Company Background

Ellis Yan’s journey to becoming a successful innovator, founder, president and CEO of the world’s leading energy efficient lighting manufacturer has been filled with obstacles that have challenged his determination and fortitude, but also fueled his entrepreneurial spirit.

At 20 years old, he came to America from China to study at Cleveland State University. His foray into lighting began in 1986, when he bought used equipment, exported it to China and began manufacturing halogen lighting products. In 1993, Technical Consumer Products, Inc. (TCP) was founded.

Ellis believed that TCP could create a better light source to rival the incandescent light bulb. In 1996, TCP was the first company to introduce the "Spring Lamp Inside", rather than a straight tube in a CFL, revolutionizing the residential lighting industry for the first time since Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb.

Under Ellis’ leadership, now controls 70 percent of the U.S. CFL market through a variety of name brand, private label and other lighting manufacturers.

Ellis has received numerous awards for his business leadership and contributions to energy efficient lighting. He was named to the Forbes 2008 list of Notable Chinese Americans, the 2002 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Science and Technology, a 2008 Cleveland State University Distinguished Alumni, a Master Innovator from Smart Business magazine, and received Cascade Capital Business Growth awards six of the last seven years.

Success in the U.S. inspired TCP to expand their operations into the European market since July 2009.