Cooledge Lighting, a manufacturer of luminous surface offerings, has announced the appointment of William J. Sims as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Sims has been a board member of the company since 2015 and has been serving as interim CEO for the past year.
Over the past few years the company has, according to the press release,”…nearly tripled its project pipeline and expanded its sales presence in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.” The press release also noted “…the company has already closed $12 million from existing and private investors towards a target of $17 million in its latest round. The funds will fuel additional expansion of global sales and support, marketing programs, and product development, cementing the company's category ownership and accelerating its timeline to profitability.”
In a prepared statement Sims said, “Having led and advised companies in this sector for over 15 years, I can say with confidence that Cooledge is a stand-out, both in terms of the luminous surfaces we make possible today and the opportunity we have to make them ubiquitous - blurring the lines between lighting and architecture. We are answering the unmet demand for fully integrated luminous ceilings and walls, which exploit the advantages of LEDs far beyond mere replacement bulbs and fixtures. We will change the very way illumination is delivered, controlled and experienced, and I'm excited to guide the company to realize this full potential.”
Sims, who has “…more than 30 years' experience growing both emerging and established companies…” is the former President and CEO of Color Kinetics (CK). During his seven-year tenure with CK he was involved in the company’ strategic growth and IPO positioning that led to the eventual sale to Philips in 2007.
“We could not have found a better leader than Bill to chart the course for Cooledge, and we're looking forward to the company's next chapter under his guidance,” said Clint Bybee, Chairman of the board of directors. “He is a visionary with a special knack for identifying breakthrough technologies and successfully bringing them to market, and his enthusiasm for Cooledge is validation of the company that we've built to date.” Cooledge is located in Vancouver, Canada, and has a sales network throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
