SBC VP Candidate: Eric Toenjes
Eric Toenjes Office Sought: Vice President Eric Toenjes Bio: Eric Toenjes, MBA, National Market Manager – Mobility Solutions at Graybar, is responsible for setting strategy and working with manufacturers, system integrators, neutral hosts, contractors and sales teams to bring best-in-class wireless solutions to Graybar’s end user customers. He has over 20 years of experience in the wireless market through work with cellular carriers, system integrators and distribution providing solutions to end users and carriers alike. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and works with organizations like the HetNet Forum and Safer Buildings Coalition to understand issues facing building owners, influence codes and help develop an understanding of business drivers behind the solutions. Eric Toenjes Statement to Members: I’m writing you today to ask for your support as I run for Vice President of our Safer Buildings Coalition. Over the last several years I have been proud to become very involved with the SBC and its mission of advancing building safety and developing the industry serving this purpose. Bringing Graybar into active membership in the Coalition near its founding, helping to craft code recommendations, recruiting many new members, encouraging co-workers to join work groups, participating in the advancement work group, currently as chair, and sponsoring and speaking at over a dozen SBC seminars have all helped Graybar and its partners grow their public safety business while helping to advance growth and development in the Coalition. By participating in the advancement work group, we have instituted policies, processes and new resources which have increased the value organizations receive from SBC membership while providing me the opportunity to work with and lead many active members. In over 20 years in the wireless industry, I’ve enjoyed many opportunities to work with public safety organizations. I’ve enabled interoperable communication between agencies by creating a Nextel public safety radio network, improved disaster response triage through development of a patient tracking application along with the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), aided emergency communications for the St. Louis Area Rapid Response System (STARRS) among other state, local and federal agencies and improved cellular communications with DAS installations in countless buildings. These experiences have increased my appreciation for the critical work first responders perform and passion for helping advance their cause. As we move SBC into the future, it is crucial that we continue to influence code optimization, educate AHJ’s, industry participants and end users, advance the value members derive from participation and interface with the regulatory environment. Soon we will be able to create industry certifications to ensure quality installations while also influencing other organizations which share elements of our mission or the benefits of it. We have an opportunity and a responsibility today to profitably grow our industry while increasing building safety. We can do this by seeking to lift all ships, raising the tide together. It is my goal to help bring us together so we can collectively realize the potential of SBC. I am truly humbled to be considered for the opportunity to help lead, represent and advocate for the Safer Buildings Coalition. Hopefully I can count on your support in that endeavor, but also on your ideas, passion and contributions to advance the Coalition. Sincerely, |
