Employee Spotlight! Rich Rene
September is here, and that means sweater weather, warm drinks, apple picking ... and a look at the month's Employee Spotlight, Rich Rene! Rich is one of the general managers here at Abt, and with over 26 years of experience, Rich knows everything there is to know about appliances inside the store. From refrigerators and grills to luxury ranges and classic dishwashers, Rich knows it all. And he knows how to handle SOS situations. If something goes wrong on the sales floor or someone needs a little extra help, Rich will be there with the knowledge and kindness to help make tough situations have the best outcomes.
From Warehouse to Driver to Custom Kitchens & Beyond
We mentioned that Rich has over 26 years of experience at Abt, but it isn't all consecutive. This general manager started his work at Abt in the warehouse in 1994. He was looking for a job and worked in the warehouse at Abt's previous Morton Grove location until 1997. "From the get-go, I loved it," he says. He returned to Abt in 1999 as a delivery driver, bringing purchases like appliances and electronics to customers and helping install them. He's come a long way since his days in the warehouse and as a driver.
Rich soon had a new position at Abt in our Custom Kitchens department. What's Custom Kitchens? At Abt, our Custom Kitchens department is where our kitchen appliance specialists work to find and install the perfect kitchen appliances for individual customers. Maybe you'll need custom cabinet modifications or panel installation: in our Custom Kitchens department, we work with clients to help them create their dream kitchens—and that's what Rich Rene did in Custom Kitchens. He worked in the department from 2004-2005.
After that, Rich took on the role of an appliance salesperson at Abt, selling appliances he already knew lots about from his previous experience in the warehouse, in Custom Kitchens and from his days as a driver. He suited up and wore the vest on the Abt sales floor every day. When asked what his favorite role of these was, he had a hard time deciding, but eventually settled on Custom Kitchens. "There was a certain amount of fun in everything I did, but Custom Kitchens was the most rewarding department that I've worked in. We would go into a home with nothing installed, and by the time we were done, the customer was ready to eat dinner in their new kitchen ... It was more than what a common appliance guy would do. It was really fulfilling. I came in with no skills with tools at all, and Mr. Abt had faith in me. He gave me the opportunity to learn and be successful."
Favorite Memories & Looking to the Future at Abt
One of the classic questions we ask our Employee Spotlights is "What is your favorite memory from your time at Abt?" And for folks who have been at Abt the longest, this is a tough one. "Every day I've spent here, I've belly-laughed during one time of the day or another. Every day is something new. There have been positive experiences all along the line. Every day was a good day," Rich says. "I wouldn't change anything."
When asked what he loves about his current job as a general manager, he smiled. "I think the best part is that my job is to say yes and to help people. Employees, customers, even folks who aren't buying anything. My job is to go by Bob Abt's 'Say yes to any reasonable request'."
His Work as a Manager
When it comes to managerial work, sometimes people come to you to put your foot down and to play hardball, but Rich doesn't necessarily see it that way. In his eyes, everyone is a manager and has the power to take things into their own hands. "No one is below anybody, and every position is important. I don't consider myself above or below anybody because we all have the ability to take care of both our customers and each other." He truly appreciates seeing young workers who started out the same way he did rise through the ranks. He'll watch employees move from warehouse workers carrying appliances reach new goals as time flies. Rich also enjoys learning as much as possible each day, whether he's spending time closing up the store at the end of the day or working to help customers and clients when they need help.
As a general manager of the store, Rich can go into any department and help out as needed. He spends a lot of his time assisting customer service and salespeople, but still dips into other departments as they need him. If there's an issue at Abt, Rich (or another general manager) will be able to help fix it. He wears many hats and still sells appliances—and has folks that come in asking for him specifically when they want to buy appliances for their home. Even as a manager, he makes relationships with customers that have people coming back for his expertise.
The Changes in Appliances Over a 26-Year Career
One of the last things we asked Rich about was how appliances have changed during his time at Abt, from 1994 to 2025. While everyone can say that things look extremely different (from refrigerators to dishwashers and beyond), Rich has been most surprised by appliance longevity. Older refrigerators used to have a bit more longevity, and with the new features and technology packed into modern-day models, it's less likely that you'll have an appliance last as long. But that's why upgrading your purchase with an extended Abt warranty is never a bad idea. No matter what, our team will help fix a product you've bought from Abt if you run into any difficulties, but an extended warranty from Abt helps mitigate risk.
Knowing that, Rich is pretty old-school when it comes to his own appliances: he has a kitchen with white appliances from classic names like GE. But when we asked him what his favorite appliance at home was, he talked about his passion for grilling. He recently purchased a Napoleon grill. "I got the Napoleon Prestige, and I've been using it every day that I'm off. I like grilling everything."
A Coach at Home & Coaching at Work
When he's not at work or grilling up a meal on his new Napoleon grill, Rich is exploring his passion for golfing. But he truly loved coaching sports like football and baseball for his son and the children in the community. He coached in the BGYFL league for a full 16 years. "I took a group that didn't win a game for 20 years, and by the time we were in eighth grade, we were unbeaten for two years in a row." Whether Rich is coaching kids on the field or coaching new appliance salespeople, he always knows how to help people train up the right way—it's just one of the reasons why he's a general manager here at Abt, and why we're excited to celebrate him as this month's Employee Spotlight. We're very lucky to have him. If you see him out on the sales floor and need some help, he's there to do just that—like every other member of the team here at Abt.
