Brandon Ford has been the store manager at Albertson's Home Centre in Parksville for almost 11 years.
He is 31 years old.
Ford was recently selected by The Vancouver Island Top 20 Under 40 Business and Community Achievement Awards Committee as one of Vancouver Island's top young entrepreneurs.
"There were 100 people (finalists) up for the 20 awards, so yeah, I was surprised," Ford told The NEWS last week.
Ford has been working in hardware sales since 2002. He quickly moved up the ranks at the SeeGroup of Companies, Albertson's parent firm. Initially hired to work in the lumberyard at Beaver Creek Home Center in Port Alberni, where he's from and where he lives, Ford moved into sales in 2004 and by 2006 he had taken over Contractor Sales there.
"His intimate knowledge of the business and his ability to be a team player led to great success in working with customers and later that same year he was promoted to a managerial position at Albertsons Home Center in Parksville," said news release from SeeGroup.
In 2010 he was featured in Hardware Merchandising Magazine as the 2010 Outstanding Retailer award recipient.
Ford sits on his company's national committees (representing 700 stores) for retail sales, emerging leaders and a children's charity.
Despite the awards and impressive resume, Ford said last week he doesn't see himself leaving Albertson's or the industry any time soon.
"Independently-owned organizations, in my mind, are the way to go," he said. "Part of our success is being able to meet our customers' demands, not be dictated by corporate standards. We just do what it takes to make the customer happy."
The Top 20 Under 40 awards are given to people for their achievements in the areas of commitment to their workforce and contribution to the local economy.