DISTRIBUTORS/CO-OPS

Aniel Wade, an employee of Vision Ace Hardware in LaBelle, Florida, rescued a family from a burning building in February, a feat that earned him a full-page writeup in the recent issue of Men's Health, in which he was dubbed an "Everyday Hero."

According to multiple media reports, 20-year-old Wade was busy making deliveries in Alva, Florida, when he came upon a burning house with an elderly woman out front, gasping for air.

Chicago-based True Value Co. senior VP and CFO David Shadduck liked what he saw during the first quarter, and didn't hesitate to describe the cold and snowy winter as a net gain for the co-op's 4,500 retailers.

The co-op reported gross billings of $460.1 million for the quarter, up 3.6% from $444.2 million for the same period a year ago. Revenue was $331.5 million, an increase of 6.0%.

Houston -- Ace executives took the stage to deliver rousing speeches at the General Session of the Ace 2014 Spring Convention & Exhibits, congratulating retailers on a strong 2013 and outlining the co-op's vision for 2014 and beyond.

Ace even had a proprietary rock 'n' roll theme song dedicated to its strategic initiative, "20/20 Vision," which added a spirited component to a slide show presented at the session. "The view is worth the climb," crooned the singer.

Fort Worth, Texas-based eCommerce Industries has announced that Ace Hardware has given its final certification to ECi’s RockSolid POS business system software for integration with the Ace Rewards program. Ace Rewards is a retail incentive program that awards points based on dollars spent and provides members advanced notice of sales, members-only coupons and allows them to submit rebates online. 

HCN congratulates the 50 hardware store, home center and farm and ranch retailers who made the annual HCN Hardware Store All-Star list.

Now in its third year, HCN's annual list of high performers recognizes hardware stores -- one from each state -- that are outstanding in their field. The complete list and analysis can be found in the September issue of HCN. Meanwhile, HCN Daily will work its way across the country with mini profiles, continuing this week with North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

Do it Best Corp. promoted Mike Ter Molen to divisional manager of Building Products and Home Decor, effective immediately.  

In this position, Ter Molen will lead the co-op’s Building Products Division team, with a focus on growing sales of building and home decor products.

Building products distributor acquires Thomas Nielsen Wholesale in Missouri.