Ed Ladouceur is president and CEO of Warwick-based home-improvement firm StormTite Company Inc. The Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce recently named Ladouceur the business person of the year. Ladouceur took some time to speak about the award, the home-improvement industry and his business.
PBN: What was it like to be named business person of the year? Did you see it coming?
LADOUCEUR: I was very honored to even be considered for such a prestigious award. It was a total surprise to me when I received the e-mail from the Central Chamber of Commerce that I had been nominated and then even more surprised and honored to be notified that I had been chosen from among four other very qualified individuals.
I did not see this coming at all and I was very humbled to be selected. It was a wonderful day to be surrounded by my wife, daughter, son, mom, dad, several of my staff members, as well as friends during this very proud moment.
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PBN: Your industry has been hit hard lately by the economic downturn. How have you weathered the storm?
LADOUCEUR: We decided back in 2006 to begin our internal adjustments to align the company for the new direction the home-improvement industry was going to go. This has been the third recession I have gone through with my company and, by far, it has been the worst.
Our major focus shifted to job security for our very loyal and dedicated staff, eliminate debt, both in the short term and long term, reduce unnecessary inventories and expenses, and look to our suppliers to continue with the partnership we have had for many years. We cut our margins to the bone, maximized efficiencies and together we have all sacrificed in order keep our company on the right path.
We redirected our marketing strategies very successfully and are well positioned for what we feel will be the beginning of the economic upturn in 2011.
All of our leadership team refused to accept anything that was “negative in attitude or determination.”
I feel a recession is the perfect time to rethink and reorganize. It is a test of skill at overcoming significant obstacles. The big question is “Are you and your people ready for the challenge?”
PBN: Do you have any advice to others in the industry or the broader business world looking to emulate your success?
LADOUCEUR: Always focus on tomorrow and do not worry about today. You should have worried about today, yesterday. Remember, it’s all about your people and what they do and how they do it. By yourself you will never arrive.
PBN: I understand you work with students at the high school and college level. Can you tell us a little about that and why you do it?
LADOUCEUR: I have been a guest speaker at New England Tech on careers day for about 10 years. I meet with about eight groups of young adults consisting of 25 to 35 students. I have been very grateful for this opportunity to speak with them. Some of these students remind me of when I was their age and knew everything and had all the answers.
In 1970, I joined the Marines and was welcomed into the real world and never regretted it. It is very important to me to try to reach these kids and maybe help them find the way to a productive career path.
I have recently met with five students from a transitional school. These kids really caught my attention and once we got past the “attitude” – which at their age I knew very well – I was totally impressed with all of them. I have since met with them again and offered them a challenge to be the best of the best in the remainder of this school year, improve their grades, perform community service, improve their class attendance and find a new self respect for themselves, their peers, their teachers and family.
I will meet with them again at the end of the third quarter of this year to see how they are meeting the challenges that I presented them.
PBN: You were a student once yourself. What inspired you?
LADOUCEUR: My father was my biggest inspiration. He had me working with him since I was 13. “Saturdays and summer school vacations were not to be spent hanging around,” he would say.
He was tough and very demanding. I always had to carry my weight on the job and complaining was never accepted. I was never allowed to say, “I can’t do it.” Good enough was never an option. He would say, “You must be the best of the best.”
That is why I joined the Marines right out of high school. I too was like the five young men I have recently come to know. Tough guy, knew everything, had the world figured out. The day I arrived at Marine Corps boot camp, I learned I was in for the most challenging time of my life. The day I arrived at Parris Island I realized what my dad meant when he said, “Quitting is never an option.” It wasn’t then, and it is not an option today.
Inspiration should begin at home with your parents. I am very lucky to have, to this day, two wonderful and supportive parents. They certainly were challenged with having me for a son.
