Content about Bob Taylor

May 19, 2013

Indianapolis -- A number of innovations, events and product deals helped draw thousands of member-owners to the 2013 Do it Best May Market. 

“From the strong member response at the Sneak Peek, to the solid attendance at our many seminars and training events and continuing out to the bustle on the market floor, we’ve seen a lot of enthusiasm among our members this weekend,” said Do it Best Corp. President and CEO Bob Taylor.

October 1, 2012

Attendance numbers are expected to increase at the Do it Best Fall Market in Indianapolis, which officially kicks off Oct. 13.

An early reading about five weeks ahead of the upcoming October market showed double-digit percentage increases in store attendance, and increases in total badges even higher.

“It’s a dramatic difference,” said CEO Bob Taylor. “We’ll have to see, but it’s a great early sign that maybe [the industry] turned a corner.”

September 28, 2012

One of the challenges facing independent hardware stores in late 2012, as an election looms and uncertainty reigns, can be classified under the headline: “Good problem to have.” Specifically, it’s the challenge of managing a business through an upswing.

September 17, 2012

Taylor’s Do it Center of Virginia Beach, Va., celebrated the grand opening of its 11th store Saturday. 

The hardware store retailer’s newest store is in the Courthouse Marketplace shopping center in Virginia Beach. The store is the chain’s fifth in Virginia Beach.

 “It was an old fashioned grand opening with a board cutting, the mayor and chief of police,” said marketing manager Tom Townsend. The store’s soft opening took place in August.

July 13, 2012

Officials from Do it Best Corp. put shovels to dirt Thursday morning as they officially broke ground in Sikeston, Mo., at the site of what will be the co-op’s newest and most technologically advanced Retail Service Center (RSC).

May 20, 2012

Indianapolis -- Hockey legend Jim Craig, the goalie from the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic hockey team of 1980 delivered the keynote speech during the Do it Best Corp. May Market here. Craig’s message of teamwork was similar to that of Do it Best CEO Bob Taylor. 

May 8, 2012

Do it Best Corp. CEO Bob Taylor accepted the Home Channel Hall of Fame award during the Golden Hammer Awards at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas. Safety Works VP safety sales John Shields introduced the inductee.

May 2, 2012

The 28th Golden Hammer Awards saw Bob Taylor enter the Home Channel Hall of Fame and Westminster, Mass.-based Aubuchon Hardware take home the Retailer of the Year award.

Single-store operator McDaniel’s Do-It Center of Snohomish, Wash., was also recognized as the Golden Hammer “Tools of the Trade” honoree. 

May 1, 2012

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?”

March 30, 2012

In 1999, Bob Taylor achieved a feat accomplished by no other home improvement executive in the annals of business journalism.

He was compared with “Bonanza” character Adam Cartwright and U.S. President George Herbert Walker Bush — in the same article.

We’ll explain later.

First things first: Do it Best Corp. CEO Bob Taylor is to be congratulated for his selection as the 2012 inductee of the Home Channel Hall of Fame.

March 21, 2012

The Home Channel Hall of Fame will welcome Do it Best Corp. CEO Bob Taylor during an induction ceremony at the 2012 National Hardware Show in Las Vegas.

The Home Channel Hall of Fame has been recognizing outstanding service to the hardware and home improvement industry since 2004. Recent inductees include Larry Stone (2011), president emeritus of Lowe’s, and Pat Farrah (2010), one of the original founders of The Home Depot.

December 1, 2011

Dan Starr and Doug Roth will be promoted into Do it Best's upper management June 1, when longtime executives Dave Haist and Dave Dietz plan to retire. 

“Any transition like this is a mix of emotions and sentiment,” said Bob Taylor, president and CEO. “While we are saddened to see a couple of key, longtime contributors like Dave Haist and Dave Dietz retire, we are equally excited to have two very talented individuals in Dan Starr and Doug Roth stepping up to fill those positions.”

November 3, 2011

At the 2011 Do it Best Fall Market in Indianapolis, the co-op distributed $105.8 million in combined rebates to member dealers. It was the eighth straight year that the distribution exceeded $100 million. 

October 5, 2011

The Do it Best October Market will return to Indianapolis Oct. 8 to 10, with some things remaining the same, and some things changing. 

“We really believe this market will be like no other that our members have seen or experienced,” said Do it Best CEO Bob Taylor. “With the continued momentum of our Extreme Growth initiatives, along with outstanding purchasing opportunities in an expanded convention center and top-notch slate of events and speakers, we’ve got a lot of very exciting things in store for our members."

September 28, 2011

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest differences. Then again, sometimes it’s the big things.


The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Do it Best Corp., fresh from its October Market in Indianapolis, is advancing a slate of initiatives both large and small. Projects range from reprinting its field staff’s business cards to building what it calls a digital World Class Commerce Center. And as CEO Bob Taylor sees it, they are all in service of one overarching goal: serving the members. 


Let’s start with the big plans first. 


June 27, 2011

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels appointed Do it Best CEO Bob Taylor to the Indiana Economic Development Corp.'s board of directors.

The announcement was made earlier this month during an IEDC board meeting. 

The IEDC describes its mission as growing and retaining Indiana businesses, while attracting new investments to the state. It consists of 12 members appointed by the governor. 

May 23, 2011

Indianapolis -- Do it Best Corp. CEO Bob Taylor presented three major co-op initiatives -- including an aggressive  recruitment strategy -- to members assembled here for the 2011 Do it Best May Market at the Indiana Convention Center.

November 9, 2010

Virginia Beach, Va.-based Taylor’s Do it Center has been named to Inside Business’s Roaring 20...

October 31, 2010

Do it Best celebrated its 65th anniversary at its October Market here Oct. 8-11, and...

October 27, 2010

Fort Wayne, Ind.-based co-op Do it Best Corp. added some of its own analysis to...

October 10, 2010

Sales for the year may be down 3.1%, but efficient logistics upgrades helped the co-op...

September 5, 2010

Home Channel News recently asked Do it Best Corp. President and CEO Bob Taylor what...

November 2, 2008

The Vendor of the Year awards were given to Irwin Industrial Tools, which was selected...

November 2, 2008

The home channel is waking up to “staycations”—a term for people’s habit of spending more...

October 21, 2008

Indianapolis -- During his address to shareholders at the co-op’s fall market, Do it Best...