ECLE's History
Our lightning protection history began in 1967 with the opening of Ackerman Lightning Protection Company, Inc., in Winsted, Connecticut. Ackerman Lightning Protection Company was a UL-listed lightning protection installation contracting firm servicing residential, agricultural, industrial, commercial, institutional and governmental accounts in New England and New York.
By studying the manufacturing industry and applying his extensive experience, including certification as a master installer, master designer and reviewer for the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI Standard 175), Chuck focused on methods to produce lightning protection system components that were high quality, easy to use and affordable.
In 1984, Chuck and Judy opened ECLE and sold Ackerman Lightning Protection Company to two of their employees. The decision to sell their thriving installation business was made so ECLE would not compete with its customers for installation business. This honest approach and respect for its customers has remained intact at ECLE, fostering generations of loyal customers.
Chuck and Judy’s daughter, Jennifer Morgan and her husband Mark Morgan, joined the business in 1990 and 1993 respectively. Jennifer and Mark purchased the business in 2004. Today ECLE’s catalog of products includes nearly 2000 items and their customer list is a virtual Who’s Who in the lightning protection installation industry.
Jennifer continues to expand ECLE’s brand recognition through educational seminars, national trade shows, published articles and newsletters targeted to architectural and engineering firms. When architects and electrical engineers are specifying a project, ECLE is likely to be referenced by name as the authority on lightning protection.
Mark has continued to drive innovation in ECLE's manufacturing processes to improve workflow and productivity. Over time, these efforts have quadrupled production without increasing the production staffing. Overhead has been kept low by implementing a visual workflow tracking system, thereby keeping products affordable for customers. Mark serves on the Board of Directors for the LPI, ULPA, and the LPI-IP; he is a member of the NFPA 780 Technical Committee on lightning protection and UL's Standards Technical Panel for Lightning Protection. He also regularly attends the ICLP to keep abreast of lightning protection trends around the world. In addition, Mark is a founding member of the Lightning Safety Alliance, a non-profit, non-stock national business corporation comprised of lightning protection manufacturers, distributors, and installation specialists. Mark also serves on the LSA Board of Directors. Jennifer serves as the Continuing Education Coordinator and also co-authored the LSA’s Lightning Protection 101 course, which is presented to hundreds of design professionals each year.
Individually, Jennifer and Mark have been instrumental in maintaining the company’s reputation as a leader in the industry.
Together, they are the reason ECLE continues to make history.
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