Terry McGowan Retires from ALA, Mary Beth Gotti Takes Over the Role

After 60 years in the lighting industry overall, Terry McGowan, FIES, LC, is retiring as director of engineering for the American Lighting Association (ALA), a position he has held for the past 20 years. March 31 will be McGowan’s last day in that role. As of April 1, lighting veteran Mary Beth Gotti, LC, will step into the director of engineering position for what is expected to be a seamless transition.

McGowan and Gotti share numerous similarities. Not only do both live in Ohio, but each has spent decades at GE — McGowan for 30 years and Gotti for nearly 40. Both have separately served at the helm of GE’s renowned Lighting & Electrical Institute for more than one decade each, and both established their own lighting consulting businesses after retiring from GE.     

McGowan and Gotti are also active members in the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and will continue to share their expertise through their involvement with several lighting organizations. McGowan currently sits on six UL committees as well as several with IES.  Gotti served on the IES board of directors for five years, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Lighting Bureau (NLB) and is the current chair of NLB’s board of directors.  Gotti has also worked alongside ALA interim president Laurie Gross of Gross Electric on various projects in Ohio.

Although he is retiring from his day-to-day role at the ALA, McGowan will remain involved with the industry.