Steven Havey & Patrick Randolph
Wal-Mart: good
neighbor or corporate villain?
The growth of Wal-Mart has had a significant effect on American
communities. Some welcome the retailing giant with open arms;
others mount campaigns to keep her away in hopes of preserving
main street Americana. Now this scenario is being played out
locally as the company has recently announced its intent to
locate a Super Center in Wellsville, 26 miles from Houghton.
Learn how local merchants are responding to this issue at the
March 10 Guest Executive Dinner.
Steven Havey
Steven Havey has an extensive background in the retailing
business. A graduate of Beal College in Bangor, ME, he spent 35
years with K-Mart Corporation, working in 11 stores in 5 states,
including the store in Wellsville – one of K-Mart’s most
profitable. He retired in 2005, and this January took the job of
Executive Director,
Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce. Now he
guides this group as it grapples with the possible arrival of a
Wal-Mart Super Center and all that could mean for the people and
businesses of the community.
Community minded, Steve is a long-time member and past president
of the Wellsville Lions Club. He’s also politically active,
having been Honorary Co-Chairman of the Republican Small
Business Advisory Committee and selected as Businessman of the
Year by The National Republican Congressional Committee’s
Business Advisory Council. He also was awarded the 2004 Ronald
Reagan Republican Gold Medal from The National Republican
Congressional Committee. Steve resides in Wellsville with his
wife Roxanne.
Patrick Randolph
A local native, Patrick Randolph graduated from Wellsville High
School in 1993. After earning degrees at Alfred State College
and Canisius, Patrick joined The Hertz Corporation where he
spent two years before becoming vice president of sales for
BoxerBrand Menu Covers in 2000 – a position he still holds. In
2004, Patrick and his wife, Cristy, opened
Kiddie Kove, a
children’s clothing store born of their own frustrations in
finding good quality children’s clothing in the area. Since
then, he has also established
Kiddie Kove.com and
ShopWellsville.com. As a small business owner, he stands to be
potentially greatly affected by the arrival of another “big box”
store in the Wellsville area.
Patrick serves on the
Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce Board
of Directors, serves as webmaster for The Great Wellsville
Balloon Rally, is a co-founder of The Merchants Open Forum and
can be found volunteering at numerous youth sporting events
including Youth Football, Youth Cheerleading, and Youth
Wrestling.
Mr. Havey and Mr. Randolph were our guests on March 10, 2006. Click here for their remarks.
The monthly Guest Executive Dinner series is sponsored by Houghton's business department for the purpose of increasing student exposure to marketplace professionals from various fields and service opportunities to be both salt and light after college.
