Retail Observer

JANUARY 2020 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 37 MARK RECKLING American Heritage Award Honoree As President & CEO of Grand Appliance & TV, Mark Reckling embodies the American dream through his success as an entrepreneur and his expansive retail operations. In 1930, Reckling's grandfather started the business called Service Electric that later became known as Grand Appliance in Waukegan, Ill., named for the avenue it sat on. After majoring in food science at Western Michigan University, Reckling left a career in the grocery business to join his father in the family appliance business in 1979. It took 13 years after joining his father before Grand Appliance gained enough momentum to open a second location, and the company has been on a tear ever since. Today, Reckling and his team of 360 employees serve household and commercial customers out of 22 spacious showrooms spread across four Midwestern states. Unlike other retailers who succumbed to the Great Recession and marketplace pressures, Grand has flourished, with sales skyrocketing 1,000-fold from the time he joined that first Waukegan store. The secret of his success? In a word, family – including son Aaron (VP sales), daughter Jane (VP Human Resources) and son-in-law Anish Gauri (COO). There's also the extended employee family and their households whose welfare he holds dear, and the greater family of customers whose satisfaction is paramount. "We really care about our employees and their families," Reckling said. "From the sales associates and the operations department, to the delivery team and the corporate staff, they all played an integral part in the growth and success Grand has achieved." Grand is also there for its customers and communities in times of need, a tradition that goes back two generations with the family's involvement in the Head Start and Habitat for Humanity programs. Now, through the company's Grand Foundation and Twelve Months of Giving initiatives, "Our focus is on education, social harmony and assisting the underserved," said daughter Meagan Gauri, executive director of the Grand Foundation, "whether that's donating merchandise to non-profit groups or supporting local community programs in the areas we serve." "I'm thankful to my family, my employees and our great customers for making this a reality," Reckling reflected. "This truly is the American dream." JOHN TAYLOR Torch of Liberty Award Honoree As the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications for LG Electronics USA, Taylor represents the company before the U.S. government and in industry organizations. He is the chief media spokesman and public relations strategist for LG in the United States. Taylor also oversees LG

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