RETAILOBSERVER.COM DECEMBER 2018
12
50
TH
ANNIVERSARY
B
ob met his wife, Masako, on an appliance service call in
1971. They now have four children—Mike, Chris, Connie, and
Jennie, who grew up working at R&B and continue to work in
the business today.
Mike Burggraf began as an outside sales rep and served as
general manager of the Arizona branch until last year, when he
moved to California to support R&B's growth in Northern CA. Chris
Burggraf got an early start at R&B when he was in elementary
school. "I think it was a way for my mom to get us out of the house,"
laughs Chris. Chris started his career filing and now runs the
Northern California branch. Connie Burggraf-Espina started at R&B
when she was nine years old, proudly earning her weekly allowance,
and now serves as general manager at corporate headquarters in
Southern California. Jennie Burggraf-Roque recalls, "My life at R&B
started at around age 13, with filing after school." Jennie now
supports the builder team and manages the office. Her husband,
Romeo Roque, also works in the business, spearheading all
technology initiatives.
Today, R&B distributes over 25 brands and serves more than
1,000 customers. "R&B is planning and building for continued sales
growth in the coming years," says Connie. "We're excited about the
appliance business moving forward. Investment, expansion and
working closely with manufacturers, retail dealers, builders,
and commercial customers are key initiatives as R&B looks toward
the future."
In celebration of R&B's 50th anniversary, the company will host
an Alaskan cruise in June 2019 for many of its customers, vendors,
and employees celebrate their accomplishments. It will be a
memorable week as R&B Wholesale Distributors, Inc. launches its
next 50 years distributing appliances to the independent dealer.
The family-first entrepreneurial spirit that began in 1968 is still a
driving force in the company. As a family-owned and operated
company, all employees carry the tradition to serve the customer
first. From the employees answering the telephones to the
salesperson calling on the dealer, to the delivery driver unloading
the product at its destination, every employee understands the
importance of the customer relationship, because they are more
than just customers – they are family.
As President and CEO, Bob Burggraf actively enjoys the day-to-
day operation of his expanding distribution company. When asked
what this 50-year anniversary means to him, Bob replied, "It's a big
accomplishment for us. I'm proud of our family, and our loyal
employees that we call family."
Visit www.rbdist.com or contact R&B Wholesale Distributors, Inc.
at info@rbdist.com or (909) 230-5400 for more information.
2350 S. Milliken Avenue, Ontario, CA 91761.
2018 The Burggraf family today
RO
