Henry immediately returned to Lincoln, where he enrolled at the University of Nebraska in Pre-med. After being away from upper-level mathematics for too long, Henry had to drop out of school as the science and physics courses proved too much. At this time he found his father’s old Model T in the back yard up on blocks. Fixing it up himself, he had his first automobile! During 1939 he also worked for the Lincoln Journal, Rock Island Railroad, and at Lincoln Hatchery, at that time the world’s largest hatchery.

In late 1939, when Henry was up in Minneapolis visiting his friends and former church, Don Carlson, a Christian businessman, "took a shining" to Henry, and asked Henry "just how much money he had saved up." Henry told him "$25!" Don Carlson said, "Meet me tomorrow, bring that $25, and we’ll go make some more money." Here’s how they did it.

Don Carlson and Henry Voss went to downtown Minneapolis, on Hennepin Avenue, into a big department store, taking with them several samples of specialty light bulbs to show. Back in those days, the window displays were the big thing, as each store competed with each other to have "the biggest and brightest" windows. So Don Carlson took Henry Voss to call on the display manager, asking him about the brightness of his windows – and mentioning the "heat factor," as all the 300 watt bulbs (300M PS30’s) were "hot."

Don brought out a reflector lamp – a 150 BR40 – which was manufactured back then by Clarence Birdseye ("Birdseye" frozen foods), because G.E. would not manufacture it. Don screwed the "better, brighter bulb" in. Due "to the new manufacturing process with it’s expensive silvered-bowl reflector," more light was reflected downwards, and the heat was much less. Mr. Carlson also showed off his 25T10/RFL, which was a standard 25 watt tubular bulb, with the addition of an internal reflector, to be used in showcases. The display manager asked, "How many reflector bulbs are in a case?" Henry Voss said, "24!" The display manager said, "I’ll take them all! How much?" Don said, "50 dollars."

That was Henry Voss’s first sale! Leaving the store Don said, "give me your $25 Henry." Henry thought that he had "doubled his money, or made 100 percent profit!" Mr. Carlson then asked, "Henry, can you do that for a living?" "Yes sir!" And Henry did! Later, when people asked Henry what his occupation was, he said, "a Christian light bulb salesman."

Picture of Henry Voss (center), Don Carlson (right), and Stan Eddy (left), Henry’s friend.

That was the beginning of Voss Electric, as Henry was given the Kansas sales territory for Birdseye Reflector Lamps, General Service Lamps, and Self-Diffusing Lamps.

With a minuscule beginning capital, a small but specialized inventory of the needed and best lamps in stock, and with fiscally conservative internal investments, Henry Voss began Voss Electric Company on Christmas day, 1939, building his company by faith, doing all the jobs himself, and working out of his home.

So in 1939, Henry moved back to Lincoln, Nebraska to set up shop in his dad’s (A.M.’s) home at 2741 Randolph, the first home-office-warehouse of Voss Electric Company. He traveled his territory in Kansas, selling "value-added, long life" lamps to everyone! He also "back-doored" lamps into Nebraska. Thus began Henry’s career as a "Christian businessman," selling primarily light bulbs, "down the street," in Lincoln and Omaha. Later on, Henry sold on commission (20%!) Lustra "guaranteed long life" light bulbs.

Picture of Henry Voss in the 1940’s with his sales and delivery vehicle.

As Henry served in his Lincoln church, a former businessman who became a Christian evangelist and Bible teacher also came to Lincoln in 1939, Mr. Theodore Epp, who, with the help of many Christians, including Henry Voss, founded the Back To The Bible Broadcast, which back then was a missionary-supporting radio broadcast. Yes, Voss Electric Company and Back to the Bible were founded in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1939.

The Wabash Appliance Corporation merges with the Birdseye Lamp Sales Division.

Picture of 1942 Birdseye/Wabash catalog price sheet

While attending the University of Nebraska part-time, Henry met a Christian lady named Betty Mae Neufeld (1923-1975), a daughter of German immigrants, at a Bible study. On Thanksgiving, November 27, 1941, Henry Voss was married to Betty Mae.

