03/30/2006
CONTACT: J.L. Wilson, (503) 364-4450 or Tony Malandra, (415) 664-9685
National honor awarded to ACE hardware store owner Dave Easton
SALEM, Ore. -- When Dave Easton joined America's largest small-business group, Richard Nixon was campaigning for a second term, Governor Tom McCall was in the Oregon state house, and Sidney Wicks brought home an NBA Rookie of the Year award for the then two-year-old Portland Trailblazers. Thirty-four years later, Easton is NFIB's state Small-Business Champion of the Year for 2006, it was announced today.
The honor was conferred upon him by the Leadership Council of the 12,000-member NFIB/Oregon, the state's largest small-business advocacy group. Each year, NFIB singles out a small-business owner in all 50 states for special recognition and honors him or her with its prestigious "Small-Business Champion" award. This is the third year the national group has recognized small-business owners who go the extra mile for Main Street, mom-and-pop enterprises. Last year's winner was Eric Blackledge of Blackledge Furniture in Corvallis, and in 2004 the award was presented to Jon Egge of MP Plumbing in Clackamas.
Easton has owned Forest Grove Ace Hardware since 1960 and been an NFIB member since 1972. He is a member of the federation's Portland Area Action Council and for 10 years was its Leadership Council Chairman. He is also a member of his local Rotary Club and local chamber of commerce.
"Dave Easton is the model NFIB member," said J.L. Wilson, NFIB/Oregon state director. "He volunteers his time in order to help other small-business owners and he donates generously to causes beneficial to Main Street, mom-and-pop firms. He also helps our sales force recruit new members. But what really makes him an asset for Oregon small businesses is his expert testimony on their behalf before legislative committees considering bills vital to their survival."
Easton will compete with small-business owners from 11 western states for a regional award. All award winners will be honored at NFIB's Small-Business Summit in Washington, D.C., June 18 to 21. Dave Easton can be reached for comment at (503) 357-3164.
