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Unsure of what the future would hold or even what he wanted his future to look like, Kane Wilbanks turned to the military, joining the U.S. Marine Corps in 2017.
“The unknown really drove my motivation to join the Marines,” Kane says. “I was undecided on my education plans after high school, and this unknown phenomenon felt like a challenge that had to be conquered.”
Kane served in the Marines until 2021, working primarily as a purchasing agent and “holding billets” in several supply fields. In the military, a billet refers to a specific role or assignment, often fulfilling leadership or operational needs.
While being able to fulfill different roles was rewarding, Kane says it was the people he met and worked with along the way that made his experience truly satisfying.
“When I talk about my favorite part of serving, it’s always hands down the people,” Kane says. “The military as a whole is a melting pot of ethnicities, cultures and personalities that exposed me to so much more than the traditional small-town USA I grew up in. Everywhere I went, I met lifelong friends who I routinely still speak with.”
After hanging up his boots, Kane’s mother, Jennifer Gresham, introduced him to the independent home improvement channel.
“After my time in service, you could say she was the one who recruited me into my next chapter,” Kane says.
Kane is a sales representative for Orgill, serving the North Mississippi territory.
Just like his time in the Marines, Kane’s favorite part of being in the independent industry is the people.
“It is hard to narrow my favorite part of the channel into one singular part, but it would have to be my relationships with my customers,” Kane says. “After spending hours together every week, these relationships develop into family-like friendships, as much as professional colleagues.”
The combination of working with a variety of people while in uniform and his job as a purchasing agent made the transition into a sales role with Orgill seamless, Kane says.
“All of those skills go hand-in-hand with my current role,” he says. “I hold great gratitude for the men and women who shaped me into the person I am today. The experiences I gained along the way have given me direction on how to handle day-to-day operations, stressful deadlines, difficult projects and so much more.”
Military veterans are often looked at in a different light, Kane says, but he believes this is what makes them such an excellent fit for the independent channel.
“Veterans are disciplined, hardworking and subject matter experts in their respective fields. In this channel, I would say that is exactly what I would look for when seeking any role for a potential new hire,” Kane says. “These men and women have shown they have what it takes to learn and to be dependable and will continue to do so in this new channel.”
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.
