Lighting Industry Connection Emerges in Illinois Governor’s Race
The lighting industry has a way of making the world feel smaller.
That reality became apparent recently when two longtime lighting professionals discovered an unexpected connection through the Illinois governor’s race.
John Daly, CEO of Myers Emergency & Power Systems and a familiar face throughout the lighting industry, attended a launch event for a new independent ticket seeking a place on the Illinois ballot. Also in attendance was Boyd Corbett, a longtime lighting industry veteran and former IES Board Member.
Neither man expected the surprise they were about to discover.
A Political Connection Through Lighting
The independent ticket features Collin Corbett for Governor and Carolyn Schofield for Lieutenant Governor.
Collin is the son of Boyd Corbett. Carolyn is the sister of John Daly.
“We had no idea we were both connected to the campaign,” Daly told your humble editor. “Boyd and I have crossed paths many times through the lighting industry, and neither of us realized our families were now connected through the same political ticket.”
For two men who have spent years working in lighting, it was a reminder of just how interconnected the industry can be.
Illinois Governor’s Race Brings Families Together
The campaign is part of a broader effort to establish a centrist independent movement in Illinois. The organization hopes to offer voters an alternative to the traditional two-party system and promote what it describes as common-sense solutions focused on economic growth and government reform.
Politics aside, the connection caught both lighting veterans off guard.
Boyd and Daly had known each other professionally for years. They attended the same industry events, crossed paths through business relationships, and shared many of the same contacts. Yet neither realized their families would one day appear together on a statewide political ticket.
That discovery became one of the more memorable moments of the campaign launch event.
The Lighting Industry’s Small-World Effect
Many industries revolve around transactions. Lighting has always revolved around relationships.
Professionals meet at trade shows, association conferences, factory visits, and networking events. Those relationships often last decades. Along the way, people discover unexpected personal connections that extend far beyond the workplace.
This time, that connection reached all the way into the Illinois governor’s race.
Whether the independent ticket ultimately succeeds or not, the story serves as another reminder that our lighting community remains remarkably connected.
No matter where careers lead—or where the next generation chooses to make its mark—the lighting industry often finds itself linked in surprising ways.