Ron Naus, 1967–2014

Andy J. Scott

The lighting industry is shocked at the lost Ron Naus, President of B-K Lighting and Teka Illumination. An active member of the lighting community, who was also currently serving as the IALD Education Trust President, he died suddenly on May 31.

After graduating from Illinois State University with a degree in political science, Naus went on to enter the lighting industry and first worked for Big Beam Emergency Systems in Crystal Lake, Ill. That, in turn, led him to Silver State Lighting in Las Vegas where he represented several different lighting lines as a sales agent.

In 2001, Naus moved to Madera, Calif., to join B-K Lighting as its sales manager. His business acumen translated into a fast and steady rise through the company’s executive levels; in 2006 he became Executive Vice President and in 2012 President. One of his many accomplishments included the development of B-K University. Thousands of lighting specifiers have benefitted from this in-house lighting education resource center at the company’s headquarters, which offers a full complement of classes about the design, manufacturing, and testing of luminaires.

His commitment to lighting education did not stop with current practitioners; rather he had an eye to the future. An active member of the IALD Education Trust -he served as the organization’s treasurer and director and was the current president-- Naus was committed to the next generation of lighting designers. That commitment manifested itself through robust fundraising activities, and he was in the process of establishing a self-sustaining endowment for the IALD Education Trust, a first for the organization. Going forward it will be known as the Ron Naus Endowment.

Deeply passionate about lighting and the interaction between the various constituents in the lighting industry, Naus recognized the important relationship between the lighting manufacturer and the lighting designer. In the One-on-One interview with Naus that appeared in the March-April 2013 issue of Architectural Lighting he recounted the experience of one of his first specification calls, to legendary lighting designer Lesley Wheel’s office; it was transformative. “It wasn’t about just showing her a product,” Naus said. “She wanted a manufacturer who would respond to her design and luminaire needs for the project.”

A loving, husband, father, and son, Naus cared deeply about his family and his extended lighting family at B-K Lighting and Teka Illumination as well as the lighting community at large. The company has established a benefit fund for Ron’s two boys. For more information contact Dionna Smith at [email protected]. Celebration of Life services were held June 8 in California. Naus is survived by his wife Danielle, his two sons, Christian and Kai, his mother Belinda, sister Linda, and brother Rich.