Blog

on Mar 23, 2014 in Blog

When we all recently changed our clocks, there was the familiar message: “Don’t forget to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, too!” And while this message is a good one, it’s not the whole story. “Research shows that these alarms have a limited lifespan,” says Jim Pender, president of Rockingham Electric. “So it’s not enough to just change...

A Thank You to Memorial Bridge Supporters

on Feb 21, 2014 in Blog

San Francisco has the Golden Gate. New York has the Brooklyn. And Portsmouth and Kittery have the Memorial Bridge. It’s amazing how intertwined and significant a bridge becomes in its community—representing the connections people make, ensuring continued economic progress, establishing a landmark. So when the Memorial Bridge faced a crossroads in 2011, the...

Bringing LED Technology to the Open Sky

on Feb 11, 2014 in Blog

There’s been a lot of talk and use of LEDs in small spaces (such as individual lamps and in kitchens), and we’ve seen the examples of LEDs in their colorful grandness (such as in light shows and on structures). But we’re also seeing LED technology extend to wide, open spaces (such as parking lots and stadiums) with the introduction of a 400W metal halide equivalent...

Bringing the Lights Up: The Lighting Center Is a Key Partner in Developing a New Chandelier for Portsmouth’s Music Hall

on Dec 2, 2013 in Blog

For 65 years, there was something missing at The Music Hall. The curtain rose on the shows, of course. Talent lit up the stage. Audiences rose in appreciation of fine, local art. But something, something, wasn’t quite right. Portsmouth’s legendary artistic venue needed that last detail to complete the space, the feeling, the history—the experience. Gail VanHoy...

on Nov 13, 2013 in Blog

To think about how much the simple act of shopping has chanced since Jim Pender Sr. launched Rockingham Electric in 1951 … it’s mind-boggling. The rise of information technology has revolutionized how we all make buying choices. “Just like no one goes to buy a car without having looked at dozens of options online, we know our customers are doing their research ahead...

Bringing Local Art into Our Showroom—And Your Home

on Oct 23, 2013 in Blog

One of the perks of a local family-run business is the ability to make product decisions with a simple conversation or voice vote. So when Dan Pender, Rockingham Electric Vice President and General Manager of Retail Lighting, saw glass artist Hope Murphy at a craft show two years ago, he also saw a great opportunity to diversify Rockingham Electric’s showroom with...