Newtown Entrepreneur State Finalist In Ace Hardware Contest
Newtown Entrepreneur State Finalist
In Ace Hardware Contest
OAK BROOK, Ill. â Ace Hardware recently announced Newtown resident Scott Christiano was the sole Connecticut state finalist for the Dream Ace Contest, which will award one entrepreneur the business opportunity of a lifetime â his or her very own Ace Hardware store valued at $1 million. Qualified contestants from more than 40 states were invited to participate in several qualifying rounds of the contest in New York City February 16 and 17.
While Mr Christiano was not successful in advancing to the next semifinal round of selections, he rose to a distinct position among more than 5,400 aspiring entrepreneurs from across the country who entered the Dream Ace Contest between January 1 and January 31. The rigorous selection process included an extensive online entrepreneurial-suitability test and three essay questions.
âWe are very excited about the roster of entrepreneurial talent we have in our state finalists,â said Paula Erickson, director of advertising and brand development at Ace Hardware Corp. âThese entrepreneurs exemplify the passion, drive, and business acumen that has made Ace retailers thrive for more than 80 years.â
Throughout February, the field of state finalists was narrowed down through a series of interviews, presentations and other skills-based activities taking place in New York City and Chicago. A panel of qualified Ace retailers and campaign ambassador Bill Rancic, celebrity entrepreneur and season one winner of The Apprentice, are judging the contest-related activities.
The Dream Ace Grand Prize Winner will be selected from two finalists by a live vote by all Ace retailers present at the Ace Hardware convention in Las Vegas on March 15. The culmination of the Dream Ace Contest is the grand opening of the winnerâs store, on June 30 and July 1, which will be located in Houston.