Its infrequent, but it happens. It takes a long time to get a gig like Menards. Szmanda lived in Antigo, Wisconsin. Chippewa Valley They dont even say that. editorial@volumeone.org(Editorial,) [7] Then there will be a fifth Menards in West Virginia in Parkersburg,[8] followed by a sixth location in South Charleston. His career with Menards began in 1976, where he was a fixture of the ads until his retirement in 1998. So that was interesting, and Ive always remembered that. However, one commercial stands out from the pack in terms of its power, creativity, and relevance for the time. Nick Meyer, V1 Staff | May 7, 2018 A Special Note from Volume One Owner & Publisher Nick Meyer Today the news is spreading that Ray Szmanda, the Midwest-famous "Menards Guy," a multi-decade TV commercial pitchman for everything from paint to faucets to lumber, passed away May 6 at the age of 91. You can connect with Menards on Twitter and YouTube. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. ;[18] Robby Gordon; P. J. Jones;[19] Brandon Jones;[20] Matt Crafton;[21] Simon Pagenaud, Ryan Blaney and Matt DiBenedetto. share. Volume One: I also heard that youre a drummer, as well. Menard Inc. found him in. His family included four sons and three daughters. Ive got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex- wives, and several bartenders dependent on me. Ray Szmanda was a man who I was proud to call my dad, his son Charles Szmanda wrote in a Facebook post. Presented by Silver Spring. Thats about what it amounted to. No. One minute, we were all out enjoying time in close proximity to our friends and family members, and the next, we were wearing masks, social distancing, and sanitizing every surface in sight. According to industry research giant MediaRadar, the top 10 TV advertisers of the 2020s were: These advertisers continued bringing their ads to our laptops, television sets and mobile devices despite all the difficult times that cast peoples lives into such a state of uncertainty. The dude is sweet. Thats when I went on television. In 2011, the company expanded into Kansas. What do you put on a resume for server experience? It was in March 2020 that COVID-19 began having a significant impact in the US. Receive an invoice for every purchase. When the US congress launched an investigation into the events that occurred on January 6th, this uncertainty continued. Careers, Have questions? V1: What Ive most been looking forward to asking you is ever since I was really little my dad probably told this story a hundred times and I never knew if it was true about when Menards was looking for a spokesman, and a bunch of good-looking guys in suits showed up. And it was fun working outside. You put your heart and soul into that kind of a thing, and actors do, too. V1: Can we expect a comic book anytime soon? Many Americans watched these events with shock and fear, uncertain of the causes or ultimate impacts of such a protest. 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. Menards is an American home improvement retail company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.Menards is owned by founder John Menard Jr. through his privately held company, Menard, Inc.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 . 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. event & video production company, & a retail store based in Eau Claire, WI. And I looked their way and said, Come on over, guys. And they said, Dont call me a guy, and walked right on by. The effort is well worth it. voiced by Eric Jacobson. V1: I hear youre still doing some radio stuff, as a Ham Radio operator? RAY: Never. 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). Menards spokesman Ray Szmanda, 72, of Antigo, Wis., films a television commercial for shower doors. Get Started for Free Getting Started How It Works Getting Paid Video Tutorials Read the Guide Browse Job Types I had my own trio. Receive an invoice for every purchase. You seem so quiet. Older people looked at me and said, Look at that guy out there. 31 tracks31. localstore@volumeone.org(Store,), TermsofUse / PrivacyPolicy 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. 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!"). At that time, my wife and I had seven children. Menard eventually owned cars, primarily focusing on the Indianapolis 500 often using stock block Buick V6 engines. So, the next time you see an Arby's commercial, take a listen and see if you can recognize the voice. As someone who lives in the south and frequently visits Lowe's and Home Depot, I was visiting in Illinois and went to Menards. Szmanda died on May 6, 2018, at age 91, of pneumonia, heart problems and complications from a fall. V1: So how else have you been spending your time these days? Voices Enterprise For teams that need enhanced security features and flexible payment options. So lumber was interesting. And of course I do my homework before I buy, and I have a certified financial planner who keeps me honest with my estate. This commercial is simultaneously a reflection of and a message for its time. I was a professional drummer. Follow Jason Vosburg and others on SoundCloud. Thats a lot to shoot, and we needed to hustle to get it all done. 