The Pilot Newspaper recently hosted their new “20 Under 40” contest, and the competition was fierce. Over a hundred young professionals were nominated. Whether they are entrepreneurs, artists, or healthcare workers, all of the featured individuals have one thing in common: they are are dedicated to their work. One of the 20 winners was Sam Ransdell, who manages Burney Hardware Co. in Seven Lakes. Read a little bit more about the accomplished, 32-year-old entrepreneur and his contributions to the family business.
When Sam Ransdell returned home to Moore County in 2013, he had just earned a degree in Criminal Justice from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was training with the National Guard. But fate was calling him elsewhere — specifically, to the family business.
PHOTO BY JOHN GESSNER
The Ransdells store, Burney Hardware, is now celebrating its 100 year anniversary with Sam as a general manager. He has added to the legacy by undertaking remodels, upping customer service standards while increasing efficiency, and leading the brand’s expansion to a new store in Seven Lakes. In 2015, Sam was named “Young Retailer of The Year” by the National Retail Hardware Association. Shortly after, Burney Hardware was awarded “Best Hardware Store in the Southeast,” by True Value.
Sam has used the store’s retail success to bolster community service efforts. As manager, he orchestrated a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, and allowed his employees to clock their volunteer hours as paid work time. During COVID-19, he used 3-D printers to manufacture masks for law enforcement officers and firefighters, then donated the machines to The Community Learning Center at Pinckney.
“Helping people is what we do in our industry,” he says. “We are able to help those that help others and this is a big motivator for me.”
QUOTE:
“I love what I do because in my line of work I meet and assist people from all walks of life. The hardware store is the foundation of any community and it is extremely rewarding to be able to work with such a wide range of folks.”
FUN FACT:
Sam always wanted to be a police officer. He collected the Aberdeen Police playing cards as a kid, dressed up like an officer on Halloween, and completed an internship at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s police department.
To read about the other 19 candidates featured in the contest, visit: https://www.thepilot.com/people-of-the-pines-the-pilots-20-under-40/article_a9dab9a2-925e-11eb-843f-67b148f5fa45.html
