About Us

Baynes Electric is a leading, independent wholesale distributor of lighting and electrical products. Founded in 1956 by Harold Baynes, a scrappy native of Brockton, Massachusetts, the Baynes family continues to guide this company today.

Beginnings: 1956 – 1970
Harold Baynes was an industrious youngster. He dropped out of school in 9th grade to get a job so that he could eat. As a teenager, he swept floors when restaurants closed for a piece of pie at the end of the shift – often the only food he would eat all day.

But he had his own vision of the American Dream and devoted himself to getting there. He worked harder and longer and took responsibility for improving opportunities for himself and his family.

He enlisted in the Navy as a 28 yr old to fight in WWII. Upon his return, he began his career in the electrical supply industry.

In 1956, after running the counter at a local electrical distributor, Harold struck out on his own and founded Baynes Electric Supply. With the help of a few manufacturers, Harold slowly grew the business with an outgoing personality, entrepreneurial spirit, master networking skills and a driven commitment to the best possible service.

Growth Phase: 1970 - 2000

The second generation was groomed early as Louis Baynes joined the company in high school and learned the business by working in warehousing and logistics. Louis joined the company full time in 1968 and held every position from truck driver to inside sales as he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Stonehill College in 1972. Upon graduation from Stonehill, Louis was promoted to Vice President and Treasurer in 1974.

Harold and Louis made a perfect pair as Harold maintained his networking and sales role while Louis managed finance and back-office operations. Together, they continued to grow and manage the company and added a new branch location on Cape Cod in 1972.

In the late 70’s Harold began to cut back his every day role and Louis was named President in 1981. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s, Louis lead Baynes through a growth phase by expanding the number of branch locations from 2 to 11. By 2000, Baynes was a leader in servicing lighting and electrical customers throughout the region.

The Future: 2000 – Present

The third generation, Chris Baynes, joined the team in 2001 as a Vice President focused on sales growth and strategic initiatives. Louis’ institutional knowledge of the company and industry coupled with Chris’ drive and appetite for growth has the company thriving as a family business in an era of rapid consolidation by international conglomerates. In addition to its core business success in the residential markets, Baynes now has a strong presence in the Commercial and Industrial markets with contractors, institutions, industrial plants and government agencies. In 2007, capitalizing on 50 years of servicing customers in the lighting and electrical industry, Baynes launched its National Accounts Division, targeting National Retailers throughout the world. The combination of its family-oriented dedication to servicing customers coupled with its expertise in product sourcing
and selection, construction management and energy initiatives
makes Baynes poised for growth and success in the 21st
century as a company that is “small enough to know you,
big enough to serve you.”