Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
Sometimes, not knowing where you are going can actually lead you down the right path.
Ikaika “Daniel” Keliikoa didn’t know what he wanted to do after he graduated high school, but did feel a pull to join the military. He wanted to do something for his country and felt like this was the way he should do it.
Keliikoa enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2000. While he was in the National Guard, his primary job was artillery and he had a secondary job in infantry.
Keliikoa says some of his favorite things about serving in the military was all the camaraderie that comes with it and the experiences he took part in.
“I got to travel around the world,” he says. “And the job. I love the job.”
After COVID-19, he started to look for a job. It was then that he made the jump to the home improvement channel. He was then given an opportunity to work for Hardware Hawaii.
“I’m a lumber supervisor, so I just supervise all the guys and help all customers, alongside with giving some advice with materials,” Keliikoa says.
Keliikoa is a leader for everyone at his job, and it’s important to him that he leads with integrity and excellence. He says the military is what helped enable him to be someone his team could rely on.
Keliikoa says the home improvement channel is perfect for veterans like him because they are loyal and hard working people.
“Military guys are loyal and respectful,” he says. “They come from a hard working background, so they know how it is going up from a lower enlisted all the way up to NCOs, so they know how it feels coming from the bottom, working your way up.”
Paying Tribute
While there is no way to repay the sacrifices made by veterans of the armed forces, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) recognizes that not only have these individuals made a lasting impact on their country, but they are also a prominent and positive influence within the home improvement industry.
To honor the ongoing impact military veterans make throughout the home improvement industry,
NHPA launched the Helmets to Home Improvement recognition program, with the National Hardware Show (NHS) as the program’s official founding sponsor and venue partner.
We need your help honoring these amazing men and women. Please visit YourNHPA.org/veterans to nominate a Helmets to Home Improvement honoree.
