Management Team
François-Xavier Souvay
Founder and Executive Chairman
François-Xavier Souvay is the Founder and Executive Chairman of LMPG, Inc. As Executive Chairman he contributes to the global vision and product development, as well as the organic and inorganic growth of LMPG by providing strategic guidance. He also oversees risk management and acts as an advocate for the company in public forums, media interviews, and network events. Through engagement with industry peers, policymakers, and thought leaders, he advances the company's vision and visibility in the marketplace. Previously, he has acted as LMPG's President and Chief Executive Officer.
A seasoned entrepreneur, François-Xavier has over 25 years of experience in the lighting industry. By age 23, he was already contributing to large commercial real estate projects in Montreal. He was soon recruited by a specification-grade outdoor lighting company, where he established a network of agents and VARs in Canada and the United States. Leveraging this experience, he then acted as a consultant for various lighting companies across North America.
In 1999, he acquired Luxtec, a value-added reseller of diversified specification-grade lighting solutions and was soon spearheading LED research and development. Focused on combining innovative technology expertise with strong industrial design, he founded Lumenpulse in 2006. The company has since established itself as the leading pure-play, specification-grade LED lighting solution provider.
François-Xavier holds numerous patents in his name and is a well-known thought leader in the LED lighting industry. In 2015, he was awarded the EY Entrepreneur of the Year in Quebec and as the EdisonReport's Person of the Year in 2023.
Peter Timotheatos
President and Chief Executive Officer, LMPG, and President, Lumenpulse
Peter Timotheatos is the President and Chief Executive Officer of LMPG Inc. In this role, Peter oversees LMPG's global management, corporate development, and strategic planning while maintaining LMPG's reputation for innovation and customer experience excellence. His mastery of numerous aspects, from product development to production and from finance to sales, guides and ensures that LMPG's vision, goals, and unique business culture are maintained and expanded into the future. Previously, Peter was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of LMPG Inc., a role he held between 2016 and 2024.
In 2022, Peter became President of Lumenpulse Lighting. Before this appointment, he acted as the Chief Operating Officer, directly overseeing the brand's operating activities. Prior to his role as the CFO of LMPG Inc., he was Senior Vice President, Financial Planning, Analysis, and Results, managing its FP&A group and External Financial Reporting. Prior to joining LMPG, Peter was the Chief Financial Officer of JLD-Lague, an independent John Deere dealership group. Additionally, he served as Director, Corporate Development and Planning, from 2008 to 2010, then as Vice President, Finance, before becoming Chief Financial Officer at Aveos Fleet Performance Inc in 2012. Before his time at Aveos, he held the role of Chief Financial Officer at BCE Elix (a Bell Canada Company) from 2004 to 2007. In addition to his CPA and CA designation, he also holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and previously held a Chartered Business Valuator designation (CBV).
Peter holds a Graduate Diploma in Public Accounting and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from McGill University. He is an experienced finance professional with a versatile financial and operational background.
Rocco Masella
Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer
Rocco Masella is Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of LMPG Inc. As Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Rocco oversees the company's financial strategy, risk management, and information technology services. His operations and finance experience are succinct with LMPG's growth and vision. Rocco was most recently the President of Sternberg Lighting where his innovative spirit refined department processes and enhanced Sternberg's new product development across growing market sectors.
Rocco holds a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce and a Master's Degree in Public Accounting from Concordia University. Since joining Sternberg Lighting as the VP of Finance in 2020, he has been helping to build a new leadership team and has been involved in all aspects of strategic planning for the business. Rocco's experience in lighting manufacturing spans three well-respected brands: Sternberg Lighting, Exenia, and Lumenpulse. He holds a CPA, a CA designation, and has previously worked in the Montreal office of KPMG, where he was a Senior Accountant in the firm's audit practise.
Petya Velikova
Vice President of Finance
Petya Velikova is Vice President of Finance at LMPG. Petya has been an essential member of our team since August 2011 when she joined as Controller for Lumenpulse (Luxtex, UK, US). In 2014, Petya advanced to Director of Financial Reporting, Taxation, and Treasury, where she played a pivotal role in mergers and acquisitions while shaping the finance function at LMPG. As Vice President of Finance, she will continue her current responsibilities and oversee the Brand Finance Controllers and their teams.
Before joining LMPG, Petya refined her financial expertise as a Financial Analyst at GRI Capital and served as Corporate Controller at Prodrive Systems Inc. Her deep understanding of LMPG and its brands, coupled with her strong financial acumen and leadership skills, will be invaluable as she drives financial strategy and oversight across the organization. Petya holds a CPA, a Master's and Bachelor's of Economics from the University of Economics—Varna, and a Graduate Certificate in Accounting and Accounting Practices from McGill University.
Jesse Lilley
Chief Commercial Officer EMEA and APAC, and Head of Global Marketing
Jesse Lilley joined LMPG in August 2023. In his role as Chief Commercial Officer EMEA and APAC, he will support and oversee commercialization, sales networks, and product management for the group in these territories. Additionally, as Head of Global Marketing, Lilley will be responsible for raising LMPG's brand awareness and reach worldwide. In collaboration with the brand Presidents, he will support the creation of comprehensive marketing strategies to fuel this growth. A familiar name for those who were present in the early years of Lumenpulse, Jesse was instrumental in the creation of the Lumenpulse brand image and its international expansion as Senior Vice President of Marketing from 2011 to 2017.
He holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge, and is fluent in English, Danish, Italian, and French.
Steven Soules
Vice President of Human Resources
Steven Soules is the Vice President of Human Resources for LMPG Inc. He joined LMPG in May 2023 and is responsible for all the human resources activities across LMPG Inc. and its business units. Steven is a highly diversified and engaged senior Human Resources Professional with over 25 year's progressive experience in various industries across North America. His pragmatic, action-oriented business approach to human resources has enabled him to successfully lead human resource teams through numerous change initiatives, mergers, and acquisitions, creating and implementing human resources road maps while supporting upwards of 3000 employees in multiple sites across North America. He is a team player focused on building relationships and enabling the success of businesses and people.
Prior to joining LMPG, Steven held various leadership positions in human resources with various companies, including Stella-Jones, BBRG, Aveos, FPInnovations, and Diageo. Steven holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resources from Concordia University.
Ken Bruns
Vice President of Global Product and Technology Management
Ken Bruns serves as the Vice President of Global Product and Technology Management, steering the convergence of expertise and innovation across our LMPG brands. With a focus on fostering collaboration among diverse brand product development teams, Ken orchestrates an environment aimed at harnessing synergies to their fullest potential. At the helm of his responsibilities lies the leadership in propelling existing technologies forward and shaping the trajectory of pivotal future advancements.
Previous to this role, Ken was Senior Director of Product Management for Lumenpulse, responsible for developing and maintaining the brand's global product strategy. Before coming to Lumenpulse and LMPG, he held positions as a Lighting Technician in theatre before moving into the manufacturing aspect of the industry. Ken graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology.
Yanitza Navia
Senior Director, Operational Support
Yanitza Navia joined the Lumenpulse family in 2015 as Finance Director of Lumenpulse AlphaLed Limited, LMPG’s first acquisition in Europe. Shortly after joining, she advanced to Managing Director, where she took on full responsibility for the company’s operations. At the end of 2020, Yanitza transitioned to LMPG Canadian Operations, becoming Senior Director of Operational Support for LMPG, where her expertise in finance and operations now supports both existing and newly acquired business units.
With over 20 years of experience across industries—having previously held roles at Lafarge, GNR Technologies, Bell Canada, BCLX, and GPSI—Yanitza brings versatile skills in operations, finance, and large-scale project management. She holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance from TMU and continues to expand her expertise in Project Management (McGill) and Mergers and Acquisitions (Harvard Business School).
Joshua Baker
Senior Director of Commercial Operations and Business Transformation
As Senior Director of Commercial Operations and Business Transformation, Joshua Baker drives essential initiatives across our brands. With a keen focus on maximizing business system performance, Joshua leads cross-brand projects aimed at leveraging our group's capabilities to optimize synergies. His responsibilities encompass the development of best practices, utilizing the diverse knowledge base of each brand.
Previously, Josh was the Senior Director of Customer Experience Support at Lumenpulse, overseeing all technical operations, from pre-project design through post-sales services and warranty support. Before joining Lumenpulse in 2011, Joshua worked as an Assistant Project Manager and Project Manager in the lighting industry. Joshua has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Lighting Design from Boston University and a Management of Technology Master of Science Degree from New York University.
Alexandre Azevedo
Senior Director of Information Technology and Systems
Alexandre Azevedo is the Senior Director of Information Technology and Systems at LMPG, leveraging his expertise to drive innovation and efficiency. Alex is a passionate IT leader dedicated to addressing complex business challenges with practical, effective solutions. His commitment to advancing technology and streamlining processes plays a pivotal role in enhancing the overall operational effectiveness of the organization.
