With over 67 years of experience in the industry, our independence combined with our entrepreneurial ways have been critical to our success with customers, clients and manufacturing partners.
We currently operate from two, fully resourced offices and Inspiration Centers in Edmonton and Calgary with over 40 highly trained and dedicated staff. Both of our training centers incorporate the latest in applied lighting techniques, technologies and innovative products. We also demonstrate the latest technologies in lighting controls showcased throughout our facilities and within our interactive, dedicated lighting controls training lab.
Since 1956 Richard McDonald and Associates Ltd. (RMA) has been servicing the lighting and lighting control needs of Alberta as professional independent sales representatives. Over our many years in business, we have been privileged to represent many of the finest manufacturers in North America and from around the world.
Dick McDonald, the company founder, started the business based out of the family home and originally covered Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba until the mid-1960’s when his territory narrowed to Alberta and North West Territories.
Following Dick’s retirement in 1988, Richard (Rich) McDonald became President with a passionate mandate to grow the business to support a rapidly growing product offering.
Wow Lighting Inc. was formed in the mid 1990’s as a division of RMA to specifically service the detailed specification support needs of the Architectural and Interior Design communities. Today these efforts are further supported by dedicated training studios in both Edmonton and Calgary to support the needs of this segment of the local lighting industry.
During the early 2000’s the leadership team of both RMA and Wow Lighting were successfully transitioned to Michael Begert (President) and Dan Parker (Vice President). Since this time the agency has grown to be market leaders in both the specification and distribution channels.
In 2013 we celebrated the expansion of our ownership group to include our ‘Next Generations’ partners Ryan Dixon and Lance Warner. The addition of these individuals is a testament to our succession plans and commitment to the long term future of the company.
2016 was a bittersweet year for RMA. We celebrated both our 60th year in business and we also said farewell to Richard McDonald in his retirement.
In 2018 we harmonized two strong brands into one and created WOW Lighting and Controls. In the fall of 2018 in Edmonton & the spring of 2019 in Calgary, we opened two modern expansive facilities that operate as our offices, industry education centers and specifier showrooms.
In 2021, Richard McDonald & Associates Ltd. was officially changed and is solely operating as Wow Lighting & Controls Inc.
2022 marked another milestone with Michael Begert & Daniel Parker retiring in October, and the agency welcomed Jonathan Barber and Carson Keen to the partnership group.