Taking on Local Leadership Roles

In the June 2016 issue of Hardware Retailing magazine, we shared stories from five retailers about how they serve their communities. The retailers provided so much information and countless examples of how they are involved in their communities that we could not fit it all in the magazine, so we have provided the extra content below. To read more about other retailers who hold local leadership positions, click here.

Making A Presence Felt

Rob Ferraro, co-owner of Jerry’s Paint and Hardware with his dad in Narragansett, Rhode Island, is another retailer who has taken it upon himself to serve on a variety of boards in his community of Narragansett, Rhode Island.

For about eight years, Ferraro, co-owner of Jerry’s Paint and Hardware with his dad, was on the board of governors for his local fire district.

In this role, he helped with budgeting, purchasing of products, ensuring stations were manned and more for the local fire district. He has since resigned from the board but is now on the zoning board for the town of Narragansett.

“I think it’s very important to have a business mind and representative on that board so there is a fair balance between commercial and residential developments in our town,” Ferraro says. “There are five members and we meet anywhere from one to three times a month, depending on projects. The involvement is pretty significant.”

According to Ferraro, to get the most out of your involvement, it’s key to take what customers ask or suggest to heart.

“Listen to your customers and see what the needs are in the town,” he says. “The community is the foundation of our business and since we are local, our reaction time can be much faster and more acute.”