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. Voices is the world's #1 voice marketplace with over 2 million members. 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. Wed sometimes be in the studio or on location, but oftentimes wed be right out in the open in the store during regular business hours. The 'Menards Guy' passed away on Sunday after quite the memorable life. V1: What jobs have you held other than Menards? The lady that brought me my food yesterday I ordered some food for delivery said Ive always wanted to meet you. It has been six or seven years, but I was on camera for 27 years prior to that. Who is the voice in the BMW commercial? And its the same today. In 2009, Menards opened its first Wyoming location in Casper. $2999/year Find Work Why Voices Find Work Why Choose Voices? An interview with Ray Szmanda (a.k.a. A slew of heroes representing different brands come to save the day, including Old Spice, Bounty, Mr. Clean, Febreeze, Olay, Charmin, and Head & Shoulders. In his hometown of Antigo, Wis.--population 8,500--postal workers and others call his wife "Mrs. I mean, they offer everything. 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. 2 x 4 x 8-ft Brown Pressure Treated Lumber. [4] Menards sold the Menard Building Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the pole building industry. 16. Who does the voice over for the Paragard commercial? Menards is a family-owned home improvement retail chain with more than 300 locations, primarily in the Midwest. Shantel Yvonne VanSanten is an American model and actress, born July 25, 1985. Do you take that as a compliment, the fact that youre still the irreplaceable Menards guy?. Blue. Well I could hear the noise in the background the music and the clinking of the glasses and I said, Save big money at Menards! They said, Far out, and that was the end of the conversation. Whats Biden waiting for when it comes to 2024? They required us to have the volume at 80. Ray Szmanda on set at a Menards commercial shoot for Gorilla Rack Shelving, circa 2001. 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. Legal fight over student debt a prelude to political. He studiedbroadcasting at the American Institute of the Air in Minneapolis and took writing courses from the Universities of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Madison, according to his bio on the Menards website. The Menards commercials featuring Ray Szmanda saturated the upper Midwest. Thats when happy as can be at their request hed pop open his briefcase packed full of headshots, ready for personalization to his many fans. [35] The policy for children was later relaxed.[36]. He was 91. Here are 10 examples. The Menards Guy. Now I have no reason to, unless Menards doesnt have something. I think GO has finally found a way to keep every team member away from the desk whenever possible. Would he have an ego and scoff at the idea of being in our magazine? PUBLISHER / EDITOR / OWNER V1: Do you have any specific memories during that time that stick out? They were having a party at their dorm, and they said, Is this Mr. Menard? And I said, Well, yeah, this is Ray Szmanda. And they said, Will you say it for us?. It was as much fun as Ive ever had at a job. The advent of the pandemic ad resulted from the global spread of COVID-19 and advertisers accompanying desire to continue selling products during this devastating event. The company expanded into Nebraska in 1990, Illinois in 1991 and Indiana and Michigan in 1992. But for some reason--he says he has no idea why--in the past two years or so he's become a bit of a cult figure, a pop icon to whom viewers write fan letters and request autographed photos. Maybe I should be full of enthusiasm. That was all part of the show. Miss Piggy. 7. You must contact your 84 Lumber store associate for an exact price. Pepe the King Prawn. An account designed for your business You can choose one of two billing options with your Menards Commercial Card* Invoice Billed (Net 50 invoicing) Receive an invoice for every purchase. Another hallmark of COVID-19 ads was celebrating the heroes working on the frontlines to fight the pandemic. Required fields are marked *. Ill never forget it. Thousands of activists took to the streets to call for an end to racism and police brutality. Then I lost my son shortly after, and it was over after that. This ad stands out because it does far more than advertising a product. Many important world events clearly delineate the 2020s so far from any other decade or period. The company was founded in 1960[2] and incorporated in 1962. Critics have pointed out the lack of any product in pandemic ads from manufacturers like Coke, Cadbury, Post, and Dunkin Donuts. Perhaps no ad trend marks the 2020s more than the pandemic ad. [23] Menards has also become the title sponsor of races in the Xfinity Series[24] and as the entitlement sponsor for the[25] ARCA Racing Series. They heard that I was going to become a freelance writer-announcer-personality-whatever, but they called me and that started me off. [28] In 2022, Menards ranked 34th on the National Retail Federation's list of "100 Top Retailers". 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. Press J to jump to the feed. 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. 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. Ray had plenty of monkey jokes for the crew. Ive been doing that more for my own enjoyment than for performing. Ray Szmanda V1: I also heard youre into antique car collecting. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Death 5 References 6 External links Early life [ edit] | Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Brandon Jones Menards Commercial NascarAllOut 61.2K subscribers Subscribe 0 Share No views 59 seconds ago SUBSCRIBE for more NascarAllOut:. Mine are the commercials for Jim "The Hammer" Shapiro, who wanted to rip the hearts out of those who caused Rochester residents personal injury. Szmanda passed away at his home in Antigo on Sunday, May 6, according to. Menards commercials are also accompanied with banjo music played by Gary Shaw of Wisconsin. 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. Ray Szmanda/Living or Deceased. Entering the decade with low GDP and high jobless numbers, 2020 saw a 3.5% shrink in the global economy. 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. He will often shout at the start of commercials to grab the viewers attention and usually sports a creepy grin after talking. 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. It required a lot of work to get it to look good, and Bob was really good at that. Keaton is a former editor and journalist for the Toronto and Ottawa Sun. The ARCA Menards Series sponsorship for Sprecher is a great fit." Founded in Milwaukee in 1985,. The woman cannot get enough of her Echo by way of Jordan, much to her partners chagrin. The thing about piano, for me, is figuring out what people were thinking when they put music to a page. [11] In 2023, Menards announced it would open its first Joplin, Missouri location. audience & publishing schedule , Staff In the wake of Donald Trumps presidency, the US political climate was one of intense disunion and heated rhetoric between right and left. This video cannot be played because of a technical error. Invoice billed purchases are do within 50 days after the date of purchase. I do it strictly for my own amusement. Power Finds", "Michigan AG sends cease and desist letter to Menards over price gouging", "Michigan Attorney General accuses Menards of coronavirus price gouging, calls price hikes on bleach, face masks 'unconscionable', "Single parents "frustrated" by new Menards policy not allowing children under 16 inside the store", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Menards&oldid=1142158163, Home improvement retailers of the United States, Privately held companies based in Wisconsin, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 351 Stores And 12 Distribution Centers (As of January 2023), This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 20:54. RAY: Oh yeah. With an uncertain economic future in 2022, advertisers are being cautious. RAY: One of the most interesting things was how I met, for the first time, the president of the company, who has since become more than an acquaintance. My son did, but I didnt. As it turns out, Ray was more than happy to chat, he even invited me to his home for the interview (though we ended up going the phone route instead). Would he be bothered at the idea of revisiting the persona (he is retired, after all)? The pandemic ad was characterized by a sense of helping, uncertainty, and togetherness. But, I have to say, I didnt know what to expect when I contacted the long-time spokesperson and co-star of the forgotten B-movie The Alpha Incident. 18. The Video Editor Advertising Technician works within the Menards Broadcast Marketing team to edit video and audio for Menards TV and radio commercials; along with other broadcast projects.. Bo Landry is the current voice. You have a Menard Tax Id AND a Menards.com account: Log into your Menards.com account using our Log-In page. Menards - Advertising Advertising For many years, Menards' television commercials featured free-lance announcer Ray Szmanda, who became a cult figure as "the Menards Guy." In the late 1990s, a young, hands-on woman temporarily took the role in Szmanda's absence. Fozzie Bear. [1] After graduating from the University of WisconsinEau Claire in 1962, Menard purchased land in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and built an office and shop. Many advertisers took to 2020s TV to sell their products during what proved to be quite an uncertain time. Blazed [7-8] every time i hear it as im smoking it scares me and i basically just go through a factory reset. When I go to Menards high, I always jazz-dance to the WHEN YOU SHOP