Gasser Bush Associates

What Gasser Bush Associates does

Gasser Bush Associates (GBA), founded in 1968 and headquartered at 30984 Industrial Rd., Livonia, Michigan, is a privately held, family-owned manufacturers' representative agency specializing in commercial lighting and controls. The company represents 158 lighting manufacturers in its Michigan territory (19,056 products) and 147 manufacturers in northwest Ohio (18,630 products), giving it access to roughly 37,686 SKUs across premium brands including Lumenpulse, Fluxwerx, Lithonia Lighting, Artemide, OCL Architectural Lighting, Focal Point, and Meteor Lighting. GBA operates through a regional distributor network and five functionally organized sales teams — Michigan Sales, Ohio Sales, Specifications Sales, Contractor/Distributor Sales, and Controls Sales — and claims the largest in-house lighting controls team in the state of Michigan, with multiple LC (Lighting Certified) and CLCP (Certified Lighting Consultant) credentialed staff.

GBA's service portfolio is structured around four core practices: Controls (project-specific lighting control strategy and design assistance); Photometrics (lighting layout and photometric analysis for construction projects); Energy Audits & DTE Rebates (ROI calculation, DTE Energy rebate paperwork processing, and Michigan Saves financing facilitation for LED upgrades); and Tech Support (fixture recommendations, sample requests, troubleshooting, pre-bid budgets). Its Contractor Tools program bundles labor-saving solutions, design-build assistance, installation support, and warranty claim handling. Education is delivered through GBA University, which provides online CEU courses and in-person "Light + Education" events for architects, specifiers, and contractors. The company is led by Lance Barnes (President) and Josh Dickerson (Vice President), with multiple Barnes family members in sales and applications roles.

The business model is commission-based manufacturer representation: GBA earns commissions from the 300+ lighting OEMs it represents by promoting their products to electrical contractors, the design community (architects, lighting designers, specifiers), and end-use building owners in Michigan and northwest Ohio. GBA supplements commission revenue with fee-adjacent services — photometric layouts, energy audits, rebate processing, and CEU education — that deepen channel relationships and create switching friction for both manufacturers and specifiers. There is no disclosed revenue, no institutional investment, no parent company, and no M&A activity in the available data; the firm operates as a stable, founder-controlled regional agency that has compounded its territory over 57 years through organic manufacturer additions and geographic expansion into northwest Ohio.

Name

Gasser Bush Associates

Legal name

Gasser Bush Associates

Website

https://gasserbush.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gasser Bush Associates is a privately held, family-owned lighting and controls manufacturers' representative agency founded in 1968, representing ~300 manufacturers across Michigan and northwest Ohio. It serves electrical contractors, architects/specifiers, and building owners with controls design, photometrics, rebate processing, and CEU education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Livonia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Manufacturer Representation / Commission: As a manufacturer's representative agency, Gasser Bush Associates earns commissions from the lighting manufacturers they represent. They promote and sell products from 158+ manufacturers in Michigan and 147+ manufacturers in Ohio to electrical contractors, designers, and end customers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gasser Bush Associates is a lighting and controls manufacturer's representative agency that promotes and sells products from 158+ manufacturers in Michigan and 147+ manufacturers in northwest Ohio to electrical contractors, designers, distributors, and end customers. The company earns commissions on these products and provides supplemental services including controls consultation, photometric layouts, energy audits with DTE rebate processing, technical support, labor-saving installation solutions, and CEU training through GBA University.

Product overview

Gasser Bush Associates is a lighting and controls manufacturers' representative agency serving Michigan and northwest Ohio since 1968. The company does not develop a single unified software product but rather offers a portfolio of services including Controls (with the largest in-house controls team in the state), Photometrics (lighting layouts), Energy Audits & DTE Rebates, and Tech Support. They also provide Contractor Tools for labor-saving solutions, design build assist, installation support, and warranty claims. Through their manufacturer line cards, they represent approximately 158 manufacturers in Michigan and 147 in Ohio, offering over 18,000+ lighting products from brands including Lumenpulse, Fluxwerx, Lithonia Lighting, Artemide, Meteor Lighting, OCL Architectural Lighting, and Eureka. Their GBA University provides online CEU courses for professional development in lighting fundamentals and sensor technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GBA Controls Services In-house controls team offering project-specific, cost-effective lighting control strategies for projects of any size and scope, with support from industry-leading suppliers such as nLight, Casambi, ETC, SensorSwitch, and Pathway Connectivity. Target customers are contractors, designers, and end customers specifying lighting controls in Michigan and northwest Ohio.
• GBA Photometric Layout Services Professional photometric analysis and lighting layout services to ensure lighting plans are executed accurately for commercial construction projects. Intended for architects, lighting designers, and electrical contractors specifying lighting systems.
• Energy Audits & DTE Rebate Services Energy audit and rebate assistance including ROI calculation on LED upgrades, DTE Energy rebate paperwork processing, and facilitation of Michigan Saves financing for new construction or remodel projects.
• GBA Tech Support Technical support services covering custom requests, technical questions, fixture recommendations, sample requests, troubleshooting, and pre-bid budget assistance for electrical contractors and design professionals.
• Design-Build Assist Design-build project support including lighting layouts, controls and emergency lighting consultation, quick-ship products, and in-stock product coordination to keep projects on budget and on schedule for electrical contractors and design-build teams.
• Installation Support & Warranty Claims Installation consultation and warranty claim handling including technical support, controls assistance, installation instructions, on-site visits, and warranty or freight claim processing for electrical contractors.
• GBA University Online CEU Courses Online continuing education courses covering lighting fundamentals modules, sensor basics series, IES recommended practices, and WELL v2 lighting concepts for architects, designers, and lighting professionals' professional development.
• Michigan Lighting Manufacturer Line Card Portfolio of 158 lighting and controls manufacturers represented in the Michigan territory, providing access to 19,056 products spanning brands such as Lumenpulse, Fluxwerx, Lithonia Lighting, Artemide, OCL Architectural Lighting, Intra-lighting, Focal Point, and Meteor Lighting.
• Ohio Lighting Manufacturer Line Card Portfolio of 147 lighting and controls manufacturers represented in the northwest Ohio territory, providing access to 18,630 products across the same category mix as the Michigan line card.

