September 1st marks the 85th anniversary of SK and our family of companies. Thanks to the courage and vision of my grandfather for starting the company coming out of the Great Depression and the start of World War II, we are here today to share and celebrate those who came before us and paved the way for us to follow. Our history has seen its fair share of up’s and down’s, twists and turns, and wins and losses. The one constant that has been the biggest contributor, and secret to our success, is our team members.
Growing up in the family business I spent many Saturday mornings coming to work with my dad running the supply aisles in the basement of 309, climbing on furniture boxes in the warehouse, rummaging through Jane’s candy drawer, typing up my homework assignments, and working summers in the furniture warehouse. After graduating from college, it was never my aspiration to come work in the family business; I declined a couple of invitations from my dad. Third time was a charm, so they say, when he slyly suggested I come work for the company to get some real life work experience while I interviewed for other jobs. I started in the basement of 309 filling supply orders and moved into customer service and eventually joined the sales team. It didn’t take long to quickly discover the rich history, strong sense of family, and what a huge opportunity it was for me to be a part of the company. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made.
I’m eternally grateful for the entrepreneurial spirit of my grandfather for creating our roots, my father for seeing something in myself that I couldn’t see, and my brother Dave for his support, encouragement and mentorship. It is truly an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to lead this great organization and support the continued growth and development of our team members. Most of all, thank you to all of our team members for helping us Live Our Vision in our everyday work!
I don’t know what tomorrow has in store for us, but I can’t wait to get started building on the rich tradition and history of our past success.
Happy Birthday to us and here’s to many more!
John Kenworthy
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