The Golden Hammer strikes again

As the National Hardware Show kicks off in Las Vegas, the Golden Hammer Awards program enters its 28th year.

Wednesday morning at the show, the Home Channel News Golden Hammer event will honor the best of the best among home improvement suppliers and recognize outstanding achievement in the retail field. A twist for 2012: A Golden Hammer panel discussion with the working title: “The recovery: Is it real? And what to do about it?”

This year, the voices will include Bob Taylor, CEO of Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Do it Best Corp. Taylor will be inducted into the Home Channel Hall of Fame for a career that spans front-line hardware store retailing and national retail distribution. M. Marcus Moran Jr., CEO of Westminster, Mass.-based Aubuchon Hardware, will accept the Retailer of the Year award on behalf of the 121-store independent chain. And Brad McDaniel of McDaniel’s Do-It-Center in Snohomish, Wash., will accept the Tools of the Trade Award.

On the vendor side of the hammer, Home Channel News collected votes from industry peers to produce product winners in four categories. The ballots were distributed electronically earlier this year.

The breakfast event, sponsored in part by Safety Works, will take place May 2 in room #N111/N113 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Doors open at 7:30 a.m.

“The Golden Hammer event is now in its 28th year, and we're proud of the way the event has evolved into celebration of the best of the best on the vendor side, plus a forum with some of the most interesting voices in retail,” said Home Channel News editor Ken Clark.