Celebrating Success

The 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards program recognized retailers from across the nation. Several of the regional retail winners are reviewed below.

Mindy Grossman/CEO/HSN

Mindy Grossman, 53, smashed through the proverbial glass ceiling even prior to taking the reins of $3 billion powerhouse HSN in 2008. With more than 30 years in the industry, the retail and apparel veteran was a senior executive at Nike, directing strategy, operations and sourcing for its $3.5 billion apparel business, and also served as a VP at Tommy Hilfiger. She’s reached the top spot twice before — as president and CEO of Polo Jeans Co./Ralph Lauren and as CEO, Retailing of IAC/InterActiveCorp., the holding company of Cornerstone Brands, formerly a sister company to HSN.

Today, Grossman rules the multibillion-dollar home, online and catalog-shopping giant that is HSN from its 70-acre campus in St. Petersburg. It’s a big and demanding job, but she manages to find time to stay active in the industry. Grossman is on the National Retail Federation board of directors and is the chairperson of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Executive Women in Fashion advisory board.

Grossman is an entrepreneur at heart and acted on her entrepreneurial bent early. She left George Washington University at age 19 for New York City, determined to make a name for herself in media or fashion. She did both. Under her direction, HSN has regained its relevance and undergone a total transformation from cliché product-pusher to a lifestyle brand with cool products, a hip image and plenty of star power, with a lineup that ranges from singer Mary J. Blige to celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse to tennis player Serena Williams. Grossman has also led HSN’s expansion into mobile with the development of applications for the iPhone, Android and iPad. And in 2010, she oversaw the launch of a second 24-hour television shopping channel, HSN2.

Art Van Elslander/Founder and Chairman/Art Van Furniture

For Art Van Elslander, there is no big secret when it comes to his company’s success.

“The key to our success has been our unmatched customer service,” Van Elslander said. “We always put the customer first, and do whatever it takes to make sure they are satisfied.”

Van Elslander opened his first furniture store in 1959. His mission: to provide the community with quality furniture at great prices, with high standards of customer service. He remained true to that philosophy over the years as he grew the company from a single storefront into America’s largest independent furniture retailer, with 39 stores throughout Michigan, including five freestanding PureSleep bedding stores. The company plans to expand the new PureSleep concept nationally through franchise and licensing agreements.

While Art Van Furniture remains family-owned, it is headed up by longtime Canadian furniture executive Kim Yost, who was appointed CEO in 2009. The family remains active, however. Val Elslander’s son Gary is president of the company; son David is VP merchandising.

The 81-year-old Van Elslander, who has 10 children, has always been a staunch advocate of giving back. He is as well known throughout Michigan for his philanthropy and community outreach as he is for his business success. When Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day Parade fell on hard times in 1990, he wrote a check to save it from being canceled.

“If you’re fortunate enough to be as successful as our company has been, then it’s your responsibility to give back. I just believe that,” Van Elslander said.

In 2009, the company celebrated its 50th anniversary with the launch of the Art Van Million Dollar Charity Challenge. Van Elslander personally donated $1 million in grants to 50 Michigan-based nonprofit organizations focused on children, health and human services. The grants were positioned as challenge grants to maximize fundraising opportunities.

So successful was the initiative — the charities turned the donated $1 million into more than $4 million through additional fundraising — that Van Elslander reprised the same campaign in 2010. Taking it a step further in 2011, Art Van Furniture will invest more than $100,000 by giving its approximately 2,500 associates two hours of company-paid time to do volunteer work for the Million Dollar Charity Challenge partner of the associate’s choice.

“This is a perfect example of how one person can make a difference,” Van Elslander said.

Chris Coborn/President and CEO/Coborn’s Inc.

At a time of rampant consolidation in the grocery sector, family-owned Coborn’s has found a way to adapt, thrive and remain independent. From its earliest days, the St. Cloud, Minn.-based chain has never been afraid to innovate or try new things. Coborn’s was the first supermarket in the state of Minnesota to utilize scanning at its front-end checkouts, starting in 1972. In 1979, it opened a discount grocery format, and in 1986 it opened its first convenience store.

Under the direction of Chris Coborn, the 90-year-old company has remained ahead of the curve, adopting cutting-edge merchandising and marketing strategies. But it remains focused on a singular mission: to be the best place to shop and the best place to work in every market it serves. That mission is shared by its approximately 6,700 employee/owners who share equity in the company through an accelerating employee stock ownership program (ESOP) that was established several years ago,

Indeed, Coborn is known for being relentless in his pursuit of excellence in customer service, store performance, innovation and excellence. His efforts have paid off: The company has generated annual sales in excess of $1 billion over the past three years. At the same time, it is admired throughout the retail industry for its generous philanthropy.

Coborn, whose great-grandfather Chester founded Coborn’s as a single produce stand in 1921, started in the family business as a grocery bagger and stock clerk. Today, he is one of three family members to hold the top executive positions in the chain, which owns and operates 41 grocery stores under several banners, 33 fuel centers, 24 liquor stores and a number of other outlets.

Jeff Gordman/President, Chairman and CEO/Gordmans

Jeff Gordman is following in the family tradition. As president, chairman and CEO of the Omaha, Neb.-basedGordmans, he leads a company that his grandfather co-founded nearly 100 years ago. Gordman has proved himself more than capable of following in his footsteps.

A 1986 graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Gordman initially went to