Lighting Design Associates: Celebrating 25 Years with the Chamber

By MICHAEL ANDERSON,

Content Development Specialist

The light went on for John DeAmicis. 

Following years of working in the retail lighting business, John DeAmicis and his wife Madeline started Lighting Design Associates in 1994 as a home-based business. Initially selling light bulbs to commercial clients, the company has evolved into a leading commercial distributor of lighting and lighting controls.

“I had the very, very good fortune of associating myself with some very good clients out here in the beginning who were important for the growth of the company,” he said. “I think the company would be very different today if not for those connections. I know that I was very fortunate to become involved with one big electrical contractor on Staten Island (Walsh Electrical Contracting Inc.), who put a lot of faith in me. Kevin Walsh and Linda were dear friends with my wife and me and were loyal customers.”

By developing a strong reputation and forging strong connections, DeAmicis built on his momentum and grew his business. It didn’t take long for him to outgrow his home office and move to a larger location on Father Capodanno Boulevard. In the years to come, Lighting Design Associates relocated to Dongan Hills and their current Travis space. 

The President and Managing Partner, who credits Madeline as an essential part of the business with accounting and office management responsibilities until her retirement in 2011, adds that another big reason for his success was taking advantage of the city's construction boom. 

“We deal entirely with commercial projects. We have done some residential work on Staten Island, but our main focus, by far, is commercial work,” he said. “I would say that we are still heavily geared towards Manhattan, although we’ve done some signature projects on Staten Island.”

Locally, DeAmicis has done energy code compliant lighting layouts for the Ikea warehouse and Amazon parking garage within Bloomfield’s Matrix Global Logistics Park, the South Shore YMCA in Eltingville, and Honda of Staten Island in Grasmere. Other noteworthy jobs include several large projects at New York University, leading New York hospitals, and the “Top of the Rock” observation floors at Rockefeller Center.

As the lighting industry evolved, DeAmicis found it vital to stay on top of emerging technology. Adding code-compliant services set the business apart and allowed him to market to a brand new customer base.

“The design aspect of our business -- along with energy code calculations and compliance -- has expanded the business to architects and electrical engineers throughout New York City and Northern New Jersey. Lighting Design Associates has truly established itself as a full-service source for the commercial lighting industry,” he said.

The trademarks of stability and loyalty to its employees have also contributed to the company’s success.

“We are very proud that we have employees that average 15 years with the company and have continued to grow with the company. Ask questions, learn, continue to evolve, and, most importantly, service your clients,” says DeAmicis.

“I’ll admit that no one is perfect and everyone can make a mistake, but it’s how you handle the mistakes that set you apart from the competition.”

Community-minded, DeAmicis has been very active in a variety of charitable and volunteer organizations throughout the years. Proud parents of two children and four granddaughters, John coached his son in baseball at Great Kills Little League and South Shore Babe Ruth. He also coached basketball at St. Clare’s Church and also served on the Board of Directors for Meals on Wheels of Staten Island and the JDRF. He also has been a proud Rotarian and was President of Mid-Island Rotary from 2008-09. 

That sense of community is why DeAmicis joined the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce shortly after opening his business and is now celebrating 25 years with the organization. 

“There are no ifs, ands, or buts. You can go across the country, and you know the Chamber of Commerce is a legitimate organization. If you belong to the Chamber, people know you have a clean record and no complaints against your business,” he said. “You understand the Chamber brings legitimacy, and you’re dealing with quality, longevity, and community-based companies. Being a member of the Chamber and having the logo on our door is an endorsement of our company and a sign we are an integral part of the Staten Island business community.”