Quantifiable outcome

• DTE rebate processing assistance for new construction or remodel projects
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DTE EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBA works with DTE Energy to help customers process DTE rebate paperwork for new construction or remodel projects, facilitating energy efficiency upgrades and helping customers save money on LED upgrades.
• Michigan SavesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBA facilitates financing for LED upgrades through Michigan Saves, a nonprofit green bank providing affordable financing for energy improvements.
• Acuity BrandscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of 158+ manufacturers represented by GBA in Michigan, including brands like Lithonia Lighting, Gotham Lighting, and other Acuity Brands companies.
• LumenpulsecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured manufacturer partner with products like Lumenfacade Max Inground and Beacon accessories. Listed as a featured product brand.
• FluxwerxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured manufacturer partner with products like Speak Pendant and River Series. Listed as a featured product brand and featured in manufacturer highlights.
• nLightcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorControls manufacturer partner with products like NECY System Controller. GBA has the largest in-house controls team trained on nLight products.
• ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorControls manufacturer partner featured on the GBA Services page with logo display, specializing in lighting controls systems.
• CasambicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWireless lighting controls manufacturer partner featured on the GBA Services page, offering smart and connected city applications.
• SensorSwitchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLighting controls manufacturer partner featured on the GBA Services page for occupancy and daylight harvesting sensors.
• Pathway ConnectivitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLighting controls manufacturer partner featured on the GBA Services page, offering integration and control solutions.
• FrescocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLighting controls manufacturer (Acuity Brands) partner featured on the GBA Services page for daylight harvesting and HVAC integration.
• Artemide InccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArchitectural lighting manufacturer with featured product 'Artemide Discovery Vertical'. One of the premium brands represented by GBA.
• Louis PoulsencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDanish architectural lighting manufacturer represented by GBA, known for pendant and decorative lighting solutions.
• OCL Architectural LightingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured manufacturer partner with products like Atla and Kwyet Atla acoustic lighting solutions. Listed as new items manufacturer.
• Intra-lightingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured manufacturer with 'Intra Lighting Tracker' listed as a featured product. Architectural lighting manufacturer.
• Focal PointcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManufacturer partner with products like Lia Curve acoustic pendant. Featured in new products and manufacturer highlights. Also hosts CEU courses.
• Meteor LightingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured manufacturer with Bolt Nova cylinder light listed in both Michigan and Ohio line cards. Known for sports facility and natatorium lighting.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mlazgar Associates: Independent lighting manufacturers' representative agency serving Michigan and adjacent markets with a comparable portfolio of architectural and commercial lighting brands. Closest direct peer because it runs the same rep model in GBA's home state with overlapping manufacturer principals.
• The Cooksey Company: Southeast US-based lighting and controls rep agency representing many of the same premium architectural brands (Lumenpulse, Fluxwerx, etc.). Same rep business model and similar services stack (photometrics, controls, project support), but geographically distinct.
• Bill Hopkins Lighting Sales: Mid-Atlantic lighting rep agency offering specification sales, controls expertise, and contractor support for premium architectural lighting brands. Same independent rep model with overlapping manufacturer principals.
• RM Marketing Group: Lighting and controls manufacturers' representative serving the Midwest with comparable technical services, project specification support, and controls specialization. Operates the same rep-agency business model with a similar brand portfolio.
• Lighting Solutions Inc. Independent lighting manufacturers' representative agency offering specification, photometric, and controls services to the design and contractor community. Closely comparable business model and customer segments to GBA.
• Skyline Lighting Representatives: Lighting rep agency serving a multi-state regional territory with specification sales, controls design, and contractor support services. Comparable rep-based business model and customer base, focused on architectural and commercial lighting brands.

Regional players

• Western Lighting & Energy: Lighting representative agency serving the western United States with comparable controls, photometric, and contractor support services. Mirrors GBA's multi-state rep structure but operates in a different geographic territory.

Broad incumbents

• Acuity Brands: Largest North American lighting and controls manufacturer (Lithonia, Gotham, Fresco, etc.) and one of GBA's principal manufacturer partners. Not a direct competitor, but a major upstream incumbent whose go-to-market decisions directly shape GBA's commission volume.
• Signify (Philips Lighting): Global lighting and IoT lighting manufacturer (formerly Philips Lighting) operating in the same architectural and commercial lighting category as many of GBA's represented brands. Influences GBA's commission model through channel strategy and direct-sales build-out.
• Hubbell Lighting: Major US lighting and controls manufacturer (Hubbell Lighting, Litecontrol, Architectural Area Lighting) competing with many of the same specification brands GBA represents. Sets the broader competitive context for premium specification-grade lighting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Gasser-Bush-108349078654254
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gasser-bush-associates
• Instagraminstagram.com/gasser_bush

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gasser Bush Associates