Spring 2014 Hardlines Strategies

COMPANY NEWS

Blish-Mize Offers Better Access to Information that Helps You One of the ways Blish-Mize continues to work smarter for you is with a continued push to go paperless with the packing lists, invoices and monthly statements it sends you. As of last fall, Blish-Mize customers can choose to receive invoices, month-end statements and packing slips via email and/ or fax rather than with their regular order via U.S. mail. Blish-Mize is also making strides to improve efficiencies internally as well. It is moving forward with electronic data management systems so corporate and customer service employees have more accessibility to documents to better serve you, the customer. For example, CEO Jonathan Mize says, “Instead of going to a large file cabinet of drop-ship invoices, now it will be done online or through a document management program.” “We now have more information available with the click of a mouse and are moving forward to keep the back- end operations running smoothly,” Mize says. “The value for you in these more streamlined internal processes is that we’re able to spend more time assisting you with your needs and quickly locate the information you need to run your operations successfully.” Blish-Mize Announces New CEO Blish-Mize recently announced Jonathan D. Mize will become Chief Executive Officer, succeeding his father, John H. Mize, who has been appointed Executive Chairman. “I’m excited and honored to be appointed Chief Executive Officer and President of our company,” Jonathan says. “Under my father’s leadership as CEO for the past 30 plus years, he has moved our company forward and kept it growing and profitable, and I look forward to more progress.  I also want to congratulate my

and previously served in other officer capacities. He will be the fifth generation of the Mize family to hold the title of CEO. He also serves as President and COO of Hardware House, LLC. “As we look to the future, I can honestly say that I am very confident that Blish-Mize will continue to thrive. During his more than two decades of service, Jonathan has been involved in the promoting and hiring of a strong management team to help him run the company in the future,” John says. “As we enter our 143th year in business, we have a great team, and we are in a great position to continue to help our customers be successful in hardware retailing for many more years to come,” Jonathan says. Blish-Mize Customer Completes NRHA Management Training Program A Blish-Mize customer was among a group of up-and-coming retail managers and mid-level executives from across the United States and Canada who participated in the inaugural class of the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA)’s Retail Management Certification Program. Myron Bartel of Home Lumber in Pratt, Kan., was one of 17 students participating in the pilot program, which involved attending class sessions, networking receptions and dinners. All students also

presented a business plan they developed throughout the course. “I have gained so much from this program that will help the profitability of the business,” Bartel says. “Learning and networking with others in the same industry who have similar goals was an invaluable experience.” The program is designed to provide business owners in the retail hardware industry with a comprehensive, six-month, college-level educational program to develop the leadership and management capabilities of high-potential employees. For more information on NRHA’s Retail Management Certification Program or if you would like to participate in one of the 2014 sessions, contact Scott Wright, NRHA Vice President of Member Services, at 317-275-9417, or email swright@nrha.org. Blish-Mize Customer Recognized for 50 Years of Service Blish-Mize recently honored a customer and longtime hardware store owner for 50 years of service to the home improvement retail industry. Blish-Mize sales representative Janet Elias presented Steve Belshe, owner of Richland Hardware & Furniture Co. in Richland, Mo., with Estwing’s Gold Hammer award, which is given to retailers who have been in the business for 50 years. Belshe has worked at Richland Hardware since 1963; the store itself started in 1957. “I’m very honored to receive the Gold Hammer, and I wouldn’t have received it without the support of Janet and the management team at Blish-Mize,” he says. That support comes in the form of the several Blish-Mize programs and products Belshe utilizes, including PartScription, Blish-Mize’s monthly promotions and customizable advertising programs and a wide selection of Hardware House items. Richland Hardware is based in a rural area and has approximately 10,000 square feet of retail space. Customers turn to Belshe and his small staff of two additional employees for all their paint and sundries, plumbing and hardware needs.

father for over 52 years of service.” For the past few years, Jonathan has served as president and COO

34 Spring 2014 • Hardlines Strategies