The National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA), in partnership with USAA, is proud to announce that Gordon Logan, founder and CEO of Sports Clips, is the 2015 Vetrepreneur® of the Year. NaVOBA and USAA will present Logan with his award at a special ceremony at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh to kick off the 2015 National Veterans Small Business Engagement on November 16, 2015.
Online, November 11, 2015 (Newswire.com) - The National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA), in partnership with USAA, is proud to announce that Gordon Logan, founder and CEO of Sports Clips, is the 2015 Vetrepreneur® of the Year.
NaVOBA and USAA will present Logan with his award on November 16 at a special ceremony at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh to kick off the 2015 National Veterans Small Business Engagement conference. Joining Logan will be four 2015 category Vetrepreneur of the Year® recipients, including: Kaney O'Neill, the Woman Vetrepreneur of the Year®, William "Bud" Almas," the Hispanic Vetrepreneur of the Year®, Bede Ramcharan, the Minority Vetrepreneur of the Year®, and Andrell Harris, the Franchise Vetrepreneur of the Year®.
'Gordon’s story of overcoming adversity, learning from his failures and persisting patiently personifies how the U.S. military prepares our men and women who serve for success as entrepreneurs,' said NaVOBA President Chris Hale.
Each veteran's remarkable story is featured in the November-December dual issue of Vetrepreneur, NaVOBA's national print and digital magazine.
"Gordon's story of overcoming adversity, learning from his failures and persisting patiently personifies how the U.S. military prepares our men and women who serve for success as entrepreneurs," said NaVOBA President Chris Hale. "His focus on serving not only his customers but also his employees and franchisees is why Sports Clips is a household name today."
After leaving the U.S. Air Force in 1974, Gordon Logan, who'd graduated from MIT prior to enlisting, picked up his MBA at the Wharton School of Business and began his career working for Price Waterhouse. He and his wife, Bettye, then struck out on their own in 1980, opening salons under three different brands, but they nearly went out of business when a trusted employee embezzled more than $100,000 and covered up the fact that company taxes had gone unpaid.
Left to pick up the pieces, the Logans reevaluated and decided to focus their energies—and limited funds—on a single brand. Gordon Logan designed Sport Clips as more than simply a place to get a haircut; he and his wife created an experience that men and boys look forward to and enjoy. With the tagline, "It's good to be a guy!", Sport Clips salons feature a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere, with large-screen TVs tuned to sporting events, sports-themed memorabilia and décor, and specially trained, talented stylists who know how to cut men's hair.
Building a sturdy foundation, investing in their people, and creating a strong company culture and brand identity have all paid off. In 2007, Sport Clips opened its 400th AND 500th stores. Today, Sport Clips continues to thrive, even amid a huge increase in competition, and currently has 1,450 stores in the U.S. and Canada. Sport Clips was named a top 100 global franchise for the first time in 2015, is ranked by Entrepreneur as one of the Top 10 "Fastest-Growing Franchises" and ranks 36th in the "Franchise 500." It is also ranked by FORBES as a "Top Ten Best Franchise" to buy for its investment category.
"As the title sponsor for this year's Vetrepreneur® of the Year award, USAA congratulates Gordon Logan on his recognition as the Vetrepreneur® of the Year," said Debbie Aikens, Executive Director, Client Relationship Management at USAA. "Gordon has demonstrated his support for the veteran community throughout the years, and we know he will continue to foster success for many veterans in the years to come. USAA is committed to hiring veterans and military spouses and creating opportunities for veteran and military spouse-owned businesses within our supplier base, so we share the goal of helping veterans succeed, and we've seen the benefits that veterans bring to the business world."
Logan also focus heavily on investing in and giving back to the community. The family made a pledge in 2013 to donate $1 million to Georgetown, Texas-area nonprofits and have been recognized for their philanthropic work with a number of nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity, R.O.C.K, and the Boys and Girls Club. Logan also received the VFW's "Citizenship Award" and Sport Clips was named the organization's "Official Haircutter." Logan now serves on the Board of Directors of the VFW Foundation.
About the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA):
NaVOBA unites the nation's 3 million businesses owned by military veterans by providing a single voice to advocate for important issues. For more information visit us on the web at www.navoba.com, or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/navoba and on Twitter @NaVOBA.
About USAA
The USAA family of companies provides insurance, banking, investments, retirement products and advice to 11.2 million current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving our nation in the U.S. military or have received a discharge type of Honorable - and their eligible family members. Founded in 1922, USAA is headquartered in San Antonio. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.
For more information or to arrange interviews, contact:
BP Media Relations, LLC
Barbara Pflughaupt - 212-707-8181
Source URL: http://prweb.com/releases/2015VOY/11/prweb13077911.htm
Share: