Founder + President
Jeff Jensen
Jeff Jensen has dedicated his career to building American Wholesale Lighting (AWL) into one of the nation’s most trusted lighting solutions companies. As founder and president, Jeff combines decades of experience with a relentless focus on client service, guiding AWL from its beginnings in 1985 to its role today as a full-service partner for national brands, municipalities, and industrial clients.
Jeff’s journey began alongside his father, Ken Jensen, a Navy veteran and seasoned lighting professional who entered the industry in 1948. After joining the family business in 1984, Jeff helped launch AWL with a bold idea: to give retailers a simpler and smarter way to source lighting directly from manufacturers. In its very first year, Jeff successfully established AWL’s first national account relationship, a relationship that continues to this day, nearly four decades later.
Under Jeff’s leadership, AWL expanded rapidly through the late 1980s and 1990s, earning the trust of national retail accounts and large commercial clients. The company was an early adopter of energy-efficient technologies, securing its C-10 electrical contracting license and establishing itself as a sustainability-minded partner before it became mainstream.
Over the years, Jeff has steered AWL through growth, change, and industry transformation. He introduced new services like design, project management, and retrofitting, and he fostered a culture where resilience and problem-solving drive success. “At the end of the day, our success has always come from doing right by the customer,” Jeff says. “That principle guided my father, it guided me, and I know it will guide AWL’s future.”
Today, Jeff is proud to see the next generation of Jensens shaping AWL’s future, with his three children leading across energy, new construction, and design services. While deeply rooted in family and tradition, Jeff remains forward-looking. He anticipates the rise of OLED, advanced smart controls, and bio-responsive lighting systems, ensuring AWL continues to innovate and deliver what’s best for clients.
Jeff Jensen has dedicated his career to building American Wholesale Lighting (AWL) into one of the nation’s most trusted lighting solutions companies. As founder and president, Jeff combines decades of experience with a relentless focus on client service, guiding AWL from its beginnings in 1985 to its role today as a full-service partner for national brands, municipalities, and industrial clients.
Jeff’s journey began alongside his father, Ken Jensen, a Navy veteran and seasoned lighting professional who entered the industry in 1948. After joining the family business in 1984, Jeff helped launch AWL with a bold idea: to give retailers a simpler and smarter way to source lighting directly from manufacturers. In its very first year, Jeff successfully established AWL’s first national account relationship, a relationship that continues to this day, nearly four decades later.
Under Jeff’s leadership, AWL expanded rapidly through the late 1980s and 1990s, earning the trust of national retail accounts and large commercial clients. The company was an early adopter of energy-efficient technologies, securing its C-10 electrical contracting license and establishing itself as a sustainability-minded partner before it became mainstream.
Over the years, Jeff has steered AWL through growth, change, and industry transformation. He introduced new services like design, project management, and retrofitting, and he fostered a culture where resilience and problem-solving drive success. “At the end of the day, our success has always come from doing right by the customer,” Jeff says. “That principle guided my father, it guided me, and I know it will guide AWL’s future.”
Today, Jeff is proud to see the next generation of Jensens shaping AWL’s future, with his three children leading across energy, new construction, and design services. While deeply rooted in family and tradition, Jeff remains forward-looking. He anticipates the rise of OLED, advanced smart controls, and bio-responsive lighting systems, ensuring AWL continues to innovate and deliver what’s best for clients.
off the clock