Growing up working alongside his contractor father, ABC Supply Co-founder Ken Hendricks learned a lot about the building industry, including the challenges and disrespect that contractors often experienced from their suppliers.

Then in 1982, Ken and his wife, Diane Hendricks, saw an opportunity to acquire three supply centers to create ABC Supply, dedicated to putting contractors’ needs first, treating them like the professionals they are, giving them the tools they deserve and helping them upgrade their image.

Today, we continue their belief that to better support contractors and make them as successful as possible, we have to first take the time to get to know them and understand their challenges. Not only has this focus allowed us to become a go-to distributor of exterior building products, it’s also led to the creation of a workplace culture that encourages our associates to be engaged and take an active role in finding innovative and creative solutions for customers’ challenges.

To highlight some of the ways we get to know and grow relationships with contractors, we sat down with four past Ken Hendricks Award winners and longtime ABC Supply associates, Pat Keeney, Frank Novascone, Jeff Ploch and Tom Wills.

Tom: At ABC Supply, we all believe that we’re family, and we care for each other beyond the business relationships we have. From cookouts to Veterans Day celebrations to volunteering for local organizations and camps, many of our branches look for ways to strengthen our relationships with customers by involving them in events.

Pat: Even though ABC Supply has grown over the years, each branch still feels like a mom-and-pop shop, and every associate has a direct investment in their location’s success. We’re also fortunate to have a culture where our associates across the country make it a priority to truly get to know our customers. There isn’t a contractor who takes five steps inside the front door of my branch without someone on my team acknowledging them by their first name.

Jeff: Contractors will always need products on time and look for suppliers that save them time, but at the end of the day, this is a people business. Contractors still want to buy from people they like and who they believe care about their business. By treating contractors like family and treating them with respect, we show that we truly care about them and their business.

Frank: While ABC Supply has continued to find ways to use technology to enhance the way we connect with contractors, we’ve never wavered from our focus on personal relationships. We’ve always believed we’re an extension of our customers’ teams, and we look for ways to get to know them better. Whether it’s using the newspaper at the front counter for a conversation starter, sending an email when a storm hits or inviting contractors to company events, our managers strive to know our customers on a personal level.

Learn more about what these associates have to say about the industry and ABC Supply on our blog and in their Q&A with Roofing Contractor.

Get to Know the Associates: