CSI Utility Sales, Inc.’s corporate office is in Lansing, Michigan. We are centrally located to the largest accounts in our Michigan territory. Further, we have an account manager based in Indianapolis covering Indiana. Founded in 1988, we are celebrating our 36th year as manufacturer’s representative. Presented here are some quick facts about our agency.

• • We are a privately held, debt-free firm, employing three outside sales representatives calling on the electric utility industry in the Midwest. We also have four office personnel managing the day-to-day operations of the business.
  • We manage all accounts, contacts, opportunities, products, quotes, orders, invoices, and case resolutions utilizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM business class software.
  • We leverage ClickDimensions within our Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution facilitating online marketing and sales. It includes tracking tokens which alert us when customers interact with our website, surveys, and email correspondence. Our investment in ClickDimensions helps us target customers that are expressing interest in the products and services we represent.
  • We utilize Salesforce, as part of our representation of Siemens, to manage and track opportunities and process inquiries into purchase orders.
  • We represent several prominent manufacturers in the utility industry. Many of our principals have retained us as their exclusive representative for more than two decades.
  • We regularly coordinate and host technical workshops and lunch & learns, in conjunction with our principals, promoting new products and educating our customers with developments from the industry.
  • We are active members within the Michigan Municipal Electrical Association (MMEA), the Indiana Municipal Electrical Association (IMEA), the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA), Indiana Electric Cooperative Association, and the Great Lakes Electric Meter School (GLEMS) to mention a few.

On January 15, 1981, Cory and Nancy Somes formed Central Michigan Lighting with the fundamental theme of representing lighting manufacturers in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, and its surrounding communities. This initial focal point evolved with the addition of Anderson Electrical Products and other utility manufacturers. As a result, on February 1, 1988, the corporation was renamed to C.L. Somes Company, Inc. as a tangible measure of its new focus to represent the utility marketplace. Since that time our company has evolved into a full-line electric utility representative selling products and services throughout our assigned accounts and territories.

In 1994, the company added Gary Miserlian as a fifty percent owner and partner of the organization. Accordingly, the agency truncated its name to the acronym CSI to acknowledge the new partnership between Cory Somes and Gary Miserlian. With sales continuing to grow, CSI added Brian Miserlian in January 1999 as an additional outside sales representative and potential owner.

In response to the evolving utility demographics, CSI began the groundwork to transition the business to the next generation. In September 2002, Jeff Battley came on board as a prospective owner of the company. On January 2, 2004, Cory Somes and Gary Miserlian stepped down as owners of CSI by officially transferring ownership to Brian Miserlian and Jeff Battley. Also, at that time, we reaffirmed our commitment to the utility industry by renaming our agency to CSI Utility Sales, Inc.

During Jeff and Brian’s seven-year partnership, the organization grew sales and market share while prospering during the longest recession in our nation’s history. In December 2010, Jeff Battley purchased sole ownership of CSI with the buyout of Brian Miserlian’s interest in the company. Under Jeff’s leadership, the agency continues to thrive as an elite manufacturer’s representative serving the electric power industry with a strong balance sheet and continuous sales growth.

At CSI Utility Sales, we strive to represent manufacturers who embody a dedication to manufacturing exemplary products and services centered on improving the reliability of the electric utility infrastructure. To that end, we view our role as complementary to our principals’ vision by devoting ourselves to these guiding principles:

• • Always treating customers with unwavering respect by providing them with prompt and courteous responses, accurate information, and timely follow-ups.
  • Always increasing our knowledge and familiarity with our manufacturer’s products and services through factory visits, educational seminars, and in-service training sessions.
  • Always portraying ourselves with professionalism by emulating sound ethical principles, a positive demeanor, and clean appearance.
  • Always playing an active role with local affiliations including Indiana Electric Cooperative (IEC) Operations & Engineering Conference, Great Lakes Electric Metering School (GLEMS), Michigan Electric Cooperative Operations Association (MECOA), Michigan Municipal Electric Association (MMEA), etc.
  • Always remaining mindful of our safety and the safety of others while visiting customer job sites, touring manufacturer’s facilities, and transporting people in our vehicles.