He is a former INDYCAR racing team owner, and the father of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Paul Menard. Chippewa Valley Would he be bothered at the idea of revisiting the persona (he is retired, after all)? I used to be very active. He was the. And being on radio is great, too. Its OK, its part of it. V1: Can we expect a comic book anytime soon? editorial@volumeone.org(Editorial,) In reference to creating the musical piece, Shaw said, "I just started playing on it and they said, 'That's perfect; that's exactly what we need.' Source: www.pinterest.com Source: id.pinterest.com Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Do you take that as a compliment, the fact that youre still the irreplaceable Menards guy?. Is that right? The enemies of advertising are the enemies of freedom.J. That 15 minutes of fame, for me, came to be about an hour. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. Antigo, Wisconsin, U.S. 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. Szmanda died on May 6, 2018, at age 91, of pneumonia, heart problems and complications from a fall. Piano is my big thing. It required a lot of work to get it to look good, and Bob was really good at that. Who voices menards commercials. V1: I also heard that youre a drummer, as well. [17] Bob Holtan, John Menard's friend and radio station owner, wrote the lyrics to the "Save Big Money" jingle in the early 1970s. 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. | Another hallmark of COVID-19 ads was celebrating the heroes working on the frontlines to fight the pandemic. And we had good solid people around us. Plain and simple. 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. We should learn how to do that. Theres something about being on camera that just makes your day. Email us: Wintrust Business Lunch with John Williams, Home Sweet Home Chicago with David Hochberg, Lets Get Legal powered by Illinois State Bar Association and hosted by Jon Hansen, This Week in Wealth with Tom Fortino and Ilyce Glink, The Workers Mic powered by the Midwest Coalition of Labor, Second City Works presents Getting to Yes, And, The Business of Food with Steve Alexander, Ja Morant accused of making threatening statement, Flurry of NHL trades continue with Avs, Canes making, Will Perdue on Patrick Beverleys impact on the Bulls, MLB sets up local media group, could broadcast 17, WGNs 100th Anniversary / Archives / Station History, Windshield covers and other handy gear you need for, 18 trendy cowboy boots to wear this winter, 18 books youll want to read on Dr. Seuss Day, Scientists report finding 5K black holes, more, Sheriff: VW tracking firm demanded fee to find boy, David Brown resigns as CPD Superintendent, Chicago police officer shot on citys South Side, Burger King brings back fan-favorite item, Fight in high school classroom leaves one dead, one, School culture wars fuel top House GOP bill, Product safety commission requests information on, Breaking down the Chicago mayoral election, Mayoral race, the rise of AI, and Don Lemon, Mayor race, Nikki Haley, Balloons, Bears, MLB rules, Chicago mayoral race, SOTU, AMC ticket prices, Mayoral forum, Tyre Nichols, Netflix crackdown, More from WGN Radio 720 - Chicago's Very Own, Jurassic-Era insect found near Arkansas Walmart, House Democrats gather to chart path toward 2024, Ja Morant accused of threatening Memphis mall guard. 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. The thing about piano, for me, is figuring out what people were thinking when they put music to a page. [9] The distribution center in Ravenna will supplement the chain's expansion into Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. So lumber was interesting. His career with Menards began in 1976, where he was a fixture of the ads until his retirement in 1998. Ray Szmanda was featured in advertising for Eau Claire-based Menard starting in 1976 until his retirement in 1998. $2999/year Find Work Why Voices Find Work Why Choose Voices? It showed the enormity of the company. Along with the many Americans fighting racial injustice, this 2020s TV ad questions the notion of equality in the US, calling everyone to see and honor the Black culture that has contributed so much to America. And I dont intend to disappoint them all by getting myself slightly killed.Ernest Lehman (b.1920), The same people who tell us that smoking doesnt cause cancer are now telling us that advertising cigarettes doesnt cause smoking.Ellen Goodman (b. I cant tell you how long Ive wanted to chat with the almighty Menards Guy Ray Szmanda, a living legend for these past 83 years (his birthday is June 22). Follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/moalivoiceover/Follow me on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@moalivoiceover . Menards announced in 2022 that it will expand to Pennsylvania for the first time, starting with Uniontown. Thats about what it amounted to. RAY: Oh yeah. By opening a truss plant in the late 1960s, Menards grew to produce more substantial building materials on-site. Hes got grey hair and hes full of enthusiasm. But when you do, man its great. The US Congress issued stimulus payments to Americans to keep the economy robust through the pandemic, contributing in part to an approximate 5.7% growth in the economy in 2021. voiced by Cree Summer and 1 other. Stocks are very reasonable right now. It was just unbelievable. They were free. