The year 1975 brings to mind a number of cultural, social and political trends. It was the year that featured leisure suits, 8-track tapes, disco, the premiere of “Saturday Night Live” on NBC, the end of the Vietnam War, a World Series championship for the Cincinnati Reds and the year when two Miami Beach electricians founded a trade show utility company. 

Lenny Swimmer, the CEO and co-founder of Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, and his good friend, Eddie Cimino, opened the company’s first office in Miami after gaining 20 years of trade show experience. “When we founded Edlen, I didn’t give 35 years in business any thought.  I certainly didn’t think we would become the largest independent trade show contractor in the country,” Lenny said of Edlen’s three-and-a-half decades in business.

Lenny was raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he dreamed of one day becoming an electrical engineer. Lenny left Brooklyn when he was 12 to move to Miami with his family, but returned to live with his uncle while attending the engineering preparatory high school, Brooklyn Tech. Though Lenny had hoped to attend city college after graduation, his father became ill and he returned to Miami to support his family.

A friend of his father’s from the Miami electrical union helped Lenny enter the electrical apprenticeship program. Give years later, he joined Miami Beach Electrical, where he met Eddie Cimino. Shortly afterward, the company was asked to provide power for trade shows, so Lenny and Eddie took charge of this exhibition component. Always eager to learn, Lenny continued his training, receiving his journeyman’s license and continuing to master the trade show electrical craft.

Twenty years after his start in the electrical industry, Lenny and Eddie decided to create their own trade show utility company and Edlen was born out of hard work, determination, commitment to service and the combination of their names.

Lenny and Eddie designed and built their own electrical equipment suited for event and exhibition work, and made service and safety their priorities. “When we first went into business, we didn’t know if we would get the first piece of business,” Lenny said with a smile. “If we wanted to stay in business, we knew we would have to do the best possible job and offer exceptional service. We wanted to make sure we stayed in business or we would have to go back to work for our competitor.”

Currently the nation’s largest independent temporary utility contractor, Edlen is celebrating 35 years in business. “We have the best employees in the world. They are family,” said Lenny of the Edlen team that works throughout the company’s 12 offices. 

Though Eddie only planned to work for a few years before retiring, he and Lenny built a solid reputation for their new company, even expanding to Orlando from their Miami base, and servicing the entire state from their two offices. Eddie retired after four years and he and Lenny remained very close friends until the time he passed away.

Although Edlen’s start was in Florida, Lenny’s hard work and the company’s solid reputation paid off when the company expanded to the West Coast, with the opening of its Las Vegas office in 1994. “We worked hard, working seven days a week and 10 to 12 hours a day on average,” Lenny reminisced. 

By early 1996, Edlen had opened offices in San Francisco, Anaheim and San Diego, California. Opportunities for expansion continued to come Edlen’s way with the opening of its offices in Boston in 1998; Reno, Nevada, San Antonio, Texas, and Seattle in 1999; St. Louis in 2000; and Baltimore in 2010.

Throughout Edlen’s success, Lenny has maintained a diligent work ethic, warm smile and even temperament. “I would never ask my team to do anything I wouldn’t do myself,” Lenny said of the people he considers family. 

When Lenny planned to retire, he offered a partnership to his son-in-law, Jim Wetterling.  “Bringing Jim aboard at Edlen was one of the best things I’ve done in my life. I love him like a son, not a son-in-law, but a son. He’s done an unbelievable job. I am so proud of him and he’s really brought Edlen in to the 21st century.” Lenny smiled with pride when he shared that he thought Jim was doing a better job of running Edlen than he had himself.

Family is very important to Lenny and 2010 marks not only Edlen’s 35th anniversary but also his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife, Bobbi, the love of his life. He and Bobbi have two children, Dawn and Jeffrey, both living nearby their Las Vegas home. 

Lenny’s face lit up when speaking of his grandchildren, Zachary, Zasha and Zara. The pride in his voice was unmistakable when he listed their accomplishments in school and in sports. “There’s no question how much you love your children, but with grandchildren there is so much more time to spend with them. They are a pleasure,” Lenny said smiling.  “It warms Bobbi’s and my heart to see Jim and Dawn’s love for their children and for each other.”

Though Lenny has retired, he serves as a constant resource for special projects and continues to pursue business ventures. When asked what advice he has for people just joining the industry, Lenny expressed his love for the fast-paced and challenging nature of the business. “The trade show industry is a fascinating industry. It is exciting and there are always new challenges. It is demanding but a fun business.”

Lenny’s hard work, electrical knowledge, hearty personality and innate kindness have made him a beloved figure in the halls of Edlen. “Lenny poured his heart and soul into Edlen,” said Jim Wetterling. “He passed on to me this passion for Edlen and the convention and trade show industry.  Most importantly, he established his business philosophy, which included providing exceptional service and safety, which continues to be the bedrock of Edlen today.”

Based in Las Vegas, Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services (www.edlen.com) is the leading independent temporary utility contractor for the trade show, convention and special event industry. National Sales Manager Julie Pazina can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .