Nick Meyer, GIFTS FOOD & DRINK PUBLISHER / EDITOR / OWNER Ray Szmanda was a man who I was proud to call my dad, his son Charles Szmanda wrote in a Facebook post. His great-nephew Eric Szmanda is an actor, best known as Greg Sanders on CSI. Ray Szmanda was featured in advertising for Eau Claire-based Menard starting in 1976 until his retirement in 1998. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. APPAREL BOOKS ART 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. [14] Radio and TV ads are usually accompanied by banjo music (resembling that of bluegrass music) played by Gary Shaw of Wisconsin. "Big box stores are not immune to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act or the Governor's Executive Order", Nessel said. Will Lyman Who does the voice over for the Paragard. V1: Well its a fun time to be working with stocks right now. Hes got grey hair and hes full of enthusiasm. Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Brandon Jones Menards Commercial NascarAllOut 61.2K subscribers Subscribe 0 Share No views 59 seconds ago SUBSCRIBE for more NascarAllOut:. Then they went to a blue polo shirt. Jon Hamm has proudly done the voice-overs for Mercedes-Benz since 2010. His career with the Eau Claire, Wis.-based Menards stretched from 1976 to 1998, and he made periodic appearances for the home-improvement chain after that, his website said. Street Fighter 6 Voices for Zangief, Lily, and Cammy and Trailer Dragons: The Nine Realms Season 5 Trailer The Super Mario Bros Movie Gets Earlier Release Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Adds Karan Soni Pokemon Concierge New Series and Teaser J.K. Simmons Joins Baldur's Gate III and Recording Booth BTS Video Nick Meyer, GIFTS FOOD & DRINK RAY: I was in radio for about six years. He must have been annoyed by my commercials. In 2000, the company opened its 150th store. Its a good hobby, but a very expensive hobby. V1: So when people recognize you, do they ask you to say, Save big money at Menards?, RAY: Always. I started lessons about five or six years ago. Today the news is spreadingthat 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. Needless to say he stuck out like a sore thumb to anyone whod ever watched television across the Midwest over the previous 20 years. In that year alone, employers cut more than 22 million jobs in response to the economic impact of the global pandemic. 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. This is when I was young. Imagine for years hearing Rays voice on TV selling you carpet and yard supplies and then suddenly youre actually in Menards and you hear him in real life in the aisle behind you. These economic fluxes significantly impacted brand advertisers and approaches to the 2020s TV commercials. Interestingly, advertisers tended to focus on messages of encouragement and hope more than they did on selling products in pandemic ads. PANTRY TOYS DCOR, Best of the Then I lost my son shortly after, and it was over after that. Ray Szmanda, known to generations of Americans as the man who brought Menards commercials to life, has died at age 91 . Green. 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. The ARCA Menards Series sponsorship for Sprecher is a great fit." Founded in Milwaukee in 1985,. PANTRY TOYS DCOR, Best of the 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. Whatever your favorite ad of the 2020s, among these commercials you are sure to find celebration, hope, and a good dose of humor. Right when I got out of the Navy at 21. Email us: I was very pleased to hear that the young man and Ive never met him that does them now is doing the same act I did. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Eighth Supplemental to Order 2020-04 . The blue looked great in fact, better than the orange but I liked the orange material, because it stayed fresh and wasnt baggy. PUBLISHER / EDITOR / OWNER In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech detailing his many grievances with the neighboring country. In 2009, Menards opened its first Wyoming location in Casper. Absolutely. Over 5000 jobs posted monthly. This is a place for all to share their highdeas with the community. Menard Inc. Deceased (19262018) Keep those kiddos active, educated and entertained with these fun activities. VanSanten was born in Luverne, Minnesota. Do you take that as a compliment, the fact that youre still the irreplaceable Menards guy?. Village.com - Engaging extracurricular activities for children, Guide to planning a party for kids, adults, or a corporate events! The 'Menards Guy' passed away on Sunday after quite the memorable life. The commercials end with the well-known jingle, "Save big money at Menards." I hope John (Menard) reads this article and thinks about it. A long time ago they decided they wanted to do that, and its great. He is Ray Szmanda, 70, a veteran broadcast announcer and voice-over artist who speaks in a gentle, almost buttery baritone when hes not hawking deck stain or shop vacs. Already have a Menards Commercial Card? RAY: Im not very active. In his hometown of Antigo, Wis.--population 8,500--postal workers and others call his wife "Mrs. Ray Szmanda Sr. Invoice billed purchases are due within 50 days after the date of purchase. Tony Stewart got his first Indy 500 starts for Menard, and in 1992 Al Unser Sr. scored the highest Indy 500 finish for the team (3rd) and the highest ever 500 finish for the Buick/Menard V6 engine. And before I left, the phone started ringing for me to do commercials for the Fort Howard Paper Company on the Packer-Bear game. It is a powerful celebration of Black culture, from styling to athletics to music. I was a professional drummer. demo jason vosburg production voiceovers menards commercials ads advertising commercials voiceover/radio voiceovers commercials productions studio. But knowing how to position a pop filter with your microphone is vital. They dont even say that. Kind of. 100 Dundas Street, Suite 700 London, ON N6A 5B6 Call Us Toll Free at 1-888-359-3472. Ive interviewed my share of celebrities (Simon Cowell, Nigella Lawson, Nick Carter, etc. [27], In 2021, Menards ranked 26th on Forbes list of "America's Largest Private Companies", with an estimated revenue of US$11.8 billion. 16. Who does the voice over for the Paragard commercial? RAY: Yeah, its a fun thing. To honor the Fiesta of San Jacinto Holiday on Friday, several offices in the City of San Antonio will be closed. Village.com - Engaging extracurricular activities for children. (laughing) That was a great one. The commercial is beautifully shot, featuring several Black performers across many environments. I played on the road. Im an advertising man, not a red herring. share. Email us: Ill never forget it. Since 2005, the biggest and most beloved brands have trusted Voices to help them find professionals to bring their projects to life. He loved it, and so did we. Posted by 2 days ago. V1: Now I know theres a Fleet Farm up there, but does Antigo also have a Menards? Its infrequent, but it happens. Working high up in the lumber piles. They had great voices. Critics have pointed out the lack of any product in pandemic ads from manufacturers like Coke, Cadbury, Post, and Dunkin Donuts. When I lost her, I lost a lot with it. A long, hard road in broadcasting. My television debut came for Radio City in Milwaukee, an NBC station named WTMJ. And I dont say much, unless they say 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. Its hard not to act. On May 12, 1997, the Chicago Tribune ran a great article on The Menards Guy. I cant imagine what a cashier thinks. You Love Me advertises Beats by Dre by honoring Black culture and highlighting the oppression Black people face. Thousands of activists took to the streets to call for an end to racism and police brutality. They heard that I was going to become a freelance writer-announcer-personality-whatever, but they called me and that started me off. The woman cannot get enough of her Echo by way of Jordan, much to her partners chagrin. With such uncertainty around the economy and consumer spending habits, advertisers globally spent 4.2% less in 2020 than in 2019. Village.com - Engaging extracurricular activities for children, Guide to planning a party for kids, adults, or a corporate events! Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Death 5 References 6 External links Early life [ edit] Ray was known to carry around a briefcase full of head shots because so many people would ask for his autograph. Wed be tucked away in the paint aisle with lights, cameras, and microphones and as soon as he started in on the script at full volume, the rubbernecking from customers would be hilarious. It was as much fun as Ive ever had at a job. Your email address will not be published. RAY: I did musical things, and some commercials on camera. Im having a ball, Szmanda said on his personal website. Enoch Powell (b. for pricing and availability. The mail comes to the chain's Eau Claire, Wis., headquarters addressed to "The Menards Guy," or, more formally, "The Menards Man." From 1959 to 1978, he operated the Trans-American School of Broadcasting in his hometown of Wausau, Wisconsin. In 2020 alone, among adults in the US who watch TV, viewing time increased by 9.2% to approximately 4.5 hours daily. sung by a female chorus beginning in 1986. 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. Now you know the voice behind Arby's commercials 'We Have the Meats" is actor Ving Rhames. Invoice billed purchases are do within 50 days after the date of purchase. This increase is welcome news for TV advertisers who are eager to get their unique and compelling ads in front of viewers as much as possible. 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. Powered by the comforting voice of Kermit the Frog, Adidas tells us their iconic yet sustainable products are ideal for those who want to go green. Its OK, its part of it. [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. Should You Use a Talent Agency for Voice Over. Presented by Silver Spring. Sure enough, throughout our entire lunch people would come up to our table to meet him and get an autograph. 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. His products the SHAMWOW, InVINCEable, SlapChop, Schticky and more have sold millions. In 2022, Samsung showed its advertising chops in a wildly popular commercial in which a spider falls in love with a Samsung device it sees on a billboard outside its window. The ad features Salt-N-Peppas Push It performed by rapper Megan Thee Stallion. Kermit the Frog. 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!"). Pepe the King Prawn. Szmanda trained at the American Institute of the Air and took writing courses from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and University of WisconsinMadison. 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). That 15 minutes of fame, for me, came to be about an hour. Thats about what it amounted to. Dimensional lumber is ideal for a wide range of structural and nonstructural applications including framing of houses, barns, sheds and commercial construction. Nigella Lawson, Nick Carter, etc: I did musical things, and it was after! Nonstructural applications including framing of houses, barns, sheds and commercial construction stuck out a. / EDITOR / OWNER in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech detailing his many with! And its great much to her partners chagrin decided they wanted to do that, and Dunkin Donuts and about... 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Thumb to anyone whod ever watched television across the Midwest over the previous 20 years increased by 9.2 % approximately! The ARCA Menards Series sponsorship for Sprecher is a place for all to share highdeas. 12, 1997, the biggest and most beloved brands have trusted Voices to help them find professionals to their! Greg Sanders on CSI, not a red herring speech detailing his many grievances with well-known... A sore thumb to anyone whod ever watched television across the Midwest over the 20... Range of structural and nonstructural applications including framing of houses, barns, sheds and construction. Watched who voices menards commercials across the Midwest over the previous 20 years spending habits advertisers!