A graduate of CDI College in Networking and Security and holding a project management certificate from McGill University, Alex has been in the IT technology industry since 1999. He has played several roles over the years, from Technical Specialist to Senior Project Manager, working with Tier 1 companies throughout his career implementing IT solutions/projects before switching from the vendor to the client side of the business. Alex oversees all IT, networking, security, infrastructure, and software initiatives at LMPG, ensuring the organization’s technological requirements are met. Leading a team of developers and technical experts, Alex embraces a hands-on approach to problem-solving, a philosophy that he fosters within his IT team.
Brand Leaders
Reuben Bartlett
President, Fluxwerx Illumination
Reuben Bartlett is the President of Fluxwerx Illumination. Reuben joined Fluxwerx at startup in 2011, was appointed to General Manager in 2017, and then to President in 2019. Reuben has over 20 years of experience in leadership roles across various industries. He has spent the last 15 years in the lighting sector occupying senior roles that focus on business management and strategy, operations management, sales and marketing management, product development, and product management.
Reuben holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Memorial University and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.
Jeff Croskey
President, ALW
Jeff joined ALW in April 2019, as the CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Jeff was recruited by Prairie Capital from LSI Industries, Inc., a $450M+ publicly-traded commercial lighting and national retail display company headquartered in Ohio. As the President of LSI’s Graphics Division, Jeff initially led the strategy for digital and national branding solutions and was later appointed by the Board of Directors to the role of Chief Commercial Officer to lead LSI’s commercial operations for the Lighting, Graphics, and Technology segments under one office. Prior to joining LSI, Jeff was the Vice President and General Manager for Creative Sign Designs in Tampa, FL, where he helped the company achieve the Inc. 5000’s list for the fastest growing private companies for multiple years in a row. Jeff has held leadership and executive roles in operations, finance, and engineering for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, McNichols Company, Imagine International Inc., and Crestline Homes, He has also served in leadership roles on several industry and civic boards. Jeff has a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Wake Forest’s Babcock Graduate School of Management.
Ann Schiffers
President, Vode
Ann Schiffers joined Vode June 2023 as Chief Executive Officer, following LMPG's acquisition of Vode.
She has spent her career engaged in many facets of the lighting industry for over 30 years including working as a lighting designer at world class design firms such as Fisher Marantz Stone, HLB and CBB before starting her own firm Ann Schiffers Lighting Design. She has also been involved in lighting education serving as a lighting professor at Parsons, NYSID, SVA and as an IES board-member. Recently, her experience in lighting manufacturing while at USAI (SVP) and FLOS (CEO) have helped her to design and implement sustainable growth strategies that have had lasting impacts on the companies she has partnered with. Her aptitude for strategic focus with products, sales and marketing have enabled design-driven lighting companies to obtain consistent and rapid growth while reaching their highest potential.
Ann holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Design with a minor in Biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and a MFA from Parsons School of Design with thesis study on Architectural Downlighting with Edison Price and Philip Johnson archived at Yale University.
Andre Ohnona
President, Pa-Co Lighting
Andre Ohnona is the President of Pa-Co Lighting, having joined in 2018 as EVP before becoming President in 2022.
Prior to joining Pa-Co, Andre was a Principal at Staple Street Capital, a New York-based private equity firm. Earlier in his career, he worked as a management consultant with AlixPartners and a business analyst with Capital One Financial.
Andre holds an M.B.A from the Kellogg School of Management, a Masters in Engineering Management from Northwestern University and a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from McGill University where he graduated with Great Distinction.
John Geagan
President, Sternberg Lighting
John Geagan, President of Sternberg Lighting since 2024, brings a wealth of industry expertise from his previous leadership roles. Prior to joining Sternberg, John served as Vice President of Sales at ALW, where his strategic direction led to record-breaking sales in 2023. His career includes significant contributions to sales, marketing, and product development at top-tier companies such as Architectural Systems Inc., Louis Poulsen Lighting, Hess America, and Experience Brands. John's ability to foster key industry partnerships and his deep understanding of specifier needs are instrumental in driving Sternberg's growth initiatives. He holds an MBA from Boston University.
Patrick Robitaille
Vice President and General Manager, Lumca
Patrick Robitaille is the Vice President and General Manager of Lumca. With over 20 years of experience in the lighting industry, Patrick brings a wealth of technical knowledge, creativity, strategic business development, and leadership to this role.
Prior to this role, Patrick held several sales and marketing related positions at Luxtec, including Sales Representative, Sales Operation Director and General Manager. Luxtec, a subsidiary and representative agent of Lumenpulse which, under Patrick's management, became one of the most successful specification grade lighting agencies in Canada.