In 1974, after five years of direct sales with the General Cable Corp., Joe Rhodes was faced with the decision to move from Memphis to Greenwich, CT for a promotion to Sales Manager or decide to do something else.

Joe’s children were young at the time and he did not want to uproot his family and move and accept a job that would require extensive travel. The opportunity arose for a furthered sales position as a manufacturer’s rep. instead of being employed directly, so Joe opened up the Rhodes Sales Agency so he could stay here. With a background in wire and cable already, opening up an Agency with the opportunity to represent other manufacturers such as Kaiser Aluminum and Triangle Wire and Cable seemed to be a natural fit.

One of the cornerstone manufacturers represented by Rhodes Sales in the 1980’s was American Electric. During that time, the company began a rapid chain of acquisitions, including the Electrical Products Division of Midland-Ross Corp., the Lighting Division of North American Phillips, Anchor Metals, and American Pole. Then, in 1992, American Electric was purchased by Thomas & Betts. Shortly thereafter, Thomas & Betts re-located its corporate headquarters from NJ to Memphis, TN. Rhodes Sales has represented Thomas & Betts since then, making the Agency one of the longest running representatives within the Thomas & Betts family.

“There have been a few changes over the years, both in companies represented and employees. But, today, we are better equipped than ever to handle our customers needs. With a very professional and technically sound staff combined with the technologies and resources that are present in our market today, Rhodes Sales proudly partners with our manufacturers to be successful in the electrical industry. With our focus not only on our distributor partners but also with our end users such as electrical contractors, industrial plants, and electrical engineers, Rhodes Sales is poised for continued success for all parties.” – – Joe Rhodes