our story
From a walk-in fridge to a warehouse built for the future.
Founded by Scott Yarnell, Access Electric began on February 1, 1991, in a 1,200-square-foot space on Airport Way in Seattle. Back then, we shared space with a tortilla factory and a jam distributor, and kept our inventory in a walk-in fridge. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was efficient, and that resourceful, all-in mentality still drives us today.
As demand grew, so did we, from makeshift storerooms to our first owned building in Renton, and now to our largest facility yet: a 25,000+ sq. ft. headquarters in Kent, purpose-built for modern logistics and continued growth.
In January of 2026, AES transitioned to an employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
This transition reflects a deliberate and strategic decision to strengthen our business for the long term while preserving the values, leadership, and service standards our partners rely on every day.
Independent by design and strengthened through our AD membership, Access Electric Supply leverages a nationwide network of distributor and supplier partners to better serve customers across every project we support.
Our Team
We’re honored to be recognized
From national rankings to industry-specific accolades, we’re proud to share some of the recognition we’ve received. These milestones reflect the hard work of our team and the trust of our customers, which is the most valuable thing of all.
Access Electric ranks 68th for nationwide distributors, up from 85th in 2025.
Access Electric ranks 4th for sales-per-employee nationwide.
Access Electric breaks into the top 100 for nationwide distributors, ranking 85th in 2025.
Access Electric ranks 1st nationwide for sales-per-employee.