Solais Lighting Appoints Al Near as Chief Commercial Officer
Longtime industry leader and trusted Solais partner joins executive team to help drive the company’s next stage of expansion
Texas-based Solais Lighting has named Al Near as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). He joins the architectural-grade lighting solutions provider after more than 30 years in the lighting and controls industry, where he has held leadership roles across manufacturing, sales, channel management, acquisitions, and business development. Near will lead the company’s commercial sales organization and work alongside Solais leadership to continue expanding the brand’s presence across North America.
Near and Solais first began working together during his time as Chairman & CEO of Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, the Solais partner and rep agency in its home territory. Over time, the relationship grew far beyond the typical manufacturer-rep dynamic. The companies worked closely together through product launches, market expansion, strategic planning, and major shifts across the lighting industry.
In January 2025, Near joined the Solais Board of Directors and became even more involved in helping shape the company’s direction during a period of significant investment in sales, marketing, engineering, and new product development.
“Al understands this business from every angle,” said Sam Newberry, CEO & President of Solais Lighting. “He’s built relationships throughout the industry over the last 30-plus years and has earned a tremendous amount of trust and respect along the way. As Solais continues investing into our product offering, as well as commercial presence, bringing Al into the company full-time felt like the right move at exactly the right time.”
During his time at Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, Near helped grow the organization into one of the largest lighting and controls rep firms in the South-Central United States while expanding operations across eight states. His background also includes being Founder and President of PANexus Strategies and executive leadership roles at The Lighting Quotient, Sharp Electronics Corp., USAI Lighting, Hubbell Lighting, and Acuity Brands.
“I am genuinely excited to join Solais! I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside Solais for a long time and watch the company continuously push forward,” Near stated. “Solais has a compelling story in the specification-grade architectural space, and I see enormous opportunity to grow the brand’s reach through stronger partnerships and deeper engagement with the design and specification community. What excites me most is the ingenuity and quality of work already on display here. My job is to help carry that story to a much broader audience across the industry. I’m excited to officially join this talented team and help continue building on that momentum.”
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