Ace Hardware 2013 Annual Report Download - page 20

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 20 of the 2013 Ace Hardware annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 44

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44

PARTNERSHIP+
FRIENDSHIP=
SUCCESS
Childhood friends become business
partners, and success is the result
Niguel Attong and Kenny Richards
are lifelong friends, having grown up
together in Trinidad. Kenny and his family
moved to the United States when he was eleven
years old, and Niguel moved to the States to
attend college at 19.
After graduation, Niguel opened Healis, a
pediatric therapy and rehabilitation facility for
children, eventually owning and operating five
facilities. He went on to work for an Ace retailer
in the Miami area, becoming operations
manager/general manager for a four-store chain.
In the meantime, Kenny and his family were
busy owning and operating greenhouses where
they grew ornamental plants. Having stayed in
touch over the years, Kenny and Niguel began
discussing opportunities for a hardware store
in the Kissimmee area and decided to move
forward with an Ace store, and Ace Home
and Supply Center opened in Kissimmee
on June 25, 2012.
Kenny and Niguel prove that friends can be
successful business partners.
Right from the start, Ace Home and Supply
Center’s financial performance was impressive.
The owners attribute their success to their focus
on the vast B2B customer base that exists in
the Kissimmee area coupled with an aggressive
approach to win new customers. In addition,
they focus on walk-in, do-it-yourself business,
which has been surprisingly strong and
continues to grow through their advertising and
marketing efforts. The store is on track to end its
first year 23% above its pro forma target.
Niguel and Kenny are natural networkers and
have done much to expand customer awareness
in their local community, the Four Corners area
of Kissimmee. Successful events include:
• Customer Lunch-and-Learn Expos—vendors
discuss product usage, new innovations, and
answer customers’ questions.
• Green Bag Program—food donations
and backpacks for homeless children.
• Customer Appreciation Days—partnering
with local Boy Scouts to offer grilled burgers
and hot dogs to shoppers.
Nigel and Kenny’s strong presence in the
community has only helped to strengthen
the Ace brand in Kissimmee. Every day they
work hard to fulfill Ace’s “helpful promise.”