It’s a busy Thursday morning in Graybar Canada’s Atlantic Automation department headquartered in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

An Arc Flash course is just getting started in the training room while the sales team respond to customer emails and phone calls. In the glass corner office, appropriately labelled “the fishbowl”, Automation Manager, Cory Morris is gearing up to be interviewed by Graybar Canada’s marketing group. He’s been recognized by tED Magazine as one of the rising stars of the electrical industry.

When Cory first started with Graybar Canada 11 and a half years ago, he didn’t know where his path was going to take him. “I started off in the marketing department as a co-op student,” he says. “After several years, I had the opportunity to take the Manager in Development program where I cycled through everything from warehouse to counter to corporate finance and everything in between— all within three years.” Cory then moved on to the automation group where he became a Services Specialist before earning his stripes as Automation Manager.

When asked what tED Magazine’s “30 Under 35” Award means to him, Cory believes it’s all about investing in today’s youth. “Our industry needs more talented young people. I think a lot of graduates coming out of school don’t see the electrical industry as a viable option because they don’t know much about it. The award is important to me because it sheds light on the industry and the young people within it.

Cory recognizes his journey to success wasn’t a solo one. The 32-year-old had many people help him get to where he is today. “I’ve had a lot of mentors throughout my career,” he says. “Not only have they provided me with training and best practices, but they’ve also given me a line of sight to see where I could go within the company.”

Cory also owes a great deal of his achievements to the diverse backgrounds and skill sets of his co-workers. “I have dedicated and passionate team members who are vital to our success,” he comments. “In our division, we have people under the age of 25 and people with more than 25 years of experience. The variety of perspectives blend well together to offer the right solution to our customers.”

“I’m incredibly proud of our automation team,” says Cory. “Without them, I wouldn’t be nominated for this award today. I think it’s important to share these types of achievements because I consider Graybar Canada as a sort of extended family; and when someone within the family does something exciting, I think you should celebrate that.”

As for his future, Cory’s looking forward to building his career and giving back what he’s learned along the way. “In 20 years, I hope I’m still working with my friends here at Graybar Canada. I really want to grow with the company and hold a position where I can effect change. I think the next 100 years are going to be the best as we embrace technology, become more inclusive and invest in the next generation of youth.”