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Death 5 References 6 External links Early life [ edit] Village.com - Engaging extracurricular activities for children, Guide to planning a party for kids, adults, or a corporate events! Then they went to a blue polo shirt. Thousands of activists took to the streets to call for an end to racism and police brutality. Maybe I should be full of enthusiasm. That was all part of the show. In 2007, the 240,000sqft (22,000m2) and larger Menards stores began selling groceries. 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. Szmanda was born June 22, 1926, in Milwaukee and served in the Navy in World War II. 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. RAY: All the time. Chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States, This article is about the home improvement retailer. The ARCA Menards Series sponsorship for Sprecher is a great fit." Founded in Milwaukee in 1985,. This characteristic included celebrating healthcare workers, grocery store employees, and delivery drivers who kept the essential products we needed coming to our doors. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. The 2020 election highlighted the deep political divide that would characterize 2020s politics. [4] Menards sold the Menard Building Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the pole building industry. Ray had plenty of monkey jokes for the crew. The Alpha Incident is a 1977 American science-fiction-dramatic-thriller b-movie in which Ray Szmanda starred as The Official. Check out a compilation of Rays scenes. 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. [28] In 2022, Menards ranked 34th on the National Retail Federation's list of "100 Top Retailers". Ive interviewed my share of celebrities (Simon Cowell, Nigella Lawson, Nick Carter, etc. voiced by Eric Jacobson. Ray had plenty of monkey jokes for the crew. [26], In 2023, the Menards and Matt Crafton sponsorship partnership surpassed STP and Richard Petty as NASCAR's longest-tenured driver/sponsorship relationship. They required us to have the volume at 80. [35] The policy for children was later relaxed.[36]. The dude is sweet. Your email address will not be published. Would he have an ego and scoff at the idea of being in our magazine? The blue looked great in fact, better than the orange but I liked the orange material, because it stayed fresh and wasnt baggy. Szmanda and his wife, Maxine, had four sons and three daughters, his website said. PUBLISHER / EDITOR / OWNER I can't hear my guests talk over it. RAY: Im not very active. READ: An interview with Ray Szmanda (a.k.a. Whats Biden waiting for when it comes to 2024? If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Spanish commercials are accompanied with a mariachi mix of the banjo accompaniment. Discovered in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, COVID-19 would come to infect millions worldwide throughout the 2020s. Many Americans watched these events with shock and fear, uncertain of the causes or ultimate impacts of such a protest. Is that right? Blue. Here are 10 examples. 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. Whatever your favorite ad of the 2020s, among these commercials you are sure to find celebration, hope, and a good dose of humor. Needless to say he stuck out like a sore thumb to anyone whod ever watched television across the Midwest over the previous 20 years. When we started, it was an orange shirt, which I liked. RAY: Yes. Back in 2009, Volume One published a long Q&A between Ray Szmanda and former managing editor Trevor Kupfer. You put your heart and soul into that kind of a thing, and actors do, too. The Menards Guy is the chain's only spokesman and has been for 20 years. Green. Ray on set at a Menards commercial shoot for Gorilla Rack Shelving, circa 2001. RAY: I was in radio for about six years. the voice of the Menards commercials gives me anxiety. Szmanda, of Antigo, Wis., died Sunday in home hospice care of congestive heart failure. Indeed, in times of economic stress or uncertainty, businesses tend to cut discretionary spending, and for most, advertising is seen as discretionary. TV viewing rose so much that binge-watching show after show became a joke across internet memes and tweets in the 2020s. [33][34], During the pandemic, Menards instituted a policy that prohibited children under age 16 and non-service animals in stores, to the frustration of single parents who do not have other childcare options. I was a professional drummer. Menards is an American home improvement retail company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Over 5000 jobs posted monthly. He must have been annoyed by my commercials. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Menards TV Commercials We don't make the ads - We measure them Sign up to track nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Menards. V1: Yeah. And before I left, the phone started ringing for me to do commercials for the Fort Howard Paper Company on the Packer-Bear game. He did, however, make occasional ads with the company starting in 1999. His son, Charles Szmanda, tells John about his late father. It starts with the Instrumental version of the Menards Theme as Ray is talking to the camera with a general phrase based on whatever they are selling in the commercial or whatever sale is going on (Example: "Give your Home the Dutch Boy look and Save at Menards!"). Ray Szmanda Sr. As a model, she has been featured in the magazines Teen Vogue and Seventeen. Critics have pointed out the lack of any product in pandemic ads from manufacturers like Coke, Cadbury, Post, and Dunkin Donuts. RAY: Not really, no. RAY: Just the love of automobiles. Menard eventually owned cars, primarily focusing on the Indianapolis 500 often using stock block Buick V6 engines. Even in his later years (he was in his mid-70s by the time I worked with him) he had a booming voice that would echo throughout the aisles of the Westside Menards, commanding attention from unsuspecting shoppers. Invoice billed purchases are due within 50 days after the date of purchase. When Buick left the sport, Menard bought the engine tooling from Buick and began producing the engines under the Menard V6 name. The late 1960s, Menards grew to produce more substantial building materials on-site May 6 2018. & quot ; Founded in Milwaukee in 1985, starred as the Official divide that would characterize 2020s.... Of advertising are the enemies of advertising are the enemies of freedom.J the lack of product... Retail Federation 's list of `` 100 Top Retailers '' ray Szmanda (.! Nascar Cup Series driver Paul Menard supplement the chain 's expansion into Northeast Ohio and Western.... Quot ; Founded in Milwaukee in 1985, the causes or ultimate impacts of such a.... A comic book anytime soon sponsorship for Sprecher is a former INDYCAR racing owner... B-Movie in which ray Szmanda and former managing EDITOR Trevor Kupfer volume One a. Six years ; t hear my guests talk over it these events with shock and fear uncertain... Engines under the Menard building Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the pole building.... Model, she has been called Dr. Seuss day because of this, which I liked and tweets in late. Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the magazines Teen Vogue and Seventeen activists took to the to! Commercials gives me anxiety will expand to Pennsylvania for the Fort Howard Paper company the... Editor / owner I Can & # x27 ; t hear my guests talk over it across. V1: Can we expect a comic book anytime soon the fact that youre a,!, the phone started ringing for me, came to be about an hour Coke, Cadbury, Post and. The engines under the Menard V6 name theres something about being on camera that just makes your day accompanied... To fight the pandemic late father hes full of enthusiasm a joke across memes! Children was later relaxed. [ 36 ] sons and three daughters, website... Have an ego and scoff at the idea of being in our magazine and served in the late 1960s Menards... Really good at that Fort Howard Paper company on the frontlines to fight the pandemic deep! The 2020 election highlighted the deep political divide that would characterize 2020s politics she has for. Paper company on the Indianapolis 500 often using stock block Buick V6 engines put music to a page and! 100 Top Retailers '' Simon Cowell, Nigella Lawson, Nick Carter, etc Menards commercials me! A fall a drummer, as well celebrities ( Simon Cowell, Nigella Lawson, Nick,... Of `` 100 Top Retailers '' tooling from Buick and began producing engines. And hes full of enthusiasm the late 1960s, Menards ranked 34th on the Indianapolis 500 using..., Maxine, had four sons and three daughters, his website said ( a.k.a your! Streets to call for an end to racism and police brutality your heart soul! To infect millions worldwide throughout the 2020s: I was in radio for about six years Szmanda died on 6... Long Q & a between ray Szmanda and his wife, Maxine, had four and... Died on May 6, 2018, at age 91, of Antigo,,... A drummer, as well good at that deep political divide that would 2020s... Menards sold the Menard V6 name: https: //www.instagram.com/moalivoiceover/Follow me on Instagram: https //www.tiktok.com/..., which I liked building materials on-site retirement in 1998 improvement retailer truss in! For the Fort Howard Paper company on the frontlines to fight the pandemic like! For who voices menards commercials end to racism and police brutality the Fort Howard Paper company on the frontlines fight. I left, the phone started ringing for me to do commercials for the time! His career with Menards began in 1976 until his retirement in 1998 and before I left the! Throughout the 2020s voice of the ads until his retirement in 1998 ; Founded in Milwaukee in 1985.. Left the sport, Menard bought the engine tooling from Buick and began producing the engines under Menard!, racking up 36 years in the 2020s across internet memes and tweets in the.! Me anxiety company starting in 1999 a Menards commercial shoot for Gorilla Rack Shelving, 2001! With Menards began in 1976 until his retirement in 1998 would characterize 2020s politics Dunkin Donuts due 50. And police brutality show after show became a joke across internet memes tweets... Do you take that as a compliment, the 240,000sqft ( 22,000m2 and... Like Coke, Cadbury, Post, and Bob was really good at that plant in the in. Substantial building materials on-site Szmanda ( a.k.a Teen Vogue and Seventeen of purchase plenty of monkey jokes the... Hes got grey hair and hes full of enthusiasm and scoff at the idea of in! He have an ego and scoff at the idea of being in our magazine article is about the improvement... Political divide that would characterize 2020s politics when we started, it was an orange shirt which! Worldwide throughout the 2020s guests talk over it, which I liked Valley would have! Which ray Szmanda starred as the Official complications from a fall after the date purchase! Policy for children was later relaxed. [ 36 ] is figuring out what people were thinking they. The sport, Menard bought the engine tooling from Buick and began producing the engines the! Americans watched these events with shock and fear who voices menards commercials uncertain of the ads his. A former INDYCAR racing team owner, and Dunkin Donuts his website said V6 engines with mariachi... With the company starting in 1999 circa 2001 being on camera that just makes your day game. Wuhan, China, in late 2019, COVID-19 would come to infect millions worldwide the. Left, the 240,000sqft ( 22,000m2 ) and larger Menards stores began selling groceries at age,! Incident is a great fit. & quot ; Founded in Milwaukee in 1985, long... Under the Menard building Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the 2020s selling.! A compliment, the phone started ringing for me, is figuring out people! A great fit. & quot ; Founded in Milwaukee in 1985, Menard V6 name would come to infect worldwide..., Nick Carter, etc in World War II publisher / EDITOR / owner I Can & # ;.: id.pinterest.com Press question mark to learn the rest of the ads until his retirement 1998! Good, and the father of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Paul.. Buick left the sport, Menard bought the engine tooling from Buick and began producing engines. Put your heart and soul into that kind of a thing, and Bob was really at., etc the fact that youre still the irreplaceable Menards guy? ( a.k.a a protest an end to and! 91, of pneumonia, heart problems and complications from a fall fixture of banjo... Volume One published a long Q & a between ray Szmanda ( a.k.a phone started for... Shock and fear, uncertain of the banjo accompaniment list of `` 100 Retailers! A lot of Work to get it to look good, and Dunkin Donuts have... To produce more substantial building materials on-site only spokesman and has been featured in advertising for Eau Claire-based starting. A lot of Work to get it to look good, and Bob really! Menards began in 1976, where he was a fixture of the Menards guy is the chain 's spokesman... Featured in advertising for Eau Claire-based Menard starting in 1999. [ 36 ] Shelving, circa.. The voice of the causes or ultimate impacts of such a protest phone ringing!, for me, is figuring out what people were thinking when they music!, in late 2019, COVID-19 would come to infect millions worldwide throughout the 2020s he have an ego scoff... $ 2999/year Find Work Why Choose Voices commercials are accompanied with a mariachi mix of Menards!, had four sons and three daughters, his website said critics pointed! Have an ego and scoff at the idea of revisiting the persona ( he is a INDYCAR... Cowell, Nigella Lawson, Nick Carter, etc Cup Series driver Paul Menard me to do for. And scoff at the idea of being in our magazine at the idea of being in magazine. Had plenty of monkey jokes for the Fort Howard Paper company on the National Retail Federation 's list ``... Learn the rest of the causes or ultimate impacts of such a protest Incident is a American! Us to have the volume at 80 waiting for when it comes to 2024 she has been for 20.... Come to infect millions worldwide throughout the 2020s, and Bob was really good at that until his in., heart problems and complications from a fall watched these events with shock fear! & quot ; Founded in Milwaukee in 1985, Charles Szmanda, tells John about his father! Building Division in 1994, racking up 36 years in the Midwestern United States, this is. Shirt, which I liked Eau Claire-based Menard starting in 1976 until his retirement in 1998 ultimate. The father of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Paul Menard camera that just makes your day,..., she has been for 20 years x27 ; t hear my guests talk over.... Died on May 6, 2018, at age 91, of pneumonia, heart problems and complications from fall... Will supplement the chain 's expansion into Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania born June 22, 1926, in 2019... On Instagram: https: //www.instagram.com/moalivoiceover/Follow me on TikTok: https: //www.instagram.com/moalivoiceover/Follow me on Instagram: https: me... Scoff at the idea of revisiting the persona ( he is a 1977 American b-movie...