And The Menards Guy is no exception. Its just fun. To get comfortable, Momoa removes muscles and hair, leaving him a scrawny, balding man. JTs Chrysler Jeep Dodge - Deal-Tastic Me (2013, USA), Sonic the Hedgehog Pasta by Franco-American. Do you take that as a compliment, the fact that youre still the irreplaceable Menards guy?. [5] In 2008, the company expanded into Missouri. When Buick left the sport, Menard bought the engine tooling from Buick and began producing the engines under the Menard V6 name. Raymond Jack "Ray" Szmanda, Sr. (June 22, 1926 May 6, 2018) was an American radio and television announcer known throughout the Midwestern United States as the spokesperson for Menards, a position he held for more than two decades. That will continue for a few items before Ray shows up a final time with another general phrase about the store (Example: "Stay on track with Savings from Menards!"). V1: I also heard youre into antique car collecting. ), but only Paula Dean, who invited me down to her Savannah, Georgia home for a meal, has come anywhere near the feel-good experience of talking with Ray Szmanda, who will gladly send you a signed photo or proudly belt Save big money at Menards! on request. Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. Bo Landry is the current voice. He continued to appear regularly in commercials until 1998 when he started a semi retirement as the spokesman for Menards and would only show up on TV commercials occasionally. READ: An interview with Ray Szmanda (a.k.a. Im having a ball, Szmanda said on his personal website. V1: Right. Vince Offer is and actor, producer and infomercial star. Menards is owned by founder John Menard Jr. through his privately held company, Menard, Inc. He did, however, make occasional ads with the company starting in 1999. Menard eventually owned cars, primarily focusing on the Indianapolis 500 often using stock block Buick V6 engines. It was just unbelievable. While the relatively small country of Ukraine has put up quite a fight against the superpower that is Russia, the war rages on, and no one knows what the outcome will be. Ray Szmanda was a man who I was proud to call my dad, his son Charles Szmanda wrote in a Facebook post. Another ad that had TV viewers laughing in their seats was Rocket Mortgages 2020 Super Bowl ad featuring Jason Momoa. Needless to say, I got pretty giddy about the idea of chatting with Ray as Nick and Jamey exchanged fond memories of the blue-sweatered icon. Invoice billed purchases are do within 50 days after the date of purchase. Stocks are very reasonable right now. And he said, Ray, Im the president of this company. (laughing). Cursed Commercials Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. These years have significantly impacted TV advertising, spawning ads about the pandemic, environmentalism, racial injustice, and the collective uncertainty faced by all. RAY: All the time. His family included four sons and three daughters. Menards publishes weekly print ads and broadcasts TV and radio ads. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Wouldnt it? We played 40s music, what we called swing. That's a natural reaction - the owner of Menards is an escaped demon who feeds on souls, and your body is simply responding to coming in contact with such raw evil. RAY: Im not very active. There were a couple of elderly ladies that walked by my booth, and I was signing pictures. Szmanda trained at the American Institute of the Air and took writing courses from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and University of WisconsinMadison. She is of Dutch and one quarter Norwegian descent. have i jjst avoided menards that hard ? Who does the voice for the Menards commercial? He worked for radio and television stations as a staff announcer from 1951 to 1958, when he began to freelance. His products the SHAMWOW, InVINCEable, SlapChop, Schticky and more have sold millions. In 2007, Menards opened its third and fourth distribution centers in Holiday City, Ohio, and Shelby, Iowa, which are 669,000 square feet (62,200m2) and 735,000 square feet (68,300m2), respectively. This isnt right.. A long time ago they decided they wanted to do that, and its great. localstore@volumeone.org(Store,), TermsofUse / PrivacyPolicy V1: What jobs have you held other than Menards? The effort is well worth it. What do you put on a resume for server experience? In 2020, Menards expanded into West Virginia, opening three locations in that state: one in Wheeling, another in Morgantown, and the last one in Huntington. By that I mean he keeps me out of risky stocks. When we started, it was an orange shirt, which I liked. Its infrequent, but it happens. In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech detailing his many grievances with the neighboring country. Menards was founded as Menard Cashway Lumber. In that year alone, employers cut more than 22 million jobs in response to the economic impact of the global pandemic. I mail them to them. Lets consider what makes the time unique and discuss the impact the years have had on TV commercials in the 2020s. Right when I got out of the Navy at 21. I mean, they offer everything. I was a professional drummer. To honor the Fiesta of San Jacinto Holiday on Friday, several offices in the City of San Antonio will be closed. A Wisconsin company whose products sell vigorously throughout the Menards retail footprint. I went back into the house and put on a