Prudential Lighting

This year, we’re celebrating a milestone—70 years of lighting design, engineering, and evolution. From our earliest strip lights to today’s advanced architectural systems, our fixtures have not only stood the test of time—they’ve helped define it. We’re proud to reflect on the products that shaped our journey and continue to illuminate some of the most iconic spaces across the country. PT8-2T8 Strip Light A classic workhorse, the PT8 lit spaces reliably for over 50 years—retiring only in 2012. Proof that…

Gwen Grossman’s passion for lighting design was sparked at a young age, when she first encountered the transformative power of theatrical lighting. This early fascination laid the foundation for a dynamic career—one that took her through top-tier universities specializing in theatrical design, up the ranks of the industry, and ultimately to founding her own firm, Gwen Grossman Lighting Design, based in Chicago. Gwen leads a talented and collaborative team, guiding a wide range of projects with creativity and precision. Her…

Co-founder and Principal of Oculus Light Studio, Scott Hatton enjoys the lighting design process for the value it brings to each space. With over 20 years of experience, he has developed many award-winning projects by working in close collaboration with architects, interior designers and owners to create unique visual environments. Scott upholds the philosophy that even though lighting is a small portion of a project, overall it provides the most significant impact. He is also dedicated to mentoring the next…

Patrick Mihalik is an Architectural Lighting Designer who enhances spaces through light. He helps manage projects, set client expectations, and applies his industry knowledge to bring designs to life. He loves the flexibility of his firm and the diversity of its projects. Patrick believes in being honest and managing expectations—while always finding ways to support and elevate the architect’s vision. How did you get into lighting design? What drew you to it, and what was your path to where you…

Cliché, but so true. With our CEO Jeff Ellis well-regarded as a man of his word, we’re known for above-board dealings and handshake deals that reflect our people-first approach to business. We typically pay out agent commissions even before we get paid from the contractor/distributor – which is not how that all goes down across the industry as a whole. We’ve built our long-term agent relationships on a rock-solid foundation of trust. We deeply respect their loyalty to us, and…

Joe Holguin joined Prudential Lighting in 1955, with the distinction of being the 2nd employee in our founding year. He led our CL (Custom) fixture department for not just years, but multiple decades. His sons, Mike and Steve, came to work with us as well, in a roundabout way. Ironically, they were employed at a nearby competitor in the 80s, where (even more ironically) Jeff Ellis – yep, our Jeff Ellis – was working. Rumor has it he needed a…

Wave2Pro takes the beloved Wave2 fixture to the next level, delivering more power, precision, and control than ever before. Designed for versatility and high performance, this elevated classic offers significantly higher lumen packages, maximizing both efficiency and output. Key Enhancements: Independent Up & Down Light Control—Fine-tune illumination levels with dual circuiting, allowing separate dimming of uplight and downlight. Ideal for classrooms and multimedia spaces. Customizable Light Distribution—Four new indirect distribution options (Hard, Medium, Soft, and Soft Asymmetric Ceiling Wash) let…

Stories from Jaime Ditterline, Systems Manager Favorite moments: Some of my best Prudential memories are from those late, late nights doing inventory. The longer we’re there, the more delirious we all get. One year, we had a small crew working into the wee hours. A few of us went to walk the factory to make sure the lights were off and exits locked up. As we walked, we started hearing voices we didn’t recognize. It stopped us cold. We all…

We sat down with 2 generations of Ellis family members. Here’s what they had to say on turning 70. The Ellis family generally steers clear of the spotlight. They don’t really like talking about themselves – don’t want the attention on them. They much prefer to focus on the trajectory of the business, and all the people who are working so hard to see the company thrive, positioning Prudential well for the next 70+ years. And in recent interviews, they…

Check out our brand evolution over the past 70 years, from simple starter-mark to snazzy dimensional P with lighting and shadows. You can see how each logo is influenced by the trends of that particular era as a statement of cultural relevance. Here’s a recap of where we’ve been and some of the thinking behind each mark. 1955 – Minimalist lines Our introductory logo had an Etch-a-Sketch vibe, even though the mark was created four years before the toy was…