2025 Young Retailer of the Year Honorees Sound Off

Embodying leadership, grit and a passion for the independent channel, this year’s Young Retailer of the Year honorees prove that the future of the industry is in good hands. 

The Young Retailer of the Year program, now in its 29th year, identifies and promotes the next generation of aspiring independent home improvement, paint and decorating retailers. It recognizes individual achievement by industry retailers age 35 and younger throughout the U.S. and Canada. Honorees are chosen based on a number of criteria, including professional milestones, community engagement, continuing hardware industry education and extracurricular activities.

“This is a launching point. Let this moment take you to the future. Lead louder, give more generously and keep growing, even when it’s uncomfortable,” says Cody Goeppner, 2020 Young Retailer of the Year honoree and now NHPA director of education and training. “Make sure you lift others up around you as you continue on. Because the future of this industry isn’t just in good hands. It’s in your hands. And the work we do tomorrow together will matter more than any single moment of recognition today.”

Read on for the honorees’ insights on leadership and the future of the independent channel and learn more about the positive impact each is making in their operation, their community and the channel at YourNHPA.org/yroty. 

Hardware Retailing (HR): As a young retailer, what does leadership look like to you?

Jay Engler, Director of Merchandising for Busy Beaver Building Centers, Inc. (JE): Leadership to me is fostering an environment where everyone involved is informed, motivated and has the tools needed to succeed. It’s a dynamic process that involves setting direction with the ability to guide and influence individuals to ensure success.

Jacqueline Fenton, Chief Operating Officer of Hassett Ace Hardware (JF): Leadership to me is remembering everything you do impacts your team and you have an active choice to work hard at making that impact positive. Being a leader means making a conscious effort to constantly better yourself, whether it is mentally through reading books or doing therapy or educationally by staying on top of the newest innovations in your industry and also always being open to feedback from the team of how you can better serve them. 

My goal as a leader is to make sure we are giving our staff all the tools possible to succeed in their role and being sure that we are able to flex to the different learning styles. A knowledgeable and competent staff is essential to maintaining happy customers, which is paramount to the growth and prosperity of a business. 

Being able to lead is a massive gift you should never take for granted and making sure you lead with humility and gratitude is beyond important. I have been lucky to watch some fantastic leaders and draw inspiration from how they have led me. Eric Hassett taught me how important it is to implicitly trust your team, never be afraid of confrontation and leverage technology for the team to give better service. 

Ryan Leger, Dealer-Owner of Richibucto Home Hardware Building Centre and St. Louis Home Building Centre (RL): Retail is an ever-changing industry, and as a young retailer, leadership means staying flexible, learning from experiences and adapting to new challenges. Being younger than a lot of our operation’s key staff humbled me and has taught me to often seek out their feedback before making decisions. That has really helped me grow into the retailer I am today.

Matthew Spinks, Branch Store Manager of Lumber King (MS): For me, I want to encourage and teach those around me to be the best versions of themselves while our time is spent together. I want to lead by setting the best example I can not only in the workplace but in everyday life also. I want to lead by showing that I am dedicated to my work as well as my employees and my customers alike.

Huong Luu, Chief Executive Officer of Luu Color Center, Inc. (HL): To me, leadership is about service, vision and empowerment. It’s showing up with integrity, listening more than speaking and creating a culture where people feel valued and motivated to grow. As a leader, I’m focused on building relationships (both within my team and with our customers) and finding ways to support our community and evolve with the industry.

Brookelyn McClellan, Marketing and Business Strategy Manager for Hardware Sales (BM): For me, leadership has been all about building—both myself and my team. It’s about growing into the kind of leader I want to be, while helping lift others up along the way. Every step is a building block toward creating something stronger together.

Skylar Stevenson, Owner of Stevenson’s Ace Hardware (SS): My leadership has changed as the company has grown. When we were a million-dollar business, I did everything with the associates. I learned that if we wanted to grow bigger, we would have to have a different structure. Now, I focus more of my time on the planning and strategy of the company and empower my team to make decisions I thought I had to make. However, my team knows there isn’t anything I’m not willing to do to make the company operate to its full potential. I will load, clean, stock and sell. I believe it is important that the team knows I’m there to support them in whatever is in front of them and that I’m also taking care of the business. 