Life was good for ten days, until they came home from Church on December 7, 1941, and heard the news on the radio about Japan’s infamous attack on Pearl Harbor. Henry looked at Betty and said "good bye," for he knew soon he’d receive his draft notice. Sure enough, in five days he received "greetings" from "Uncle Sam" to report to Omaha for his physical. He passed, was drafted into the Armed Forces, and soon was off to Kansas, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Maine, and Massachusetts, learning to be a soldier and how to drive in a convoy in the Thirty-sixth Division Artillery of the U.S. Army. At every camp, Henry often sent Betty some mushy post cards, which I still have!

By the time Corporal Voss reached Maine, he was the company clerk, doing paperwork. One day he saw orders to find 500 soldiers in his division with electrical experience – for volunteer duty. Henry put in his own card. Henry’s division went oversees, but he was assigned to guard the copper mines in Globe, Arizona, crucial duty during WWII – for copper was more needed than gold, to make shell casings and communication cable.

Picture of Corporal Henry Voss and his wife Betty at Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1942.

During the war, commodities were carefully rationed by our government, like rubber for tires, and metals like tungsten and aluminum for manufacturing light bulbs, etc. All available men and materials were directed towards winning the war effort. Because of this, the government made all light bulb manufacturers ration the sales of their light bulbs, and prohibited any new lighting distributors from being signed up. So Henry spent four years serving our country in the Army during WWII, having to live meagerly in the mountains of Globe, Arizona, with Betty his wife moving there in 1942. While guarding those mines, Henry also ran electrical lines and did some drilling of holes for dynamite. In 1943, Henry and Betty’s first daughter, Mary Jean, was born in Globe.

My father lost friends in WWII. Henry and his brothers were proud to serve in America’s Armed Forces. Thank you, U.S.A. military! Two WWII veterans work for Voss Lighting: John Kojdecki, Merchant Marine; Bill Becker, Air Corps. Bob Frey is a Korean War Air Force veteran. Bill Cooley, Navy, and Charles Postma, Army, are Vietnam War veterans. National Guardsmen: Jim Sutton, Terry Valenta, Tyler Sanderson, Norm Brekke, ret.

What about that light bulb business back in Nebraska? Well, because there was severe rationing of light bulbs, only one-fifth of the usual supply of lightbulbs were available. But as God had sovereignly arranged all of this, Voss Electric had a permit to sell them – and a direct factory link to purchase them. And guess who was there to run the little light bulb business during World War II … that immigrant from Germany, A.M. "Max" Voss.

Henry had better lamps, better service, and lower costs, so now he could meet or beat his competition, if needed. Yet he knew "up-selling" his customers to the better product was the right thing to do, and more profitable. Like the Fuller Brush salesman, Henry always had in his pocket or briefcase a new, eyecatching lighting product to show his customer.

Voss Electric grew slowly and steadily, due to Henry’s salesmanship and professional, personal, courteous service out of a growing inventory of not only commodity lamps, but also specialty lamps, which were demonstrably better for the customer. These could only be sold, though, by going out into the marketplace and selling them, by showing superior lamps to his customers – using the "show and tell, good, better, best method." During these years Voss Electric was in Henry and Betty’s home at 1936 Euclid, where they had two more children, Michael Henry and Barbara Ann. Henry also used his father’s garage and basement for warehousing. A normal business day found Betty at home, but while being Mom, she also took phone orders and unloaded trucks backed up in their driveway, while Henry took his own deliveries – and made sales calls all along the way.

Then this pioneering light bulb distributor, Henry Voss, began selling other light bulb brands manufactured by small companies. The big major manufacturers, G.E., Sylvania, and Westinghouse, foolishly shunned Henry for many years – even though Henry was increasingly selling more and more "replacement lamps" to all kinds of businesses – including government and political institutions, bothering full-line electrical houses a lot.

