Valley grocer offers food for thought

Get as much education and training as you can, he told students.

By VIRGINIA ROSS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NORTH LIMA — Businessman Henry Nemenz said the best advice he can give today’s youths is that they take every chance to learn as much as possible — in class or on the job.

Nemenz, owner and operator of five IGA Super Centers and eight Save-A-Lot stores in the Youngstown area, encouraged seniors at South Range High School to get as much formal education as possible.

“But even if you don’t have the opportunity to go to college, it’s amazing what you can do if you work hard and are determined and willing to learn everything you can,” he said.

Nemenz, a native of the North Lima area, spoke to about 100 students Monday as part of the high school’s senior lecture series. The object of the program is to introduce students to local people who have built successful careers and businesses.

High school Principal Phillip Latessa initiated the series last year and decided to continue it this year because of positive response from students.

“I didn’t want to bring in celebrities and people who seem out of reach,” Latessa. “I wanted the students to see what local people have accomplished. And so far, the students have been very receptive. By the end of the series they’ll have a clearer view of what we’re trying to do here.”

Nemenz, who now lives in Poland, studied business for two years at Mount Union College but persuaded his parents to let him come home to work in the family store. His father, Gustav, established Nemenz Food Stores in North Lima during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Nemenz worked in the family grocery business from 1956 to 1976, when he opened his first store in Boardman. In 1980 he opened a full-size grocery store in Struthers.

He has served in many offices including past president of the Poland Rotary and past chairman of the American Cancer Society. He is on the board of directors of the Youngstown Grocers Association, on the board of directors of the Millcreek Learning Center and chairman of the Ohio Food Industry Foundation of the Ohio Grocers Association.

He has received numerous awards including the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, Small Business Person of the Year award in 1987, citizen of the year award in 1989, Outstanding Individual Philanthropist Award in 1992 and Channel 33 Entrepreneur Award in 2004. He was also inducted into the Ohio Grocers Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

“Education will mean so much to you later in life,” Nemenz told the students. “But even if you don’t go to college, learn a trade. Get some kind of training. Learn what you can, and you might just be able to start your own business.”

Nemenz said small businesses are what made America great, advising the students to try to work for smaller companies. “Do a great job and go from there,” he said.

Nemenz said some of his former employees have moved onto bigger things. He said one employee worked for him for nine years, became a supervisor for a larger wholesale company and now operates 15 of his own grocery stores.

“I encourage our employees to move forward when possible,” he said. “The main thing I try to teach them is to be good to your employees and be good to your customers. If you don’t apply those principles, nothing else will matter. You have to learn what you can from the people who work for and with, treat people right and be willing to take a risk here and there.”

“No matter what you do, do it to the best of your ability, and I truly believe you’ll be a success,” Nemenz said.