TheAmbitStory
Ambit’s story is, above all, one about people. People who share a common vision of building the finest, most-respected retail energy provider in the world.
We hope reading the Ambit Story helps you understand Ambit Energy, as well as the men and women who’ve made it what it is today – an incredibly successful company built on integrity and respect.
Let’s begin.
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A little thing called Deregulation
It used to be that all aspects of residential energy service were controlled by incumbent monopolies.
But as customer demand for a choice and opportunity grew, laws were introduced that broke up the outdated system, allowing competition and giving customers the right to choose their energy provider.
In 1996, New York and California were first to set the pace and open deregulated markets to business and consumers. The next year, Pennsylvania and Illinois make the switch. Soon they are joined by Massachusetts (1998), Maryland and New Jersey (1999), Connecticut (2000), Washington D.C. (2001) and Texas (2002).
Learn more about deregulation
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A little more about Deregulation
Ever wonder how deregulation started? This fun, simple video helps explain it:
It started with a
sandwich
April 21, 2006
Introduced through a mutual friend, Jere Thompson, Jr. and Chris Chambless meet for the first time at sandwich shop in Addison, TX to discuss ideas for a new energy company that would create opportunities in a deregulated market.
With that idea in mind, Chris and Jere began brainstorming names for the company.
After cycling through several ideas, they settled on “Ambit,” which means “one’s circle or scope of influence.”
Learn about the history and experience that brought Jere and Chris together.
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LED BY
EXPERIENCE
Chris Chambless
Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Ambit Energy
Chris brings more than 15 years of corporate direct-selling experience to Ambit Energy. He was a senior executive at Excel Communications, which became a multi-billion-dollar publicly traded telecom company and one of the fastest-growing companies in U.S. history.
More recently, as the Vice President of Marketing at VarTec Telecom, he was responsible for all aspects of the company’s marketing strategy, including brand development, channel integration strategy, sales management and new product development.
Jere Thompson, Jr.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ambit Energy
Jere comes from a strong legacy of innovation and iconic American success. His grandfather was the founder of the Southland Corporation – better known today as 7-Eleven.
By 1992, Jere had already earned a name for himself as a respected leader for the telecommunications industry through the deregulation years. He founded CapRock Fiber Networks to build fiber and broadband networks across Texas. As CEO, he guided CapRock into new markets, took the company public and managed its growth from infancy to 1,300 employees and $300 million in annual revenue.
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Designed
for Growth
From the beginning, Jere and Chris recognized that the surest way to maintain loyal, consistent Customers was to operate as a direct-selling company with Independent Consultants building relationships and driving new business. Today, Ambit remains a company built on personal relationships.
Finding
Our Place
May 15, 2006
The four members of the corporate team and six original call center agents move into an open, renovated warehouse in Downtown Dallas’s West End district – a space that still serves as Ambit’s headquarters today.
To foster an environment of open communication and accountability, the office space is cleared of dividing walls and barriers.
To reduce costs and preserve capital, executives skip the traditional office desks and furniture, and instead work from simple, $19 folding tables. Ambit executives continue to use these same tables today.
Home-Grown
Solutions
Ambit’s rapid growth brings unique challenges. That drives Ambit’s IT team to create a custom Customer Care and billing platform from the ground up. BlueNet® has provided a qualitative and competitive edge that has helped Ambit build an award-winning history of Customer service.
John Burke's DART Heist
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First
Customers
Ambit begins providing service to Customers, starting with the first official Customers, Jere’s mother and father. They also get the first bill.
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Here’s where the entire story could have ended... badly.
One day as Chief Information Officer John Burke rode the DART Light Rail into work, he sat with his laptop, as he often did, entering complex code for Ambit’s core systems. Suddenly, as the doors opened, a man rushed by, swiped John’s laptop (along with John’s only copy of all of his work for Ambit) and dashed off the train.
Since starting with Ambit in 2006, John has been recognized as one of the top technology leaders in the country by Information Week and Computer World magazines. But fortunately, it was John’s years of ice hockey experience that really paid off that day as he chased the man down, tackled him to the pavement, took back his laptop and still made it back on the train before the doors closed.