When full-line electrical distributors, who primarily sell contractors for new construction work, would squawk about Henry Voss selling "their" customers ( though they did not normally sell "replacement lighting" through "down the street salesmen"), the bigger manufacturers were forced to not sell that "little light bulb peddlar working out of his home and delivering light bulbs with his family station wagon!" But Henry knew they could not compete with his own personal and persistent salesmenship, lighting expertise, hard work, and the growing specialized inventory of a "specialty lighting distributor."

So while the big electrical distributors concentrated their big business efforts on selling from catalogs full of fans, fixtures, wire, pipe, poles, and switch gear, Henry specialized in selling light bulbs and ballasts, which back then accounted for almost all of his sales.

When Henry Voss came home after the war, Voss Electric was bigger than before, another reason we know these things did not just happen! It was all of God’s sovereignty! Sylvania Electric Products bought Wabash Appliance and Photolamp Corporation and Birdseye Electric Corporation. Voss Electric Company still sold Wabash/Birdseye large lamps and photoflash from Mr. A.M. Parker, who was then President of Wabash Appliance and Photolamp Corp.

A.M. Parker, a pioneering giant in the photoflash industry, introduced in the late 1930’s the first "hydronalium wire-filled" photoflash bulbs, which were much smaller and vastly superior to the common chemically impregnated "aluminum foil" bulbs then being used. Sylvania, having purchased A.M. Parker’s Wabash Photolamp Corporation, grew greatly because of that technology, soon becoming a significant player in the photoflash industry.

A.M. Parker of Sylvania/Wabash purchased McHugh Lamp Works, Brooklyn, N.Y, and manufactured Amplex incandescents and flourescents. So Henry sold a full line of lighting products from Amplex, purchased from Mr. W.R. Freeman, Amplex’s V.P. Sales. (Mr. Freeman later worked at Sylvania, and signed up Henry Voss!) The lightbulb business boomed, with commissions of up to twenty percent being earned. Post-war economic prosperity allowed the nation to revive. Even though Henry’s income increased due to high demand, lingering light bulb shortages still prevented him from moving a lot of inventory. So Henry began to also sell farm minerals, fertilizer, seed, and animal feed – to supplement his income until the light bulb supply normalized.

As Henry traveled around selling light bulbs, he would select a prosperous looking farm to call on, and stop in to talk to the farmer about how it was going, and "can I hunt here?" His familiarity with farming made him an expert, so it was easy to sell the new hybrid seed corn. Henry knew how to "comparison sell," by persuading the farmer to test his feed next to the one being used. Usually Henry’s "better" feed attracted the most cows.

The heart of Henry’s home-based business was still selling of light bulbs and ballasts, because everyone used them, and they burned out! The Korean War of 1950–53 again brought light bulb shortages, which made it harder to sell more bulbs. But because light bulbs were so hard to find, it became much easier to sell "better, long life" lamps.

That is strikingly similar to what Voss Lighting currently is doing, still explaining to our customers the features, functions, and benefits of the world’s best value-added products, like Philips Lighting’s new product, the Philips Energy Advantage T8 25 watt "Extra Long Life fluorescent Lamps," featuring ALTO Lamp Technology, which are energy saving, environmentally responsible, long life (40,000 hours with a "warranty period" of 48 months!), low mercury lamps – the best sustainable lighting solution available.

Mr. A.M. Parker, who in the late 1930’s made photographic history by introducing the first "hydronalium wire-filled" photoflash bulbs – and later sold his Wabash/Birdseye Corporation to Sylvania, teamed up with the Philips Lighting Company of Eindhoven, Holland, to manufacture and distribute his "Amplex-Norelco" line of "MY-T-MYTE" PF 3’s, PF 4’s, and "SYNCHRO-SURE" flash bulbs. General Electric and Sylvania then introduced a much larger "bantam" line of photoflash lamps, then later, better PF M2’s. So Henry Voss sold Amplex lamps – and the industry’s best Amplex/Norelco photoflash. I still have some 1950’s "blue top" photo projection lamps marked "Sylvania Wabash."

