Making History

• • 1923:

  • Breaking Ground

    Colleagues (M.B.) Turtle and William (Bill) Hughes join forces to open Turtle & Hughes in Lower Manhattan; an electrical equipment distributor to local businesses.

• • 1933:

  • Surviving the Great Depression

    The business flourishes despite the Great Depression and a second location opens in Elizabeth, NJ.

• • 1942:

  • Trailblazing

    Following the death of Bill Hughes in 1935, M.B. Turtle leads the company until 1942. His widow, Ethel Macnamara Turtle, manages the growth for 22 years; the first of three generations of women leaders.

• • 1968:

  • Family Ties

    The granddaughter of company founder, Suzanne (Sue) Turtle Millard, and her husband Frank, take the helm and lead the company to unprecedented growth for over four decades.

• • 1976:

  • A New Era

    Supported by a bright new sales team, the headquarters relocates to a larger facility in Linden, NJ, where it remains today.

• • 1978:

  • Branch Expansion

    A new branch office opens in Houston, TX, marking the first of many located outside of New York and New Jersey.

• • 1993:

  • Leadership and Diversification

    Turtle & Hughes attains a top 25 U.S. electrical wholesaler ranking. Connecticut-based Silliter/Klebes is acquired, paving the way for the creation of Turtle & Hughes Integrated Supply (THIS).

• • 2010:

  • Passing the Torch

    Jayne Millard, daughter of Frank and Sue Millard, assumes leadership securing the company's 24-year status as a certified member of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

• • 2014:

  • Guiding Principles

    A list of Core Values guides a growing workforce in diverse locations. It defines our culture and who we are as people and as a company.

• • 2018:

  • Celebrating 95 Years

    Growing to over 900 employee-owners in locations across the U.S. and in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, we are inspired by our past but continuously look to the future for ways to create value for our customers.