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30-565: In 1958, John Menard Jr. began building post-frame buildings to finance his college education. By the end of 1959, he found it necessary to hire extra crews, and to purchase more pieces of equipment to keep up with demand. After graduating from the Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire (now University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire ) in 1962, Menard purchased land in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and built an office and shop. The company

60-422: A J.D. Power survey in customer satisfaction among home improvement retail stores. Subsequently in J.D. Power's 2024 survey, Menards ranked first, with the highest customer satisfaction of national home improvement retail stores. In 2022, Menards ranked 28th on Forbes' list of "America's Largest Private Companies" with an estimated revenue of US$ 13 billion. According to Milwaukee Magazine in 2007, Menards

90-640: A cease and desist letter citing 18 complaints from consumers in regards to price gouging on products such as face masks and bleach. "Big box stores are not immune to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act or the Governor's Executive Order", Nessel said. "Large corporations must also play by the rules, and my office will work diligently to ensure this state's consumers are treated fairly and not abused by businesses seeking to unlawfully jack prices up to line their pockets with profits at

120-823: A degree in business and a minor in psychology. After graduating, he passed up working for IBM to continue his own small farm construction business. Menard began his career constructing pole buildings with friends from college. He made his home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin . Menard has six children, and married his third wife, Faiha Obaid, in 2008. In 1997, Menard was caught using his own pickup truck to haul plastic bags filled with chromium and arsenic-laden wood ash to his home for disposal with his household trash. Menard pleaded no contest to felony and misdemeanor charges involving records violations, unlawful transportation, and improper disposal of hazardous waste. Menard and his company were fined $ 1.7 million for 21 violations. In 2013

150-622: A former investment partner, Stephen Hilbert, a 20% shareholder in MH Equity, for mismanaging assets and resources. Menard has a pronounced hostility towards organized labor. He imposed an absolute ban on hiring anyone who had ever belonged to a union. Managers at Menards are subject to 60% pay cuts if their store becomes unionized. Managers also have to agree to pay fines of $ 100 per minute for infractions such as opening late and to submit any disputes to arbitration rather than legal courts. Paul Menard , John Jr.'s son, raced sixteen years in

180-519: A mixture of mariachi and banjo sounds) end with "¡Ganar mucho dinero en Menards!" John Menard got involved in Indycar racing in the early 1980s working with his neighbor, driver Herm Johnson. Menard eventually owned cars, primarily focusing on the Indianapolis 500 often using stock block Buick V6 engines. When Buick left the sport, Menard bought the engine tooling from Buick and began producing

210-531: A new emergency services department and to help the hospital educate and train health professionals. In 2015, Menard donated $ 10 million to support the Eau Claire Area YMCA. The gift helped replace the five-court LE Phillips Tennis Center that opened in 1972 to become an eight-court indoor tennis center known as the John and Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center. In 2019, The Menard family donated $ 5 million to

240-480: A staff announcer from 1951 to 1958, when he began to freelance . From 1959 to 1978, he operated the Trans-American School of Broadcasting in his hometown of Wausau, Wisconsin . His career with Menards began in 1976, where he was a fixture of the ads until his retirement in 1998. He did, however, make occasional ads with the company starting in 1999, such as Embers America . Szmanda also appeared in

270-682: A two-year-long delay. The distribution center in Ravenna will supplement the chain's expansion into Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania . Menards announced in 2022 that it would open its first Pennsylvania location in Washington . A second Menards in Uniontown has been delayed. In 2007, the 240,000 sq ft (22,000 m) and larger Menards stores began selling groceries . At such locations, shoppers are able to purchase items such as frozen pizza , milk , eggs , common snacks, and

300-611: A variety of canned items. In addition, these Menards locations carry items such as office supplies, pet supplies, and mattresses. Menards publishes weekly print ads and broadcasts TV and radio ads. Radio and TV ads are usually accompanied by banjo music (resembling that of bluegrass music ) played by Gary Shaw of Wisconsin. Ray Szmanda was the "Menards Guy" who used the slogan "Save big money at Menards" regularly on television advertisements from 1976 to 1998, and occasionally from 1999 until his death in 2018. Before his return in 1999, Kim Larsen took over his position in his absence. During

330-540: The ARCA RE/MAX Series . After RE/MAX declined to renew their sponsorship, Menards took over as title sponsor, renaming the series the ARCA Menards Series. Menards-sponsored cars are easily recognizable on tracks, as they are typically painted with a fluorescent yellow livery. In January 2008, Menard gave $ 15 million to support Eau Claire's Luther Midelfort Hospital. The donation was used for

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360-545: The Christmas and holiday season , radio and television ads typically feature an alternative jingle "Warm season's greetings to you all from Menards!" sung by a female chorus beginning in 1986. The same year, the "Helping You Build America’s Heartland" jingle was made. Warren Lada, WLXR radio in LaCrosse, wrote the lyrics to the "Save Big Money" jingle in the early 1970s. Spanish language commercials (whose music contains

390-567: The IRS ordered Menard to pay $ 6 million in back taxes after he allegedly mischaracterized $ 20 million as salary, not dividends, deducting it as a business expense. In a separate case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court forced Menard to pay $ 1.6 million to a former legal counsel to compensate for gender discrimination and gross underpayment. In 2002, Menard paid more than $ 216 million tax for his $ 559 million income. In April 2020, Menard

420-591: The NASCAR Cup Series , winning the 2011 Brickyard 400 . Menard also owns an engine shop in the United Kingdom that produced engines for Team Menard and Robby Gordon Motorsports , the former of which, owned by Menard, won the 1997 and 1999 Indy Racing League championships. Menards is a primary sponsor of the Team Penske #2 Ford Mustang. They are also primary sponsors of his teammate in

450-860: The #12 Mustang Ryan Blaney in the NASCAR Cup Series. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series , Menards sponsors the JR Motorsports #9 Chevrolet Camaro with driver Brandon Jones . In the Craftsman Truck Series , Menards sponsors the ThorSport Racing #88 Ford with driver Matt Crafton . Menards was a former partner of Robby Gordon , Dale Earnhardt Jr. , and Martin Truex Jr. across various series. Menard also sponsored Frank Kimmel for several years in

480-467: The 103rd-richest person in the world with a net worth of US$ 18.9 billion. The oldest of eight siblings in a Catholic family with German, French-Canadian , and Norwegian roots, His father, John Menard Sr., was a university professor while his mother, Rosemary, was a grade school teacher. Menard attended Eau Claire Regis High School . He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire with

510-536: The 1970s and 1980s Menards began opening locations in Iowa , Minnesota , North Dakota and South Dakota . The company expanded into Nebraska in 1990, Illinois in 1991 and Indiana and Michigan in 1992. Menards sold the Menard Building Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the pole building industry. Menards was founded as Menard Cashway Lumber . In the mid-1980s, the "Cashway Lumber" name

540-534: The 2011 Brickyard 400 in a Menards sponsored Richard Childress Chevrolet. ; Robby Gordon ; P. J. Jones ; Brandon Jones ; Matt Crafton ; Simon Pagenaud , Ryan Blaney and Matt DiBenedetto . Menards began sponsoring Team Penske in 2016. Menards has also become the title sponsor of races in the Xfinity Series   and as the entitlement sponsor for the ARCA Racing Series . In 2023,

570-568: The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law . In addition to supporting the center's research, engagement, and student enrichment, the donation also supports an endowed lecture and an annual national conference. A supporter of conservative causes, Menard has donated to the political groups of the Koch brothers . Ray Szmanda Raymond Jack "Ray" Szmanda, Sr. (June 22, 1926 – May 6, 2018)

600-550: The Menards and Matt Crafton sponsorship partnership surpassed STP and Richard Petty as NASCAR's longest-tenured driver/sponsorship relationship. In 2021, Menards ranked 26th on Forbes ’ list of "America's Largest Private Companies", with an estimated revenue of US$ 11.8 billion. In 2022, Menards ranked 34th on the National Retail Federation 's list of "100 Top Retailers". In 2022, Menards ranked second in

630-1031: The company expanded into Missouri . In 2009, Menards opened its first Wyoming location in Casper. Then it was followed by another location in Gillette and one more in Cheyenne . In 2011, the company expanded into Kansas . In 2012, Menards opened its first Kentucky location in Owensboro . Six more locations opened in Kentucky; one in Louisville , another in Paducah , another in Elizabethtown , another in Florence , another in Bowling Green , and

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660-608: The engines under the Menard V6 name. Driver Scott Brayton won two consecutive Indy 500 poles for Menard, but was killed in a practice crash before the 1996 500. Tony Stewart got his first Indy 500 starts for Menard, and in 1992 Al Unser Sr. scored the highest Indy 500 finish for the team (3rd) and the highest ever 500 finish for the Buick/Menard V6 engine. Menards has supported several racing drivers, including Paul Menard (John Menard's son) who won his only NASCAR Cup race in

690-421: The expense of the public during this time of great need." Nessel said that Menards would have 10 days to respond to the letter, or she would potentially take legal action. During the early stages of 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. The policy for children

720-1006: The last one in Richmond . In 2020, Menards expanded into West Virginia , opening four locations in that state: one in Wheeling , another in Morgantown , another in Huntington and the last one in Bridgeport . There will be a fifth Menards in West Virginia in Parkersburg , followed by a sixth location in Charleston . A fifth manufacturing and distribution center in Ravenna, Ohio began construction in Spring 2022 after

750-558: Was among several businessmen named to the economic advisory group established by President Donald Trump . Menard opened his first hardware store in 1964. As of 2021, his company owned 335 Menards stores and 12 distribution centers. As of 2005, Menards grossed an estimated $ 5.5 billion in sales. Menard had a net worth of $ 8.6 billion in 2013, according to the Forbes 400 , and is the richest person in Wisconsin . In 2013, Menard ousted

780-777: Was an American radio and television announcer known throughout the Midwestern United States as the spokesperson for Menards . Szmanda was born in Milwaukee , Wisconsin and served in the United States Navy during World War II . Szmanda trained at the American Institute of the Air and took writing courses from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin–Madison . He worked for radio and television stations as

810-525: Was cited with more regulatory violations involving air/water pollution and hazardous waste disposal than any other company in Wisconsin. It also alleges that the company is strongly anti-union, to the point that it will not hire anyone who has ever worked in a union shop , even if they did so while in their teen years. During the COVID-19 pandemic , Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel sent Menards

840-463: Was dropped and the business became simply known to this day as Menards. In 2000, the company opened its 150th store. During the early and mid 2000s, Menards expanded into Ohio . In 2007, Menards opened its third and fourth distribution centers in Holiday City , Ohio, and Shelby , Iowa, which are 669,000 square feet (62,200 m) and 735,000 square feet (68,300 m), respectively. In 2008,

870-400: Was founded in 1960  and incorporated in 1962. The first Menards hardware store opened in 1964. By opening a truss plant in the late 1960s, Menards grew to produce more substantial building materials on-site. The truss plant evolved into the Menard Building Division, which produced steel siding and roofing, interior and exterior doors, decking and treated lumber, and other materials. Between

900-402: Was later relaxed. John Menard Jr. John Robert Menard Jr. (born January 22, 1940) is an American billionaire businessman who is the founder and owner of Menards , a Midwestern chain of home improvement stores. He is a former IndyCar racing team owner, and the father of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Paul Menard . As of June 2021, Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranked him

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