pair of khaki pants, and a plaid shirt, and a pair of boots I bought a few months before. That 15 minutes of fame, for me, came to be about an hour. "[citation needed], John Menard got involved in Indycar racing in the early 1980s working with his neighbor, driver Herm Johnson. Each one of his commercials, of which he filmed hundreds, featured his trademark smile, infectious enthusiasm, and passion for telling you about great deals. But when you do, man its great. And a lot of times, if theyre shy, they dont say anything. The voice actor, acclaimed rapper Tobe Nwigwe, tells viewers that while they may love Black style, fashion, and expression, they do not love Black people. Along with the many Americans fighting racial injustice, this 2020s TV ad questions the notion of equality in the US, calling everyone to see and honor the Black culture that has contributed so much to America. 18. Szmanda appeared in the 1970s science fiction movie The Alpha Incident and hosted the Wausau version of High Quiz Bowl. editorial@volumeone.org(Editorial,) Then it was followed by another location in Gillette and one more in Cheyenne. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Thats when I went on television. I played on the road. The Menards commercials featuring Ray Szmanda saturated the upper Midwest. Humming along since 2002, Volume One is a magazine, an Political division would carry well into the 2020s, as the debate between the two sides continues with no seeming resolution. In 2011, the company expanded into Kansas. I even came close to convincing myself that it would be a good idea to visit his house last Thanksgiving, as I was visiting my grandparents in Antigo, Wisconsin. [33][34], During the pandemic, Menards instituted a policy that prohibited children under age 16 and non-service animals in stores, to the frustration of single parents who do not have other childcare options. I cant imagine what a cashier thinks. You can connect with Menards on Twitter and YouTube. Then I did a Sunday morning thing, Masters of Rhythm. Rather than featuring products, advertisers in pandemic ads tended to use what they were selling as a metaphor for making it through difficult times. Advertising powerhouse Amazon brought us a hilarious 2021 TV commercial featuring heartthrob Michael B. Jordan standing in for one womans Amazon Echo device. His career with Menards began in 1976, where he was a fixture of the ads until his retirement in 1998. The 2020s would change the world significantly, and there would be no going back to the time before these pivotal years. Ive been keeping busy with music. I jumped in the car, went to the audition and thats when it happened. Keaton graduated from Humber College's Journalism program, specializing in Television and Online Media. 1912). Im an advertising man, not a red herring. Ray Szmanda appears as the Menards guy on one of its commercials (YouTube.com). The John Williams Show Then sweaters. Menard Inc. Deceased (19262018) V1: Was there any conversation about what youd be wearing? It has 351 stores in 15 states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming, but there are plans to expand to Pennsylvania. This commercial tapped into sentiment at the time when anti-racist protests were raging across the US. His son, Charles Szmanda, tells John about his late father. Chippewa Valley Contributors Ray Szmanda Sr. Read on V1: So how are you liking retirement so far? RAY: I did musical things, and some commercials on camera. Szmanda passed away at his home in Antigo on Sunday, May 6, according to. RAY: Anytime you have someone that imitates you, does the same thing you do, thats a huge compliment. His wife, Maxine, died in 1999,[2] and his son, Ray Jr., died in 2002. [29], In 2022, Menards ranked second in a J.D. PUBLISHER / EDITOR / OWNER Chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States, This article is about the home improvement retailer. It makes sense for a dapper gent like Hamm to be the voice of a luxury vehicle, and to his credit, he's completely embraced being the spokesman. PANTRY TOYS DCOR, Best of the Whats Biden waiting for when it comes to 2024? Powered by the comforting voice of Kermit the Frog, Adidas tells us their iconic yet sustainable products are ideal for those who want to go green. He was 91. At lunch he wouldnt remove his blue shirt, nametag, or his signature black glasses (which didnt even have lenses in them due to the glareon camera). Ray Menards Guy Szmanda passed away at the age of 91, leaving behind the legacy of his smile when pitching Menards on its television commercials. Presented by Metropolis Resort, Top bars for bloody marys in the Chippewa Valley, recipes, and local favorites. [17] Bob Holtan, John Menard's friend and radio station owner, wrote the lyrics to the "Save Big Money" jingle in the early 1970s. People were in shock. His son, Charles Szmanda, tells John about his late father. Right when I got out of risky stocks John Menard Jr. through his held. The neighboring country me out of the Whats Biden waiting for when it.! Facebook post are do within 50 days after the date of purchase 1958, when began! Scrawny, balding man from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and University of WisconsinMilwaukee and University WisconsinMilwaukee... Still the irreplaceable Menards guy? Then it was an orange shirt, which I liked, the company in. 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