Kirlin Lighting Welcomes New President, Logan Gerhard, and Announces Leadership Team Expansion

Detroit, MI – The Kirlin Company, a leader in the engineering, design, and manufacturing of lighting solutions for healthcare and architectural applications, is excited to announce the promotion of Chris Brownell to CEO and to welcome Logan Gerhard as President. This pivotal moment in the company’s leadership evolution reflects the sustained success and growth led by Chairman and Owner Jana Kirlin Brownell, the fourth generation of the Kirlin family to operate the company. In partnership with her son, Chris Brownell, who joined Kirlin in 2019 as the fifth generation of continuous family management, the executive team is expanding to capitalize on Kirlin’s enduring legacy of delivering superior, sustainable, and human-centric lighting solutions.

As its new President, Logan brings to Kirlin an impressive background in the lighting industry spanning sales, marketing, manufacturing, operations, product development, and entrepreneurship. His deep understanding of the market, particularly within the architectural lighting sector, was honed during his tenure as President of LF Illumination and Delray Lighting, and as General Manager of the RSA Lighting brand at Cooper.

Expressing his excitement about the new role, Logan remarked, “I am thrilled to join Kirlin, a company with a rich legacy that is committed to the future of innovative lighting. I look forward to contributing to its growth and continued focus on solution development, setting new benchmarks for quality, sustainability, service, and excellence within the lighting industry.”

Jana Kirlin Brownell, Chairman of Kirlin, echoed this sentiment, stating, “I am very excited to add Logan to Kirlin’s talented and passionate team; his expertise will undoubtedly keep our company at the forefront of lighting innovation. His vision for Kirlin’s future aligns perfectly with our mission, to create innovative lighting solutions of unmatched quality, empowering lighting professionals to design spaces that go beyond illumination to enhance the human experience.”

Chris Brownell, who has served as Kirlin’s President since 2022, shared insights on the company’s direction, “At a time when much of our industry is facing consolidation, Kirlin stands out by strategically expanding and attracting great talent. Our commitment to remaining independent and family-owned enables us to stay nimble, supports product innovation, and ultimately allows us to serve the lighting industry in a way that only we can. Kirlin’s time-tested approach coupled with Logan’s leadership sets us on a path to further success and greater impact.”

The entire team at Kirlin welcomes Logan and invites members of the lighting industry to visit booth 918 in the Grand Ballroom at LEDucation this March, where the company will be showcasing its latest innovations.

About Kirlin: Founded in 1895, Kirlin is a testament to enduring family ownership and a commitment to American manufacturing excellence. As a certified woman-owned business led by Jana Kirlin Brownell, Kirlin not only champions quality and innovation at its Detroit, MI headquarters and factory, but also contributes to its local community as a federally-certified HUBZone business, creating jobs in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone.

Kirlin is recognized as a premier lighting manufacturer, addressing complex design challenges with groundbreaking solutions across diverse applications, including healthcare facilities, schools, theatrical settings, mass transit stations, natatoriums, public spaces, and laboratories. The company’s dedication to excellence has been acknowledged through numerous awards, including 2023’s “Coolest Thing Made in Michigan”, annual recognition in the IES Progress Report, numerous Architectural SSL Product Innovation Awards, and designation as one of the “Michigan 50 Companies to Watch” in 2023 by Michigan Celebrates Small Business.

For further details about Kirlin, please visit our website at www.kirlinlighting.com.