Becky Li of WAC Group Discusses Leadership & the Company’s Accomplishments in 2025
Those in the commercial lighting industry might not have been aware of Becky Li before she was named President of WAC Group in May 2024, but her involvement in the company’s back office operations spans three decades.
Li began her career with WAC 30 years ago as an accountant before her propensity for being a fast-learner with a keen interest in all facets of business led to an expansion of her duties. “Soon, I was handling day-to-day customer accounts and eventually leading the entire finance department,” Li said, adding, “Over time, my role had expanded to include IT infrastructure, which included ERP system implementation and global procurement strategy.”
She voluntarily took on a formal consulting certification course and became a licensed consultant through the revered and rigorous SAP ERP program. “I became involved with products and corporate sales strategies, which gave me a holistic view of the business. I also joined an extended marketing course at MIT – which was literally one month or more of work to understand omnichannel marketing strategy,” she said. Li took the course of her own initiative, which meant studying after work from roughly 7pm until sometimes 3am by her calculation.
She explained that in the “old days” of traditional marketing, the focus was all about learning the “four Ps” (Product, Price, Place, Promotion). In today’s world of omnichannel marketing and social media platforms, she noted that the emphasis is now on three areas: People, Process, and Personalization. The MIT course was not about rudimentary marketing practices or how to use social media platforms, but instead drilled down into complex strategies and how to analyze data.
Taking the Reins
Li credits the leadership of WAC co-founders Tony and Tai Wang and the guidance of the late long-time vice president Leonard Schwartz with shaping her work ethic and providing her with enthusiastic support for furthering her career at the company.
After Tony and Tai Wang retired, and subsequently their son-in-law Dirk and daughter Shelley Wald retired in 2024, Li was approached by the family to take on the role of president.
It was not a proposal that she took lightly, “It’s a lot of responsibility,” Li said. “How do you manage this many people, how do you maintain sustainable growth, and what is the strategy and vision for the company,” she recalled. The answer turned out to be keeping strong lines of communication open at all times.
“I think there are still a lot of opportunities in business. I’ve been [in the industry] for 30 years, for example, and when you look at product innovation, technology is always changing,” Li commented. “So the challenge becomes how can we improve our efficiency and how does education play a part? We know how lighting is changing, but that doesn’t mean the general consumer knows. Since Covid, we’ve seen the transformation of residential lighting with education and design becoming very important.”
In the first full year since Li was named president, WAC Group’s focus has been on developing educational webinars to inspire new ways of thinking across various types of products and to share that knowledge of evolving lighting technology and research.
“In my mind, one of the most meaningful is our partnership with the Light & Health Research Center at Mount Sinai and exploring how lighting can help human health and boost productivity,” she said. “These are the topics that, as we advance with technology, we are making sure that we educate the designers as well as the general public on how lighting can impact someone’s overall health and wellbeing.” To view the first in the WAC series of webinars with the Light & Health Research Center, click here
The fourth webinar in the series, Providing Home Lighting That Supports Your Clients’ Health and Well-Being, will be held on October 2. Register for free here
Also this year, Li noted that the company has enhanced its bath portfolio and launched a new corporate entity: WAC Group. “We have some things coming up over the next few months that will be a unified message as to who we are as WAC Group,” she added.
As a female leader in a tech company, Li was asked to provide advice to females who would like to reach a similar position. “I think having confidence is a necessity to ensure that ideas are being heard and innovation still moves forward,” she answered. “[For me] my confidence comes with 30 years of experience across lighting operations — from product, finance, IT, sales, marketing. I feel that I bring a very unique perspective, which is the ability to approach decisions with an analytical rigor and a creative vision. That has allowed me to lead with adaptability, empathy and resilience while working alongside technical talent on my team to drive growth and transformation. My advice is to believe in yourself that you can make a difference and have that confidence.”
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