Mitchell Stadtlander, General Manager of Cedar Mountain True Value (MiS): Leadership for me is about taking care of my business so it can take care of me. I’m fortunate to be in the position I’m in, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Thankfully, my staff is capable of incredible feats when I build systems that allow them to.

HR: What excites you the most about the independent home improvement channel?

JE: The independent home improvement channel is unlike any other I have been a part of. It is a unique industry with passionate and helpful people. I have so many close relationships in the industry and people who have helped guide me to this point in my career.

JF: The independent home improvement channel is such a great resource to learn how to better help our customers, be in touch with other retailers and have great contacts with vendors. 

RL: What excites me most about the independent home improvement channel is that independent stores can often be more flexible in making decisions, experimenting with new ideas and adapting to market changes. This freedom fosters a sense of ownership and creativity, and I’m thrilled by the opportunities it presents to innovate and make a difference.

MS: What excites me most about the independent home improvement channel is the closeness and collaboration of independent retailers across North America. Every day, business owners and young retailers alike are inventing new ways to reach new customers in their markets. Retailers are seizing the opportunities to come together and learn from each other every chance they get. This is making our industry stronger and smarter.

HL: The heart! Independent retailers are the soul of our industry. We have the flexibility to make decisions fast, the desire to solve real-world problems and the relationships to make a lasting impact in our neighborhoods. I’m constantly inspired by the dedication and resilience of our fellow independents who continue to elevate the customer experience while staying true to their roots and heritage.

BM: There’s so much potential in the independent home improvement channel, and that’s what makes it so exciting. There are always new innovations and fresh ways of doing things. It’s an industry that’s constantly evolving—it stays interesting, keeps you on your toes and never gets boring.

SS: The community aspect excites me the most. I believe the local hardware store has stood the test of time, and if you are listening to your customer’s needs, adapting to what they want, focused on the future and finding ways to give back, the local independent has a strong story for the coming years. I want to be so involved in my community to the point that if my business were gone tomorrow, it would be dearly missed by all generations of our community. 

MiS: I think what excites me the most is getting to be on the forefront of what’s new and the vanguard of what’s old. I’m in a remote mountain community, so getting to help someone restore an old A-frame cabin to its former glory (or often even beyond) is really cool. It’s great to get to drive through the neighborhoods and see what used to be a decaying cabin look vibrant and new. The charm they used to build with is unmatched and the older cabins are solid, so it feels like I’m part of maintaining history and tradition. At the same time, there are just so many new technologies like solar, backup power generation, tankless water heaters and rugged decking and siding that are being utilized in newer builds. Though I’m not as involved in the procurement of those, there are always new products I get to research and pass to local contractors to demo for a client, and watching them get adopted feels great.

HR: What advice do you have for other young retailers who aspire to make an impact in the industry?

JE: Keep grinding and stick to it. Don’t be afraid to take advice, but also do not be afraid to bring up new ideas or processes to improve efficiency. You are in your role for a reason—always push to grow the company you work for and your career.

JF: My advice for young retailers would be to take risks, ask questions and go to every training offered. I also recommend making sure you work for people whose values align with yours because it is much easier to succeed in something you believe in. 

RL: Listen more than you speak for your first few years. No one is expecting you to have all of the answers right away. Continue to learn, grow and pay attention to your customers’ feedback as well as feedback from your staff. Network as much as you can and visit other stores to give you perspective. As you build confidence, start to execute on changes you’d like to see and enjoy the process.

MS: The advice I would give to young retailers aspiring to make an impact in the industry would be to just simply embrace the everyday experiences. Always be willing to learn and adapt to this everchanging industry. Young people in the industry today have amazing opportunities to dedicate themselves and invest in their skill sets. This will undoubtedly lead to successful careers and lasting impacts in the industry.

