Did you know Pierce Distribution didn’t start out as a distribution company? In fact, Pierce’s founder, Raymond (Ray) Pierce, was just an eager entrepreneur trying to create something for himself! Over the last 65 years, Pierce Distribution has grown and changed in many ways, but one thing that has stayed the same is the hard work and commitment we continue to strive for year after year.
Check out the top 5 ways Pierce has grown over the years:
1. Eager Beginnings
In 1954, Raymond (Ray) Pierce loaded the trunk of his car with paper and sold it door-to-door in Rockford, IL. Little did he know, his hard work and perseverance would build a strong client base and he’d have his first storefront, Pierce Box & Paper, in downtown Rockford by the late 1950s!
2. Expansion and Impressive Clientele
By the 1960s, Ray was ready to expand – he purchased the operations of one of his competitors and continued to grow his business, changed the name to Pierce Packaging and served a client list that included John Deere, Barber-Colman and Sundstrand.
3. Time to Sell
In 1985, Ray sold the company’s portion of Pierce Box & Paper to Lou Franchini, which remains operational to this day, and focused on Pierce Packaging. Shortly after, Ray sold the remainder of the company to Pierce Distribution’s current CEO/President Kevin Hogan and John Mullin, past Pierce Packaging CEO.
4. New President, New Name
Hogan became the CEO/President of the company in 1999 and changed the name from Pierce Packaging to Pierce Distribution to better reflect the services the company offered.
5. Celebrate 65 Years!
Fast forward to 2019 as Pierce Distribution celebrates its 65th anniversary and concurrently opens its eighth location in Memphis, TN.