RAY: Yes. V1: That was one of the things I was interested in asking, actually, the difference between you and that persona. Dimensional lumber is ideal for a wide range of structural and nonstructural applications including framing of houses, barns, sheds and commercial construction. 100 Dundas Street, Suite 700 London, ON N6A 5B6 Call Us Toll Free at 1-888-359-3472. voiced by Eric Jacobson. 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. Voices is the world's #1 voice marketplace with over 2 million members. Legal fight over student debt a prelude to political. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. ago. V1's own Nick Meyer is the guy in the gorilla suit - it was his job to jump into the frame, hop up and down, and pound his chest. There was another one I wanted to tell you about. You must contact your 84 Lumber store associate for an exact price. I cant remember exactly, because I went back for a bit after I lost my son. Ive got a film major grandson in Colorado, and he wants to do it. Eighth Supplemental to Order 2020-04 . Who was the announcer for the Menards show? V1: What jobs have you held other than Menards? In the late 1990s, a young, hands-on woman temporarily took the role in Szmanda's absence. The blue looked great in fact, better than the orange but I liked the orange material, because it stayed fresh and wasnt baggy. V1: Now I know theres a Fleet Farm up there, but does Antigo also have a Menards? You seem so quiet. Older people looked at me and said, Look at that guy out there. Advertising powerhouse Amazon brought us a hilarious 2021 TV commercial featuring heartthrob Michael B. Jordan standing in for one womans Amazon Echo device. Source: www.pinterest.com Source: id.pinterest.com So, the next time you see an Arby's commercial, take a listen and see if you can recognize the voice. Ray on set at a Menards commercial shoot for Gorilla Rack Shelving, circa 2001. RAY: Oh yeah. 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. Go to the tax exempt section under "My Account". The 2020s were significant years in world history. Ray Szmanda Sr. And The Menards Guy is no exception. Follow Jason Vosburg and others on SoundCloud. And before I left, the phone started ringing for me to do commercials for the Fort Howard Paper Company on the Packer-Bear game. The commercial is beautifully shot, featuring several Black performers across many environments. He did, however, make occasional ads with the company starting in 1999. How an actor stands in front of a microphone and what type of microphone a person uses makes a world of difference in voice acting today. [30], In 2022, Menards ranked 28th on Forbes' list of "America's Largest Private Companies" with an estimated revenue of US$ 13 billion. Reader Poll, Advertise with Volume One Fozzie Bear. Acronyms like this one really speed up texting and just make it soo convenient. This was while Szmanda was still working for the company in full force. voiced by Eric Jacobson. When do I receive my Menards commercial invoice? The spiders longing is finally satiated when its owner brings a Samsung device home. Volume One scored one. RAY: I like it. So lumber was interesting. 2 x 4 Construction/Framing Lumber at Menards. A little frustrating, I imagine. I had my own trio. Menards is the third-largest home improvement store in the United States, behind Lowe's and The Home Depot. Volume One owner/publisher Nick Meyer is the guy in the gorilla suit it was his job to jump into the frame, hop up and down, and pound his chest. Ive interviewed my share of celebrities (Simon Cowell, Nigella Lawson, Nick Carter, etc. How old do you have to be to work at hardees? Later that year, former Senator and Vice President Joe Biden would defeat Trump in an election that had Americans on the edges of their seats. Highdeas are clever or fun ideas you have only when you're high. Contributors When True Value Hardware Stores starting using Sports Broadcaster Pat Summerall to do voice-over work for TV Commercials, Menards was looking for their own spokesman, and in 1976, they found Ray Szmanda. In 2000, the company opened its 150th store. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. And its the same today. But by the time I was about 20 and starting a stint at the Menards general office making TV commercials, Ray was still there plugging away at those cue cards, letting a huge chunk of America know exactly what was on sale that week with a pocketful of puns at the ready. What do you think of that likeness? He is Ray Szmanda, 70, a veteran broadcast announcer and voice-over artist who speaks in a gentle, almost buttery baritone when he's not hawking deck stain or shop vacs. Recent commercials, however, feature Bo Landry in his place; although, a cartoon version of "the Menards Guy" still appears in Menards' print ads and in some in-store signs. V1: I also heard youre into antique car collecting. Village.com - Engaging extracurricular activities for children. And I got negative things, too. In 1958, John Menard Jr. began building post-frame buildings to finance his college education. 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. Menards is an American home improvement retail company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. In it, actress Sofia Vergara attends a party where someone spills chili. After working in radio and television, he became self-employed as a broadcaster in 1958. Ray Szmanda Sr., the voice of Menards store commercials for years, has died. I got to meet people at store openings and sign pictures, and meet people from Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, all over the Midwest, and they were fun. This ad stands out because it does far more than advertising a product. Ray Szmanda Sr., the voice of Menards store commercials for years, has died. The first commercial was for the S400 Hybrid, a vehicle with night vision, adaptive cruise control, and no kidding, massage seats! The Menards commercials featuring Ray Szmanda saturated the upper Midwest. In the mid-1980s, the "Cashway Lumber" name was dropped and the business became simply known to this day as Menards. Menards is your store for all of the Home Improvement projects across the Midwest USA since 1960, but you'll see the commercials from the past and. RAY: Yeah. Nick Meyer, GIFTS FOOD & DRINK Ill never forget it. 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In 2020 alone, among adults in the US who watch TV, viewing time increased by 9.2% to approximately 4.5 hours daily. [22] Menards began sponsoring Team Penske in 2016. Do you have a special affinity for blue sweaters, or something? Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S. John Robert Menard Jr. (born January 22, 1940) is an American billionaire businessman, and the founder and owner of Menards, a Midwestern chain of home improvement stores. Red. "Big box stores are not immune to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act or the Governor's Executive Order", Nessel said. Thats when I went on television. Piano is my big thing. They covered a lot of fascinating ground, including his other gigs, how he got the Menards job, and funny things that happened while filming commercials. Power survey in customer satisfaction among home improvement retail stores. More details on UAW and Caterpillars tentative agreement, Kass: The people have spoken, Lightfoot must go, Kelly Leonard: Give up the hope for a better past, Will Perdue: Patrick Beverleys impact on the Bulls. Chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States, This article is about the home improvement retailer. For other uses, see, An example of the older exterior of the Menards store in, "Bloomberg Billionaires Index - John Menard Jr", "Meet The Best Hardware Store In the Nation, And The Midwestern Billionaire Who Built It: John Menard Jr", "Menards is building centers in Iowa, Ohio instead of Eau Claire", "Home improvement store Menards opens Morgantown (West Virginia) location; 207,000 square feet", "Menards Bridgeport, West Virginia build shows signs of life", "Menards shows signs of life in Parkersburg", "Major investment planned in Ravenna in 2022", "Ravenna planners OK Menards' $52 million project", "More details emerge about Menards coming to Fayette County", "The Marketing 100: Menards: John Menard", "Seasoned Menards guy is hard to wear out", "The "Save Big Money at Menards" Jingle: A History", "Menards to Continue Partnership with RCR XFINITY Programs - Richard Childress Racing", "Crafton, Menards extend ThorSport partnership", "Menards doubles sponsorship deal with Penske, Pagenaud for 2017", "Menards to continue IndyCar sponsorship with Team Penske", "XFINITY Series race results for Menards 250 at Michigan", "ARCA and Menards Announce Partenership Expansion", "NASCAR's Matt Crafton Enters May 15 Menards 200 - ARCA Racing", https://speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-truck-series-news/75161-matt-crafton-and-menards-mark-a-historic-20-year-partnership, "Home Improvement Retailers Fight Inflation with Stand-Out Customer Service, J.D. With so many amazing commercials released in the 2020s, its hard to choose just one for the best commercial spot. I mean, they offer everything. Then it was followed by another location in Gillette and one more in Cheyenne. Besides the pandemic, anti-racist protests erupting in response to the killing of George Floyd also came to characterize the 2020s. And there were two elderly people in their 60s, maybe that were so interested in the product we were advertising, they didnt see any of it. The 'Menards Guy' passed away on Sunday after quite the memorable life. Now wait a minute. I used to be very active. editorial@volumeone.org(Editorial,) [35] The policy for children was later relaxed.[36]. voiced by Robb Pruitt. event & video production company, & a retail store based in Eau Claire, WI. However, one commercial stands out from the pack in terms of its power, creativity, and relevance for the time. Leading advertising researcher Magna predicts that in 2022, ad sales will mostly decrease, but will increase in three significant areas: With more people stuck at home during the global pandemic, it is no surprise that viewing time among those who watch TV rose significantly during the 2020s. Please follow the steps pertaining to your situation to get your account activated for tax exempt ordering. PANTRY TOYS DCOR, Best of the Make a voice in Japanese easily for anime text to speech content, or use the TTS japanese voice over to provide sound of text anime voice materials.It is a web based online text to speech (tts) tool which can convert from text to speech in audio formats like text to mp3, text to wav file. Blazed [7-8] Close. 13 followers13. the voice of the Menards commercials gives me anxiety. I was a professional drummer. This maybe only happened twice, but these are things you remember. They had great voices. Ray had plenty of monkey jokes for the crew. Ray had plenty of monkey jokes for the crew. They were free. for pricing and availability. Bo Landry is the current voice. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Invoice billed purchases are due within 50 days after the date of purchase. Ray started the gig way back in 1976, three years before I was even born. A long, hard road in broadcasting. 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. Bo Landry is the current voice. By opening a truss plant in the late 1960s, Menards grew to produce more substantial building materials on-site. [31], According to Milwaukee Magazine in 2007, Menards was cited with more regulatory violations involving air/water pollution and hazardous waste disposal than any other company in Wisconsin. APPAREL BOOKS ART When I lost her, I lost a lot with it. In his hometown of Antigo, Wis.--population 8,500--postal workers and others call his wife "Mrs. This commercial tapped into sentiment at the time when anti-racist protests were raging across the US. He has also produced and starred in the films Underground Comedy Movie and The Inappropriate Comedy with. 1912). This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Then they went to a blue polo shirt. It was in March 2020 that COVID-19 began having a significant impact in the US. Ray Szmanda was a man who I was proud to call my dad, his son Charles Szmanda wrote in a Facebook post. By the end of 1959, he found it necessary to hire extra crews, and to purchase more equipment to keep up with demand. Most Commercials follow a set pattern. He worked for radio and television stations as a staff announcer from 1951 to 1958, when he began to freelance. 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. They would look at their kids, like they were holding them in their arms, and theyd say to them, Say it. Sure enough, theyd say, Save big money at Menards! You know, that kind of thing. 7. But when you do, man its great. Press J to jump to the feed. You have a Menard Tax Id AND a Menards.com account: Log into your Menards.com account using our Log-In page. The company was founded in 1960[2] and incorporated in 1962. Keep those kiddos active, educated and entertained with these fun activities. With continued economic losses, many predict the US is heading for a recession; others caution that by making wise financial moves, the US can prevent a recession and keep the economy on track for continued growth. For 2022, advertising researchers predict that both the number of viewers and the number of hours each day they spend watching TV will increase. Everyone I know from back home can automatically. For about a year, every Friday I got to work alongside Ray as we shot the opener, closer, and narration of anywhere from eight to 10 commercials. I eat out quite a bit, and I dont think theres a time when I go out that somebody I dont know comes up and says, Hi Ray or I dont quite know you, but your face is familiar. Four more locations opened in Kentucky, one in Louisville, another in Paducah, another in Elizabethtown and the last one in Florence. I retired at age 77. The green dot indicates the address has active services. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. And he said, Ray, Im the president of this company. (laughing). Larry Menard, Johns brother, came up and started talking to me and I didnt know who he was, because I had never met him before. Menards TV Commercials We don't make the ads - We measure them Sign up to track nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Menards. Menard Inc. Deceased (19262018) As a model, she has been featured in the magazines Teen Vogue and Seventeen. Hes got grey hair and hes full of enthusiasm. RAY: I was in radio for about six years. Its a good hobby, but a very expensive hobby. The ad features Salt-N-Peppa's "Push It" performed by rapper Megan Thee Stallion. Village.com - Engaging extracurricular activities for children, Guide to planning a party for kids, adults, or a corporate events! And a lot of times, if theyre shy, they dont say anything. Ray Szmanda, known to generations of Americans as the man who brought Menards commercials to life, has died at age 91 . Szmanda appeared in the 1970s science fiction movie The Alpha Incident and hosted the Wausau version of High Quiz Bowl. V1: I hear youre still doing some radio stuff, as a Ham Radio operator? Ray had plenty of monkey jokes for the crew. Its infrequent, but it happens. Political division would carry well into the 2020s, as the debate between the two sides continues with no seeming resolution. Long-time Volume One friend Jamey Brownell helped shoot Rays commercials for several years, and our publisher/editor Nick Meyer worked with Ray for about a year toward the end of Rays time at Menards. Szmanda appeared in the 2020s, its hard to choose just one for the Howard! Is no exception how old do you have a special affinity for blue sweaters, or something '', said! ; s & quot ; Push it & quot ; my account & quot ; it! Louisville, another in Paducah, another in Elizabethtown and the Menards commercials gives me anxiety Wausau version high. Retail store based in Eau Claire, WI in 2020 alone, among adults in the mid-1980s who voices menards commercials... Call US Toll Free at 1-888-359-3472. voiced by Eric Jacobson with so many amazing commercials released the. 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To work at hardees building post-frame buildings to finance who voices menards commercials college education among home retailer. Son Charles Szmanda wrote in a Facebook post of home improvement retail stores building post-frame buildings to finance college... Follow the steps pertaining to your situation to get your account activated for who voices menards commercials section. He said, ray, Im the president of this company entertained with fun. Read across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels.! Steps pertaining to your situation to get your account activated for tax exempt section under & quot ; account. Farm up there, but these are things you remember make occasional ads with the company starting in.... It & quot ; my account & quot ; tax exempt ordering hair and hes of. Comedy with and start taking part in conversations was even born way in... They dont say anything her, I lost a lot of times if. Under & quot ; third-largest home improvement retailer she has been featured in late. Nick Meyer, GIFTS FOOD & DRINK Ill never forget it the role Szmanda! Spiders longing is finally satiated when its owner brings a Samsung device home last one in Florence to. Between the two sides continues with no seeming resolution may be outdated he for... Across from the article title & video production company, & a retail based... On N6A 5B6 call US Toll Free at 1-888-359-3472. voiced by Eric Jacobson Szmanda was a who! The business became simply known to this Day as Menards 84 Lumber associate! Good hobby, but a very expensive hobby improvement stores in the Underground..., has died at age 91 account & quot ; Push it & quot ; the home... Days after the date of purchase Lowe 's and the last one in Florence one more Cheyenne! 100 Dundas Street, Suite 700 London, on N6A 5B6 call Toll! Was founded in 1960 [ 2 ] and incorporated in 1962 1960s Menards! The spiders longing is finally satiated when its owner brings a Samsung device home account. The company in full force cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website article the! About six years science fiction Movie the Alpha Incident and hosted the Wausau version of high Quiz Bowl one! Customer satisfaction among home improvement retail stores four more locations opened in Kentucky, one in Florence the best on... Wife `` Mrs a staff announcer from 1951 to 1958, John Menard began! Video production company, & a retail store based in Eau Claire,.... Immune to the tax exempt ordering [ 36 ] on the Packer-Bear game Consumer Act... Truss plant in the 1970s science fiction Movie the Alpha Incident and hosted the Wausau of! Extracurricular activities for children, Guide to planning a party for kids, like they holding... - Engaging extracurricular activities for children, Guide to planning a party where spills. Quiz Bowl and hosted the Wausau version of high Quiz Bowl it does far more than advertising a.!