did not generate any motor sales for this principal. I was disappointed in myself and my company for not fulfilling my goals and commitments. Therefore, I lost my contract with the motor manufacturer.
This was even a bigger disappointment in that I was on the ground floor of a revolutionary motor technology that will shape world in terms energy efficiency. The pervasive electric motor is everywhere on fans, compressors, blowers, and pumps. They are installed residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities. Electric motors account for over 40% electric energy consumed in the world. The next largest consumer electrical energy is lighting, which consumes over 15% of electric energy.

I have now shifted my energy from high efficiency motors to highly efficient lighting. I recently signed an agreement with Green Ignite, a manufacturer of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). LEDs are 80+ percent more efficient than incandescent lighting therefore saving operating expenses. The LEDs last 4 to 5 times longer fluorescent lighting, so they will extend the time for bulb replacement and save on operating expenses.
In business you will have disappointments. What is important is what you learn from the disappointment and how you apply those lessons. In my case, I have shifted from high efficiency motors to highly efficient lighting. I am applying the time and energy to selling the high efficiency lighting from Green Ignite. We are offering a return on investment (ROI) analysis and calculations to our customers to demonstrate the operating savings. In a recent ROI study, we calculated 1.6-year payback just for replacing fluorescent light bulbs with LED replacements. These LEDs are designed with the same form factor as T8 tubes. We used the existing fixtures, bypassed the fluorescent ballast, and replaced fluorescent tubes with the LED tubes.

Tyrone, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been married to Coquilla Lipscomb DeNeal for almost 46 years and we are the parents of 3 children Tyrone DeNeal, Jr., Joseph M. DeNeal and Deidre H. DeNeal.

My experience in sales and marketing industrial electrical distribution and controls products spans 43 years. My career with General Electric began immediately after obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology in 1973 from Purdue University Calumet (now Northwest) in Hammond, IN. When I joined GE, I served in GE Drives and Controls, GE Electrical Distribution and Controls, GE Micro Switch Controls (a joint venture of Honeywell and GE) and GE Automation Controls, allowing him to excel in sales and marketing management.
While molding and shaping my career with GE, I returned to school and earned a Master’s in Business Administration from James Madison University in 1988. In 1995, I was appointed North American Channel Manager for GE Fanuc, which was a venture of GE and Fanuc Limited of Japan. While Channel Manager, I was responsible for $120 million in sales of Automation and Programmable Logic Control products. Under my leadership, I led a network of 120 high tech distributors – the largest and fastest growing segment in the business. I achieved an annual eight percent growth for the segment. During my time with GE, I successfully achieved numerous assignments, including one as a quality engineer in the global sales organization within GE Power Systems.

I designed and implemented the Integrated Account Planning processes, which was a web-based tool to track accounts, plans, opportunities, and other activities. I also drove and tracked Six Sigma certification progress in the GE Global Sales Organization within GE Power Systems. In July 2004 I earned a certification as a Six Sigma Black Belt with emphasis on sales and marketing processes.
Before I retired from GE, I was a global sales leader for the Industrial Drives and Controls Business Unit. I developed operating plans and a marketing strategy for an aftermarket parts business. My responsibilities included pricing, product acquisition and product divestment to optimize profit and loss. I also led a network of GE sales personnel, independent distributors and resellers that sell and service industrial automation products, such as adjustable speed drives and controls to paper, metals, mining, and transit market segments.

In November 2016 I formed an independent sales representative, DeNeal Industrial Sales and Services, LLC (DENISS, LLC). In May 2021 DENISS, LLC expanded its portfolio to include Energy Solutions to complement its Automation, Controls, and Contract Manufacturing businesses.
Energy Solutions includes energy efficient products and battery energy storage products and services. According to World Energy, generation will increase between 123% to 150% by 2050. The US Energy Information Administration project renewable energy mix will be 42% by 2050. This will increase from the current 21% mix of renewable energy mix. At the same time, as described in the Paris Agreements, the world is expected to decarbonize and achieve NetZero carbon emissions.
DENISS, LLC supports and promotes additional renewable energy capacity. Despite the massive deployment of wind and solar capacity in recent years, increases are not occurring fast enough to meet the energy demand and NetZero emissions.

For this reason, DENISS, LLC will focus its resources on energy efficient products and battery energy storage. Renewable energy sources will not be enough to achieve the global demands for energy or meet the goals of significantly reducing carbon. We must look inward at the existing infrastructure, including ubiquitous electrical induction motors and incandescent lighting systems.

As I indicated earlier, DENISS, LLC recently signed a sales representation agreement with Green Ignite, a creative manufacturer of LED lighting systems. LED means a light-emitting diode; a semiconductor diode which glows when a voltage is applied LEDs are more energy efficient than incandescent (filament, fluorescent, High Intensity Discharge) lighting.
Businesses are looking to cut their overhead expenditures by reducing their carbon and their energy expenditure should switch to LED lighting. The New York Times compared LED lights to regular light bulbs and found that the LED lights were good for up to 50,000 hours (about 5 and a half years) of illumination – compared to just a maximum of 2,000 hours (about 2 and a half months) for the regular. LEDs can save up to 70% of a company’s energy output associated with lighting systems, says Phys.org, a research, technology, and science website.
We offer a free audit of utility bills and your existing lighting loads on your power grid will calculate your savings and return on your investment for replacing your incandescent lights with LEDs.

Renewal Energy sources like wind turbines and solar panels are subjected to availability of wind and sunlight. When these sources are available, one needs a way to store any excess generated energy. DENISS, LLC recently signed a sales representative agreement with TROES, a Canadian based Battery Energy Storage Systems provider. TROES innovative battery energy storage systems pushing the boundaries to tackle climate change and making Net Zero a reality. TROES Corp. established in 2018, develops, designs, manufactures, and delivers high-performance, rigorously tested, innovative, cloud-based Energy Storage Systems (ESS). Based on Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) technology and focused on the Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional applications, the ESS’s integrate TROES’s proprietary Battery Modules, Battery Management Systems (BMS), Enclosures and Power Conversion System (PCS).
We offer budgetary proposals to complement your Solar energy projects.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I retired from GE after 42 years of experience in selling and marketing electrical equipment, After I retired and decided that I wanted to start my own business, I conducted a self-assessment of my experience and skills. I concluded that I could either be an independent distributor or an independent manufacturers’ sales representative. I decided that an independent distributor business would be capital (inventory, warehouse space, etc.).intensive and independent sales rep business would require minimal expenses and I could leverage my experience, knowledge, and education.
I have a broad range of experience that includes electrical power distribution and transmission, adjustable and variable speed drives, automation equipment and software (PLCs, HMI, OIT, etc.). This allowed me to establish credentials in manufacturing of printed circuit boards used in PLCs and Variable Speed Drives.

This led me to first two companies I represented. They were contract manufacturers engaged in manufacturing Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs). The first was East West Manufacturing, which not only manufactured PCBAs but a whole variety of electrical mechanical, electronic and machined parts. East West Manufacturing is a global contract manufacturing company with facilities in US, Costa Rico, and Vietnam. The second company is ArcTronics, a US based company that specializes in contract Electronic Manufacturing Systems including PCBAs and box assemblies.
I leveraged my experience, knowledge, and education to be considered by these companies to represent them. I graduated from Purdue University Calumet (now Purdue Northwest) with degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. I also have a master’s degree in business administration from James Madison University.

This experience, knowledge and education allow me to establish creditability with clients and potential customers.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I attend and/or exhibit my business at industry trade shows. Trade shows allow you to meet and talk with potential clients and principals. They have representatives from companies that are in the same industry. For example, the Design2Part show features small manufacturing companies that many larger corporate manufacturers use to make parts for their larger or more complex finished products. These small manufacturing companies manufacture cable assemblies, PCBAs, and precision machined parts. I partnered with ArcTronics at this show and invariably captured 100+ leads in over a 2-day period. I also attend the large Material Handling Exhibitions. This gives me an opportunity to meet international companies looking for agents and potential suppliers in the US..

Covid-19 has had a negative impact on obtaining leads form this source of leads. I shifted to a social media and direct email model, but I have not been as successful. I generated a few leads, but nothing compares to in-person exhibiting in a trade show.
I am excited that trade shows are opening back up. I am scheduled to attend 4 shows over the next few months. As I expand my offerings and portfolio in Energy Renewals and Energy Efficient products, I will attend the Power Gen show in Dallas in May. I will feature LED lighting products by Green Ignite and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) by TROES of Canada.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Denissllc.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Denissllc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deneal-industrial-sales-&-services-llc/?viewAsMember=true
• Twitter: @denealtyrone