Becky Li of WAC Group Talks Leadership + the Launch of a Custom Program at High Point Market

The lighting showroom community might not have been aware of Becky Li before she was named President of WAC Group just over one year ago in May 2024, but she began her career with WAC 30 years ago as an accountant. Early on, her propensity for being a fast-learner with a keen interest in all facets of business led to a rapid expansion of her duties. “Soon, I was handling day-to-day customer accounts and eventually leading the entire finance department,” Li said, adding, “Over time, my role had expanded to include IT infrastructure, which included ERP system implementation and global procurement strategy.”

She voluntarily took on a formal consulting certification course and became a licensed consultant through the revered and rigorous SAP ERP program. “I became involved with products and corporate sales strategies, which gave me a holistic view of the business. I also joined an extended marketing course at MIT – which was literally one month or more of work to understand omnichannel marketing strategy,” she said. Li took the course of her own initiative, which meant studying after work from roughly 7p.m. until sometimes 3a.m. by her calculation.

She explained that in the “old days” of traditional marketing, the focus was all about learning the “four Ps” (Product, Price, Place, Promotion). In today’s world of omnichannel marketing and social media platforms, she noted that the emphasis is now on three areas: People, Process, and Personalization. The MIT course was not about rudimentary marketing practices or how to use social media platforms, but instead drilled down into complex strategies and how to analyze data. 

Taking the Reins

Li credits the leadership of WAC co-founders Tony and Tai Wang and the guidance of the late long-time vice president Leonard Schwartz with shaping her work ethic and providing her with enthusiastic support for furthering her career at the company.   

After Tony and Tai Wang retired, and subsequently their son-in-law Dirk and daughter Shelley Wald retired in 2024, Li was approached by the family to take on the role of president.

It was not a proposal that she took lightly, “It’s a lot of responsibility,” Li said. “How do you manage this many people, how do you maintain sustainable growth, and what is the strategy and vision for the company,” she recalled. The answer turned out to be keeping strong lines of communication open at all times.

“I think there are still a lot of opportunities in business. I’ve been [in the industry] for 30 years, for example, and when you look at product innovation, technology is always changing,” Li commented. “So the challenge becomes how can we improve our efficiency and how does education play a part? We know how lighting is changing, but that doesn’t mean the general consumer knows.  Since Covid, we’ve seen the transformation of residential lighting with education and design becoming very important.”

In the first full year since Li was named president, WAC Group’s focus has been on developing educational webinars to inspire new ways of thinking across various types of products and to share that knowledge of evolving lighting technology and research.

“In my mind, one of the most meaningful is our partnership with the Light & Health Research Center at Mount Sinai and exploring how lighting can help human health and boost productivity,” she said. “These are the topics that, as we advance with technology, we are making sure that we educate the designers as well as the general public on how lighting can impact someone’s overall health and wellbeing.” To view the first in the WAC series of webinars with the Light & Health Research Center, click here

The fourth webinar in the series, Providing Home Lighting That Supports Your Clients’ Health and Well-Being, will be held on October 2. Register for free here

 What’s New for High Point

The Schonbek line has been shown at High Point Market for several years at Suites at Market Square; however, this past spring market, the company relocated to a larger space in the IHFC building and introduced Modern Forms ceiling fans as well as some of its lighting fixtures alongside the Schonbek line.

Li said the company “will continue to expand our focus on designers with a bespoke Schonbek line that has a modern tweak. For High Point, I’m planning to promote our ability to customize.”

As a domestic lighting manufacturer with a full-line factory in Upstate New York, Schonbek has manufactured custom designs for high-end residential as well as hospitality projects for many years. While the architectural design community has been aware of the company’s capability, Li believes that lighting showrooms and other design professionals might not be as familiar. To that end, WAC Group has put together a portfolio specifically centered on its custom program within Schonbek. The portfolio, which will be available at High Point Market, details the expanded custom program that includes everything from modifications in size and crystal types to crafting fixtures from scratch based on a designer’s drawing.

Eventually, the WAC Group showroom in High Point will incorporate more WAC Lighting products as well as the relatively new WAC Home line. “WAC Home was a smash hit when it debuted in Dallas,” said Li, adding, “Everybody loved it!”

For those new to the WAC Home concept, it is a full home automation control system that operates on BLE mesh. “It has a gateway system that bolsters connectivity from a reliability standpoint,” Li explained. “The initial launch in January 2025 focused on the functional products in the line, but look for new offerings in January 2026 at Lightovation in Dallas.”

Lessons in Leadership

As a female leader in a tech company, Li was asked to provide advice to females who would like to reach a similar position.  “I think having confidence is a necessity to ensure that ideas are being heard and innovation still moves forward,” she answered. “[For me] my confidence comes with 30 years of experience across lighting operations — from product, finance, IT, sales, marketing. I feel that I bring a very unique perspective, which is the ability to approach decisions with an analytical rigor and a creative vision. That has allowed me to lead with adaptability, empathy and resilience while working alongside technical talent on my team to drive growth and transformation. My advice is to believe in yourself that you can make a difference and have that confidence.”