HL: Don’t be afraid. Learn everything you can and trust your instincts and fresh perspective. Be curious, be kind and stay consistent. This industry is built on relationships, so pour into yourself, your team, your customers and your peers. Your impact will grow from the trust you earn and the values you uphold.

BM: Be yourself, do your best and stay true to what you believe in. If your heart’s in it, that passion will carry you forward. Just keep showing up and giving it your all—you’ll make your mark.

SS: Follow your heart and dreams. Don’t be afraid to dream big and then dream bigger!  Ask questions even if you think you will be told no. I often thought a simple phone call would be a rejection, but some have become my greatest accomplishments. Don’t be afraid of rejection! 

MiS: It might be unique to my situation, but one thing I’ve had to learn watching our village grow from almost nothing to bordering a full-scale resort is that you have to be comfortable saying no. Taking on work and letting someone down always feels a lot worse than refusing the work in the first place. It’s important to improve on all the things you *can* do. That and to always make sure you’re taking care of your employees and your business before extending yourself off a risky ledge. You have to move forward, sure, but Amazon and big boxes are already here and established. There’s no sense trying to become one of them. What people really value in my business is the few small niches I have perfected, like wood stain or local plumbing.

HR: What does it mean to you to be named a Young Retailer of the Year honoree?

JE: Being named a Young Retailer of the Year is an honor that reflects a combination of hard work, innovation, leadership and a dedication to my role. This is an honor I truly never expected. While this honor is for me, I have many co-workers and mentors to thank who led me to this point in my career. I would not have gotten to this point in my career without them.

JF: Being named a Young Retailer of the Year means the world to me. A lot of times we all know that retail can be a thankless job, so I am unbelievably grateful to be acknowledged. I am so lucky to have an owner who cares enough to nominate me but most importantly, one who always supports me in everything I do, even my crazy ideas. I also hope that other women see that hardware is a space for them, and if I can be an example of that, that is extremely exciting for me. 

RL: Being named a Young Retailer of the Year Honoree has great significance to me. Being a third generation dealer-owner there is a great deal of pride when taking over the family business, but it can also be a daunting task. I wanted to make my parents proud with this opportunity that has been given to me, and this validates that our team is on the right path and motivates me to keep going.

MS: To be named a Young Retailer of the Year Honoree is an absolute blessing and a dream come true. Since first working in this industry 13 years ago, I have read about the honorees before me and could only dream about being good enough to be in the same conversation as those individuals. To be in a class of individuals that care so deeply about the future of our industry is an amazing honor. Awards like this serve as an inspiration to other individuals who are finding their way in this industry and are wanting to make an impact. The Young Retailer of the Year Award exemplifies to other individuals how to be good stewards of our industry.

HL: It’s incredibly humbling. This recognition reflects not only my journey but the hard work, dedication and passion of my entire team. It’s a celebration of what we’ve built together and a reminder that there’s still so much more ahead. I’m grateful to be part of a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of our industry.

BM: It honestly means so much. When I got the call, I was completely shocked—I couldn’t believe it. There are so many incredible people in this industry who are more than worthy of this recognition. To be considered among them is a huge honor, and it’s only motivating me more to keep pushing toward my goals and continue growing into the kind of leader who truly earns it.

SS: It is a true honor. I want to think that what I have done and built is different, but you sometimes forget about your accomplishments when you’re in the day-to-day. It has allowed me to appreciate my hard work and sleepless nights and helped me realize they were not wasted. I’m not done, but the plan is in the process now. It has also been a special time as I reflect on my career and who has helped me along the way. I didn’t get here today without my parents, family, friends, associates, mentors and fellow retailers pushing and encouraging me. I’m just lucky to have had such a great group along the way.

MiS: Sometimes you feel like you are grinding away your life just to get by another few years. Winning young retailer of the year validates for me that what I am doing is unique, is working and provides value that other people see as important. It was unfortunate that I couldn’t make it to the event, and that even now, with the loss of 2 employees in my busy season, I’m struggling to handle even day-to-day operations, but I think that finding the will to keep going and carving my business’ path through another year shows just how much it means to myself and the community.