During these lean economic times, Henry had to broaden his sales expertise so he could sell electrical appliances, such as Admiral refrigerators. Henry enjoyed his little one man shop, for everywhere he sold in Nebraska and Kansas, his sales job allowed him to meet people from all walks of life, from the janitor at the city sewer plant, to the office of the university chancellor in the same day. Henry played church and city league softball into his fifties, having the nickname "Mr. Clean," because of his balding head, white T-shirt, and clean, "Christian" way of playing. Henry also subsidized several men by letting them sell lamps on commission, so they also could be "missionaries to the marketplace." Henry himself often taught Sunday school classes in his local Bible church, coached boys basketball teams, and chaired a building committee which built a new Bible Church.

Henry’s business philosophy was simple: Get 1 customer by proper pricing and superior service, and then keep that customer. Then, go get some more new customers, increase your buying power, and keep your expenses low. He would literally write orders down on the back of old used envelopes! And he was willing to work as many extra hours as needed to do his job, yet he always found time to watch his children’s various activities.

A son was born to Henry and Betty Voss on September 21, 1948, Michael Henry Voss. Mike grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, graduated from Lincoln High in 1966, and attended the University of Nebraska to be an English Teacher, and to play baseball for four years.

Growing up, Mike Voss used to actually make tunnels in the many different piles of light bulbs stored all over the basement and garage of his home; learned how to fill orders; stock the shelves; kept the place clean; and learned how to be an honest Christian businessman by having a paper route for 5 years – putting part of his monthly profits into the ever present Missionary Box on the Voss kitchen table. Yes, our family prayed for the missionaries as a family, but we also saved and gave of our finances to help, too!

Henry Voss was awarded the first of many State of Nebraska large lamp contracts, supplying ITT and Ken Rad lamps. ("Ken Rad" stood for "Kentucky Radio," then a wholly owned division of Westinghouse Lamps, located in Owensboro, Kentucky.) After Voss Electric faithfully serviced the State of Nebraska lamp contract for a few years, supplying Ken Rad lamps manufactured by Westinghouse Lamp Division, Westinghouse signed Voss Electric as a lamp distributor, enabling Henry to really grow! In 1958, A.M. Voss won the State of Nebraska state "Checker Championship."

Here’s a sampling of bulb and ballast brands Henry sold through the years: Amplex, Birdseye, Wabash, Radiant, Norelco, Lustra, Penetray, ITT, Sylvania, Champion, Ken Rad, Action/Tungsram, Chicago Miniature, G.E./General Electric, Westinghouse, Universal, Magnetek, Motorola, Philips, Advance. In addition to light bulbs and ballasts, Henry sold carloads of flashbulbs and Christmas bulbs, and supplied the Midwest with Photo and STTV lamps.

The key life-changing event in Mike Voss’s life was in 1960, when he attended a Bible Quiz Rally at the old Back To The Bible building in downtown Lincoln. Finding himself in the front row, Mike heard an old Christian preacher share the facts of the Biblical Gospel, which he had heard often at his church and from his parents. But then the preacher shared how one day he understood that Jesus Christ died on the cross for him, personally, to pay the penalty for his sin, a penalty we all as sinners owe, as Romans 3:23 says: "all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory."

Then the speaker shared what the Bible says in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Mike thought, "If an old Godly preacher needed a Savior from his sin, it’s sure I do too!"

After hearing Romans 10:9-11, Mike believed in Jesus Christ as his own Lord and Savior. God saved his soul, forgave all his sins, assured him a future home in Heaven, and progressively changed Mike’s heart’s desires and the conduct of his life.

That Biblical Truth of Romans 10:9-11, believed by Mike was: "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, ’WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.’"

Voss Electric moved to Henry and Betty’s new Lincoln home: 2239 Smith St.

Mike Voss married his wonderful wife, Sara. They have raised four children; Tim, Mark, Robin, and Tom. As of 2006, they are all in some important way affiliated with Voss Electric Company, or as we are now called, Voss Lighting.

Voss Electric moved out of the Voss’s home, to an old filling station at 1242 Stillwater, purchased from Weaver Oil for $25,000, paid off so much a month. Henry, strongly opposed to much debt, paid it all off with many early payments.

As Henry Voss’s son, I learned many lessons about lighting and living from my father. Starting out as the order filler, then inventory counter, then delivery boy, then purchaser, then scared salesmen, I saw what Christian character produces: hard work and integrity, which turns into business trustworthiness, helping sales.

When it was time to leave school and raise my own family, having learned to love each facet of a fiscally conservative and faithfully operated Christian business, I told my father I’d work for him full time. I still mopped floors and stocked shelves, but as the business grew, I watched and learned, from an expert.

Imagine what it took to have "in stock" all the different types of lamps used in hospitals, schools, insurance buildings, universities, restaurants, power plants, and retail stores – for their ceilings, lobbies, showcases, electrical boards, elevators, halls, parking lots, gymnasiums, auditoriums, conference rooms, ball fields, roadways – and then be able to deliver or ship them better than anyone else "the same day!" In addition to having a competitive advantage by having every lamp needed "in stock," Henry had very competitive prices too! Today, Voss Lighting still is providing that same personal salesmanship and preferred pricing on many premier lighting products.

In the mid 70’s, though Henry was the only one who could sign the checks, he let Mike persuade him to hire our first two employees, Bill Cooley and John Carey. With their "gift of gab," they went out and sold more bulbs and ballasts! But as Henry found out, much to his chagrin, having salesmen as employees produced not only extra sales, but also extra bookwork, tax forms, and record keeping.

On January 1, 1975, Bill Cooley is hired as our first "down the street salesmen" for Lincoln/Omaha. 1975 sales were $500,000. We were selling Westinghouse, Norelco, Sylvania, and Ken-Rad large lamps, and Sylvania Photo/STTV lamps.

Darrell Voss, Norm Voss’s son, begins his Minnesota "Voss Electric."
Voss Electric wins Minnesota’s large lamp contract with Westinghouse lamps.
Voss Electric’s total sales for 1976: $1,000,000.

John Carey is hired as Voss Lighting’s second "down the street" salesman.

Voss Lighting buys a large warehouse at 740 Van Dorn for $100,000 – with no loan – and having no bank credit line. It had a large lot behind it where Henry Voss, Mike Voss, and Bill Cooley often played "flies and grounders" and "burn out" between orders. (Yes, we’ve always tried to have some "fun" at work too.) Operating frugally, this building was paid off in four years – without borrowing!

Henry Voss and Mike Voss were so busy bidding, ordering, shipping, and billing they had to hire a Christian administrative assistant, Anita Sorum. She was an invaluable addition, an immeasurable help, and became a "Voss hall of famer!" As Anita did the books and bids, Bill Cooley and John Carey sold light bulbs and ballasts and told people God’s Gospel. Henry and Mike manned the phones and counter. Together, a bigger, better business was built. That was the dream team. We sold Norelco "Pro-Long 6’s" (PR-6’s), a long life, commercial service, brass base, krypton-gas filled, shock resistant incandescent lamp, lasting 6-10,000 hrs.

Voss Lighting begins selling their new line of VOSSCO "long life incandescents."

Philips Lighting buys Westinghouse Lamp Division, so Voss Lighting transitions to becoming a Philips Lighting large lamp distributor, a pivotal time in our history. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma branch begins.

Dallas, Texas branch begins. We now sold carloads of General Electric Photo and STTV (stage-studio) lamps.

Kansas City, Missouri branch begins.

Annual Sales reach $10,000,000

Albuquerque, New Mexico branch begins.

When Henry retired, I think he thought I was ready to take over his business. Our early team learned Henry’s lessons of being hard workers committed to God and His Word, being family focused and local Church centered, as well as providing great products, competitive prices, "specialized" services, with fiscal frugalness.

Picture of Voss Electric’s founder, Henry Voss, with his son, Mike Voss.

Phoenix, Arizona branch begins.

Lincoln Branch/Corporate offices move to new location at 1601 Cushman Dr.