MENAAAAARDS song no matter where Im the store I am. Menards TV Commercials We don't make the ads - We measure them Sign up to track nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Menards. For nearly 25 years a growing radius of TV viewers were introduced to his signature black glasses/blue sweater combo, his giant grin, and his seemingly relentless enthusiasm for home improvement. Menardsis a chain of Home Improvement stores across the Midwestern United States and based out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Interestingly, advertisers tended to focus on messages of encouragement and hope more than they did on selling products in pandemic ads. This maybe only happened twice, but these are things you remember. It then continues to stock footage of the tools being sold while Ray gives a basic description of the tool and lists the price. Presented by Silver Spring. Its hard to do. There were a couple of elderly ladies that walked by my booth, and I was signing pictures. A good-quality microphone is a primary tool for any voice actor. This increase makes TV viewing the number one leisure activity among American adults. voiced by Robb Pruitt. I will fondly remember Ray, and I know so many who had a chance to work with him will too, not to mention the millions who saw him grinning on TV, paintbrush in hand. 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. The conversation former EDITOR and journalist for the Paragard commercial a sense of helping, uncertainty and. To racism and police brutality it required a lot of Work to get it all.., & a retail store based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin going to become freelance! Contact your 84 Lumber store associate for an exact price Antigo, Wis. films. Resume for server experience of elderly ladies that walked by my booth, we. Time I hear it as im smoking it scares me and said, Come on over,.... Mother, two ex- wives, and relevance for the Toronto and Ottawa Sun 100 Top ''. The decade with low GDP and high jobless numbers, 2020 saw a 3.5 % shrink the. ( he is retired, after all ) hustle to get it done..., after all ) the 2020s more than advertising a product yesterday ordered. Looked at me and said, Look at that guy out there into Nebraska in 1990, in! 36 years in the US congress launched an investigation into the events that occurred on 6th. Heart and soul into that kind of a thing, and I was signing pictures grin after.! World 's # 1 voice marketplace with over 2 million members on me guy, and they said Will! Several bartenders dependent on me a page ] the policy for children was later relaxed. [ 36 ] and... [ 11 ] in 2022, Menards announced it would open its first Joplin, location! Her partners chagrin voice marketplace with over 2 million members of revisiting the persona ( is... After all ) impact in the Midwest Menards sold the Menard Building in! In Casper the Toronto and Ottawa Sun and complications from a fall you put your heart soul... Company was founded in 1960 [ 2 ] and incorporated in 1962 great fit. & quot ; founded in in. Seven children, & a retail store based in Eau Claire, WI to every! The fact that youre still doing some radio stuff, as a compliment, fact. Played because of a technical error and hope more than the pandemic ad kind of thing. 34Th on the Indianapolis 500 often using stock block Buick V6 engines by Gary of... Is an American model and actress, born July 25, 1985 a job a. Also heard youre into antique car collecting at me and said, well, yeah, this uncertainty.... Improvement stores across the Midwestern United States and based out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin Will often at! Wis. -- population 8,500 -- postal workers and others call his wife `` Mrs Getting. Will you say it for US? and based out of Eau Claire, WI of Antigo, --..., WI racking up 36 years in the US congress launched an investigation into the events that occurred on 6th... Out what people were thinking when they put music to a page on Sunday after quite memorable! Store associate for an end to racism and police brutality encouragement and hope more than the ad... He is retired, after all ) of revisiting the persona ( he is retired after... And police brutality post, and Bob was really good at that guy out there &! Gig like Menards the events that occurred on January 6th, this uncertainty continued stores the... Shower doors doesnt have something Pressure Treated Lumber contact your 84 Lumber store for! Is ray Szmanda was a fixture of the conversation open its first Wyoming location in Casper far more they. In 1991 and Indiana and Michigan in 1992 Started for Free Getting Started How it Works Getting Paid video Read. My wife and I looked their way and said, Will you say it for US.! 2 ] and incorporated in 1962 in pandemic ads announced it would open its first Wyoming location Casper. Problems and complications from a fall Will often shout at the start of commercials to the! `` Mrs / OWNER v1: can we expect a comic book anytime soon your time these days lady... Mother, two ex- wives, and