Notre Dame's 'Rudy' Speaks At CORY National Management Meeting

Furniture World Magazine

You probably know Rudy Ruettiger best as the little guy whose tremendous enthusiasm and determination earned him a spot on the mighty Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team ― and inspired one the greatest sports movies of all time, Rudy. To the CORY Home Delivery team attending the company’s recent annual management conference in Boca Raton, Florida, Rudy Ruettiger is all that ― and so much more. As keynote speaker, the never-say-die football player told an especially motivating story applicable to life and business, based on his own moving experiences on and off the field. “Be the person you want to be," Rudy asserted. “Make the decision to take action and move closer to your dream,” he advised. “Create daily success habits and surround yourself with information that will empower and inspire you," he challenged the CORY managers and executives present. Rudy’s words of wisdom were especially appropriate and timely as CORY steers an aggressive course in business and markets challenged by an extremely difficult economy. The company recently expanded business in a dozen new strategic locations nationwide that meet key client objectives. New business includes Ashley Home Store, Puerto Rico; Bassett Furniture, Orlando, FL; Best Buy, Miami and Orlando, FL; Bon-Ton Stores, NY and PA; Crate&Barrel, CT, NJ, and OH; Elder Beerman, OH; and Macy’s, TX. The Boca Raton management conference was held just at the right time as the role of home delivery expands and more retailers find it cost-effective to partner with specialized providers for delivery service. “Home delivery is increasingly becoming a competitive advantage for furnishings, appliances, and big box electronics retailers nationwide,” says Patrick Cory, vice president, strategic development, whose company will celebrate its 75th anniversary in business in 2009, and takes a pro-active approach that enhances a retailer’s image and reputation to attract repeat customers. The company utilized its new partnership with Skillpath Seminars, the nation’s largest business seminar provider, to lead two management seminars during the conference. “The conference theme, ‘Back to Basics,’ illustrates our commitment to teamwork and partnering in an increasingly difficult retail environment. It underscores the need to continue to focus on the basics, share information, and measure our results in an industry impacted by world events and a major economic downturn.” As CORY expands, it strengthens its management infrastructure and independent contractor base to meet client needs. By partnering with retailers, CORY has the ability and depth to meet a retailer’s operational demands with regional and local management and a large independent base of contractors who provide a superior level of service. Assuring that procedures, systems, and infrastructure are in place to service new business, CORY recently promoted and hired key personnel to help enhance daily operational needs. The company promoted industry veterans Bob Alter and Scott DeBlois as vice presidents of operations for the northeast and southeast respectively. CORY also named Pat Trinca director of human resources. She comes to CORY with an extensive background in human resources that includes working for the city of West Palm Beach, Florida in a similar capacity. On a final note, management attending the conference took Rudy Ruettiger’s inspiring message to heart. Charged with energy and enthusiasm, they shared best practices and innovative solutions to everyday home delivery challenges. They came away from the meeting inspired ― with a resolute plan of action. “The future of CORY and the home delivery industry, they agreed, focuses on customer centricity, always keeping the customer front and center in everything we do,” concludes Patrick Cory. “That said, the key strategy for success is outstanding cost-efficient service.” About CORY: One of the oldest and largest specialized home delivery carriers in America, CORY Home Delivery Service, founded by Joseph Cory in 1934, today is in its third generation of family management and ownership. Based in Secaucus, New Jersey, the company serves many of the top 100 furniture, appliance, and electronics retailers in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The company dispatches a modern fleet of 450 customized vehicles daily delivering more than $2.1 billion of merchandise to more than 1.6 million consumers annually. For more information, call Patrick Cory at 201-795-1000, or visit corycompanies.com.