Contact Details

Monica Kristo Founder & President, Rea Lighting With over 30 years of experience in the lighting industry, Monica Kristo brings a deep passion, strong leadership, and an unwavering commitment to quality and customer service. Her career began in corporate leadership, where she served as Vice President of a Minneapolis-based lighting company with over 100 employees and annual revenues exceeding $16 million. In 2014, Monica transitioned from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, founding Rea Lighting, a woman-owned business dedicated to providing energy-efficient LED lighting solutions. Under her direction, Rea Lighting has become known for its customer-first approach, values-driven leadership, and expertise in large-scale retrofit projects. Monica is deeply involved in the lighting industry beyond her business. She previously served on both the Membership Committee and the Board of Directors for NAILD. In 2014, she became an active member of NALMCO, where she continues to contribute her expertise. She currently serves as the NALMCO President Elect/Treasurer, past Chair of the Program Committee and Membership Committee, and is a member of the Board of Directors. She also supports the Certification Committee, contributing to the CLMC and CLA review sessions and exam facilitation. Rea Lighting operates with a skilled crew of ten, including two licensed professionals and seven apprentices. The company has completed numerous commercial retrofit projects for major national retailers such as Home Depot, Wells Fargo, Target, Lowe’s, Kohl’s, and CVS—covering both interior and exterior scopes and ranging from 100 to 900 fixtures per site. Rea Lighting also services local property management firms in the Minneapolis area, with projects spanning office and warehouse spaces up to 400,000 square feet. The team is known for its flexibility, often performing installations overnight to minimize disruptions to client operations. Monica’s blend of operational expertise, industry leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit continues to make a lasting impact on the lighting industry.