Our Story

Certified Company ISO 9001-2008

Our Story

Allied Group Sales is an electrical and lighting manufacturer’s representative sales agency serving the Southwest for more than 25 years. Currently Allied Group Sales (AGS) employs 36 associates, led by its three Principal Partners, Tim Klei, Michael Knoblock and Nick Hobbs. With their corporate office and warehouse located in Phoenix Arizona, AGS also has a sales office in Albuquerque and resident sales offices in New Mexico and Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Allied Group Sales team is united by a passion for excellence, as defined by the AGS Vision, Mission, Core Values and Key Principles.

AGS started in business on July 1, 1997 with 9 employees when founders Don Kaminski and Dave Mehrer purchased Allied Geis Agency and renamed the company Allied Group Sales, Inc. In February 2006, Mick Upchurch purchased 50% of AGS stock from Dave and became Don’s partner for the next 10 years.

Current President & CEO, Tim Klei, has been with AGS since August 31, 2015. He initially served as the Vice President of Sales, until becoming the sole owner on March 1, 2016. Tim leads the overall business and focuses sales time on distribution and contractors in Phoenix, Albuquerque and El Paso. Tim’s ownership structure strategy included eventually bringing on partners to help drive growth and realize the agencies full potential.

On January 1, 2017, Tim brought on partner Michael Knoblock, VP Sales Lighting & Controls, to build and lead the lighting side of the business. AGS’s plan to grow the lighting business included adding numerous lighting lines as well as a number of talented people which Michael accomplished throughout 2017. The year culminated with an agreement to acquire another local lighting agency. On January 1, 2018 Allied Group Sales acquired Total Lighting & Control, bringing 7 new employees and many top lighting manufacturers to AGS, immediately more than doubling the size of the agency's lighting business. Michael leads the lighting & controls business and focuses most of his sales time with distributors and contractors in Arizona.

On January 1, 2020, Tim brought on Nick Hobbs partner and VP Sales Legrand. While leading our Legrand inside sales team and working closely with each of the factories for all six Legrand EWS brands, Nick works with each of our outside salespersons and our Legrand customers daily in every territory to drive sales growth and mutual success. The primary focus of all team members at AGS is to provide our manufacturers with the most aggressive and professional sales & marketing channel in the Southwest, while providing our local electrical distributors, contractors, and specifiers a value based, trustworthy and local partnership with the industry’s premier electrical and lighting manufacturers.
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Historical Timeline

Looking Back: A Celebration of Growth and Community Support With Our Customers and Manufacturers Over the Past 25+ Years
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1997

July - Allied Group Sales is Established

Founder, Don Kaminski, and his partner, Dave Mehrer, purchases the Allied Geis Agency and renames the company to Allied Group Sales, Inc.
2002

October - Albuquerque Office

AGS opens resident sales office in Albuquerque
2006

February - Mick Upchurch Joins Leadership

Mick Upchurch purchases 50% of AGS, buying out Dave Mehrer.
2006

May - Las Vegas Office

AGS opens resident sales office in Las Vegas.
2015

August - New Owner, Tim Klei, Purchases AGS

Tim Klei joins AGS as VP Sales and purchases the company from Don Kaminski and Mick Upchurch on March 1, 2016.
2017

January - Michael Knoblock Joins Leadership

Michael Knoblock, Partner and VP Sales Lighting & Controls, joins AGS.
2018

January - AGS Aquires Lighting Division

AGS acquires Total Lighting and Control, which becomes its full line lighting division, called TLC, a division of Allied Group Sales.
2019

January - Full Rebranding Unifying All Divisions

AGS rebrands all business lines under the Allied Group Sales name: the electrical division, the lighting & controls division and the Beyond Business initiative was born.
2019

January - Nick Hobbs Joins Leadership

Nick Hobbs, Partner and VP Sales Legrand, joins AGS.
2020

February - New Training Center

Allied Group Sales completes office renovation and addition of Training Center.
2022

May - New Sales Office in Albuquerque

AGS opens a sales office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2022

July - Celebrating 25th Anniversary

AGS turns 25 and celebrates all year, culminating with an open house celebration in December for employees and their families, customers, manufacturers and all of our local professional service partners that help AGS operate successfully.