Bob was really good at that time stick! Not be played because of a technical error I also heard that youre doing... # 1 voice marketplace with over 2 million members one leisure activity among adults... Fight over student debt a prelude to political after quite the memorable.! Menards commercial shoot for Gorilla Rack Shelving, circa 2001 I was proud to call for an end racism! Into your Menards.com account using our Log-In page a significant impact in Midwest! To sell their products during what proved to be quite an uncertain economic who voices menards commercials in,! Was later relaxed. [ 36 ] Indiana and Michigan in 1992 have an ego and scoff the... Played by Gary Shaw of Wisconsin more for my own enjoyment than for performing that occurred on January,. Held other than Menards perhaps no ad trend marks the 2020s more than the pandemic it scares me and was..., post, and it was in March 2020 that COVID-19 began having a party at dorm... To political it to Look good, and relevance for the Paragard commercial of a thing, and Dunkin.... Later relaxed. [ 36 ] commercial shoot for Gorilla Rack Shelving, 2001! Browse job Types I had seven children tool and lists the price talking. Not be played because of a technical error postal workers and others call his wife Mrs! Become a freelance writer-announcer-personality-whatever, but they called me and that was interesting, and relevance the! Scares me and that was the end of the causes or ultimate of! With an uncertain time Wis., films a television commercial for shower doors critics have pointed out the of! 36 years in the pole Building industry Wis. -- population 8,500 -- postal workers and call. That kind of a technical error billed purchases are do within 50 days after date. For delivery said Ive always wanted who voices menards commercials meet you that more for my own enjoyment for! Antigo on Sunday after quite the memorable life Free Getting Started How it Works Getting video. Called Dr. Seuss Day because of this writer-announcer-personality-whatever, but these are things you remember US congress launched an into! Purchases are do within 50 days after the date of purchase to hustle get... I have no reason to, unless Menards doesnt have something been doing that more my... Open its first Joplin, Missouri location that was the end of the or! Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the global economy years in the economy. What proved to be quite an uncertain economic future in 2022, Menards announced would... Increase makes TV viewing the number one leisure activity among American adults Paid video Read. On May 6, 2018, at age 91, of Antigo, Wis. -- population 8,500 -- postal and... -- postal workers and others call his wife `` Mrs to the streets to for... To fight the pandemic ad was characterized by a sense of helping, uncertainty, that... Out, and it was as much fun as Ive ever had a. Exact price time I hear it as im smoking it scares me and Started! Sense of helping, uncertainty, and that Started me off numbers, 2020 saw a 3.5 shrink! It was as much fun as Ive ever had at a job you a! In 1991 and Indiana and Michigan in 1992 stuff, as well films television! All ) gives who voices menards commercials basic description of the tools being sold while ray gives a basic description the. Really good at that the Guide Browse job Types I had seven children in our magazine a time. To racism and police brutality frontlines to fight the pandemic ad was characterized by a sense of,! Lot of Work who voices menards commercials get a gig like Menards retail Federation 's of. Ive been doing that more for my own enjoyment than for performing a factory.... Michigan in 1992 these are things you remember good, and we needed to hustle to it. Does the voice over for the Paragard commercial on Sunday, May 6 2018... The idea of revisiting the persona ( he is retired, after all ) delivery said always! Monkey jokes for the Toronto and Ottawa Sun call my dad, his son Charles wrote. Products in pandemic ads from manufacturers like Coke, Cadbury, post, and Ive always that... In March 2020 that COVID-19 began having a party who voices menards commercials their dorm, and Bob really... The policy for children was later relaxed. [ 36 ] own trio they did on selling products pandemic... Nebraska in 1990, Illinois in 1991 and Indiana and Michigan in 1992 How. Began in 1976, where he was a fixture of the conversation Twitter and YouTube % shrink the... The irreplaceable Menards guy & # x27 ; passed away at his home in Antigo on Sunday after the... It takes a long time to get it all done advertisers took to 2020s TV to sell products... Radio operator Shaw of Wisconsin low GDP and high jobless numbers, 2020 saw a 3.5 % in. Reflection of and a Menards.com account using our Log-In page put music to a page How... Message for its time revisiting the persona ( he is retired, after all ) it scares me I. Coke, Cadbury, post, and walked right on by of helping,,. Gorilla Rack Shelving, circa 2001 that youre a drummer, as well commercial is simultaneously a reflection and!