Annual Sales reach $20,000,000

Grand Rapids, Michigan branch begins.

San Antonio, Texas branch begins.

Annual Sales reach $30,000,000

Houston, Texas branch begins. Tulsa, Oklahoma branch begins.

Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina branch begins.

Annual Sales reach $40,000,000

Atlanta, Georgia branch begins.

Annual Sales reach $50,000,000

I must emphasize the central importance of Voss Lighting’s more than 200 employees – exemplified by the many years of service of these current employees: Bill Cooley, 35; Darrell Voss, 35; John Carey, 32; Richard Barber, 31; Steve Sanderson, 29; Bob Block, 27; Jay Oneal, 26; Rob Jensen, 25; Roger Deaver, 25; Sid Havekost, 24.

Voss Lighting’s present Management Team members are: Mike Voss, President; Bill Cooley, Ex. V.P.; John Carey, V.P. of Sales and Director of National Accounts; Steve Sanderson, V.P., General Manager; Bob Block, V.P. and Branch Manager of our Raleigh, North Carolina branch; and Rob Jensen, V.P. of Purchasing, Pricing, Projects. Voss Lighting’s Management Team has an impressive 200+ years of combined lighting experience – all at Voss Lighting! Our strength as an independent lighting business is in the depth of our worker’s knowledge and loyalty.

I trust you have now learned just how Voss Electric began; who built it’s immigrant roots and then founded it and grew it – through sweat and sales; and how God’s sovereignty and salvation have made not only an earthly difference, but an eternal difference as well.

By observing Henry Voss’s life and business, those who knew him saw he did "live to give" to the Lord’s work! Henry did not work to get rich, but to "have enough to have a modest home, raise his family, take two weekend trips to see a major league ball game in Kansas City and see the mountains, make enough money just to pay his bills, have no debt, and, give to his local Church and support Christian missionaries around the world." If God gave him some extra money, he did not spend it unwisely, but invested most of it in the Lord’s work, or in Voss Electric.

During his busy business day he frequently shared Bible verses with customers and vendors, was particularly friendly with truck drivers delivering him product, and often gave out Christian evangelistic tracts everywhere he went. Looking back I see his friendly but faithful "witnessing while working in the marketplace" did not detract from his being the man to go to, when needing bulbs and ballasts.

Henry used to work almost every Saturday morning, to "catch up on things." When asked if it was worth it to be there so long every Saturday, just for a few customers, he told us that even if they were just little sales for only a few dollars, if just one of those customers remembered that our company had what they needed when they needed it – it would always be worth it. Earning loyalty; Henry Voss knew those were the people who would keep us in business for a long time.

Here’s a list of things Henry loved to do: attend a Church where the Bible is taught He could serve His Savior; get an order, even if profit was low; play ball; go to his kids’ and grandkids’ activities; "put in a good word for the Lord;" and tell stories of the "old days" – to whoever would listen. One example: Henry loved to tell of the day he went to the grocery store on "double coupon day" – and actually got paid twelve cents to take home four boxes of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. But I’ll never forget "Grandpa Henry" lovingly sharing with his grandkids what is most important in life: giving one’s life to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior from sin!

Henry Voss lived his life and ran his business so his family, friends, and business associates would come to the place in their lives where they would recognize their own lost, sinful condition, hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and be saved.

A few days before my Christian father Henry Voss went to Heaven in 1997, one of his last acts was to get his checkbook and send two checks to the Lord’s work. One was to Child Evangelism Fellowship and the other was to his local Bible church. Speaking as Henry Voss’s Christian son, that example, though hard to emulate, is an anchor to those at Voss Lighting following in Henry’s faithful footsteps.

I believe the reason Henry Voss was loved and respected by his friends, family, vendors, and customers, was because as a young man, Henry believed the soul-saving, life-transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ! Thus he was ready to "meet his Maker," who was also his own personal Master and Savior. Are you ready?

If you would like to know more about us, or buy some premier lighting products from us, please call any of our branches, our corporate offices, or read more online at www.vosslighting.com.