Forestburg’s Jim Anderson receives Golden Hammer

Leslie Cholowsky Editor

After an impressive 50 years in the Hardware Industry, Jim Anderson received the Estwing Golden Hammer Award, along with a  Supply-Build Canada NHPA Award.

The Estwing Golden Hammer Award is a prestigious honor from Estwing Manufacturing Company, recognizing retailers who have served in the hardware and home improvement industry for 50 years or more. It is presented to individuals who have reached this milestone, signifying a long and dedicated career in the field. The award is presented to individuals across North America.

Bob Coutts, owner of Coutts Home Hardware, where Anderson works, says that he nominated Anderson for the award, through Home Hardware, who handles all such achievements for their dealers. He says there were 13 given out this past year, compared to just three or four nor- mally.

The Award acknowledges a retail sales persons’ commitment and longevity in the independent home improvement channel. It also is only given to those who have worked in the hardware industry for 50 years. Estwind is a well-known hand tool manufacturer, and this award is considered to be one of the most prestigious and distinguished awards in the home improvement industry.

Anderson started work for Stan Coutts, in 1974 he helped with the construction of the new store, helped move into the new store, and started work at Coutts Hardware in January 1974.

Stan was his uncle, his mother’s brother. Anderson’s father had the grocery store in Forestburg, where he worked for a number of years, from around age 13 to 19.

With his 70th birthday approaching, Anderson says he has no plans to retire. “I’m not sure what I’d do.”

He says of his long time working in hardware sales, “I enjoy the challenges, and keeping up on building codes, electrical codes, and plumbing codes so I know I’m giving our customers good advice. That knowledge has come in handy. It’s remarkable, sometimes, when a customer will come back and say, ‘You were right.’

“I enjoy what I do, I enjoy the challenge.”

Anderson doesn’t claim to have unlimited knowledge, he says over the years he’s developed some great resources, but lately, he adds, “I’m finding that some of my contacts are retiring.”

He says, “If I get to the space I don’t enjoy it, then I’ll retire.”

Anderson didn’t work the entire 50 years in Forestburg, he left in the fall of 1979 to work as a salesman for Walter Woods, a wholesale hardware dealer, until 1981. He says, “Stan called me when Link Hardware and Home Hardware merged, and he asked me to come back because Home Hardware used more technology and he needed help for Continued on Page 11