Yeah, we were impressed, too.
John Burke has been recognized as one of the top technology leaders in the country
Signing Up
Consultants
Early August – the first four New Consultant Kits are shipped to the "Founding Four" Consultants.
And to ensure the company has a solid foundation, they adopt the motto:
Never sacrifice integrity for growth.
Jere and Chris set a goal for Ambit to become
"the Finest, Most-Respected
retail energy provider in the world."
Market
Expansion
Japan Japan was Ambit’s first international expansion, and we’re excited to be part of the world’s third largest economy and a potential $70 billion energy market.
▼Click to see
each region
Canada Alberta is a world-leader in energy production, and also led the way as Ambit Energy Canada’s first market.
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each region
Texas It’s true that everything is bigger in Texas – including Ambit. It’s our home state and our biggest market.
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each region
New York There’s a lot more to New York than New York City – like Ambit Energy. That’s just one reason we heart this place.
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each region
Illinois Illinois has been home to Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Barack Obama. Of almost equal historical significance, it’s also home to a good number of Ambit Customers.
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each region
Maryland Maryland officially became a state in 1776. It became an Ambit state a bit more recently (and we couldn’t be happier).
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each region
Pennsylvania Did you know Pennsylvania is officially the “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania?” Or that we’re trying to change it to the “Commonwealth of Ambit?”
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each region
New Jersey The New Jersey area was inhabited by Native Americans for more than 2,800 years. Today, it’s inhabited by happy Ambit Customers.
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each region
Connecticut Called the Constitution State, the Nutmeg State and “The Land of Steady Habits,” Connecticut is also called – by us, anyway – “The Land of Ambit.”
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each region
Washington, DC For a district that’s responsible for the nation’s biggest decisions, we’re glad more Washington, D.C. Customers are choosing Ambit Energy.
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each region
Massachusetts From landing at Plymouth Rock, celebrating the first Thanksgiving and making waves at the Boston Tea Party, few states represent our nation’s boldest achievements quite like Massachusetts.
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each region
California No other state inspires us to follow our dreams and never give up like The Golden State of California.
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each region
Delaware Residents of America’s First State can now make Ambit their first choice for energy, because they know a good thing when they see it.
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each region
Rhode Island The smallest state in the U.S. rates large in Ambit’s book. We’re proud to bring Customers here big-time service and support.
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each region
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state that stands by its values, and the Ambit values of integrity and fairness.
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each region
Virginia Virginia is for Lovers. People who love getting great service and support from the experts at Ambit Energy.
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each region
Ohio Ohio is consistently rated one of the best states in the nation for business. No wonder there are so many Ambit success stories in the Buckeye state.
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each region
Indiana Indiana has long been known as “The Crossroads of America.” Now it’s also earning a reputation as a great market for Ambit.
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each region
Maine Maine touts itself as America’s “Vacationland.” It’s also a land of opportunity for Ambit’s hardworking Consultants.
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each region
Increase in
Revenue
We reached $1 million in revenue our first year.
Thanks to careful expansion and a growing list of talented Consultants, we reached
$1 billion in 2013.
$1M
2006
$44M
2007
$197M
2008
$325M
2009
$415M
2010
$664M
2011
$930M
2012
$1.2B
2013
$1.5B
2014
$1.4B
2015
Ranked #16 – DSN Global 100 2017: The Top Direct Selling Companies in the World
Highest Retail Electric Provider Satisfaction in New York Region – J.D. Power (2013)
Named “America’s Fastest-Growing Private Company” by Inc. magazine (2010)
Ranked #1 in the prestigious SMU/Cox Dallas 100 (2009 & 2010), recognizing the fastest-growing privately-held company in North Texas
Top 100 Places to Work (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) – Dallas Morning News
Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalist (CEO Jere Thompson, Jr.) – Ernst & Young
2017 Enerprise CIO of the Year (CIO John Burke) Dallas CIO Leadership Association
