Meet Our Member

The IESNYC spotlights a member each month whose volunteerism, perspective or personal story helps advance our goals, piques our curiosity, and makes the IESNYC become a more vibrant and diverse lighting community. We value their expertise and thank them for volunteering their time and energy for the betterment of the section and NYC Lighting Community. #the_iesnycmom

December 2025

Jesse Frias
Business Development Manager
illuminico

Q: How did you first get started in the lighting industry?
I answered an ad in the New York Times. I showed up at ELA to interview as a receptionist, but Tom Sica thought I’d do well in customer service. Originally, it was a short-term job for a college student needing cash. But I started to get to know more people, and they got to know me… and the money improved, as well.

Word about me got around, and I gained experience at three large rep agencies, a supply house, a designer, a manufacturer, and two distributors. I’ve landed at Illuminico, and though I was an excellent project manager, business development suits me well.

Our lighting community is an interesting social scene. It’s like being in high school but over 40, so no teen angst. I started in lighting the nineties when it was still male-dominated and quite chauvinistic. Even though it feels like there’s more women in leadership now, the playing field is still uneven.

It took a while for me to really “join” the industry. But now I love it because of my colleagues and the community. I most enjoy collaborating with design teams and learning more each day.

Q: How did you first get involved in the IESNYC?
The office started getting the IESNYC newsletter. (I guess it was in print back then.) Then I started attending the Lumens annually and meeting more people outside my immediate client circle. I love that the IESNYC draws in manufacturers and designers from outside the Metro Area.

I started volunteering even before I became a member. Megan Carroll and Shoshanna Segal have wooed me, thinking the Section could use my distributor’s perspective. We are one of the legs of the stool that forms our ecosystem, and we could definitely use more collaboration. 

Q: How do you see your role as a member of the IESNYC?
I think the very first time I dipped my toe in the volunteering pond was at last year’s IES Conference here. I participated as a panelist, representing distribution. It was a super-fun, interactive experience.

Zachary Pearson nominated me to serve on the Board, and I appreciate his vision for embracing change. I consider myself a bit of a disruptor, with some creative and innovative ideas for engaging our membership.

There's so much our industry can offer beyond sitting still while people talk at you. Many, many professionals don’t understand the industry process from conception to completion. So there’s a lot of engaging to do. The NextGen and Guiding Lights Circle mentorship programs are already heading in that direction.

Q: In your opinion, what are the best assets of the IESNYC?
In addition to our deep history and talent, the IESNYC has a younger generation coming up. Yes, they are interested in history, but they are mostly staring down a rapidly changing marketplace. If established professionals embrace change, these young people will shape our Section’s future. They can keep us evolving as a necessary tool for the industry.

As my daughter enters young adulthood, I see young people with strong opinions and new ways of connecting. They push us toward deep listening and being OK with differences of opinion. Compromise is possible, and we want them to feel welcome.