Richard A. Rea

My name is Ross Sirek. I am Berni Kocanda’s brother. Back in 1984 Berni and I ran into Dick at a grocery store in Omaha, and I explained my unfortunate luck with finding a job. Dick said he was looking for goal oriented people to work at Edison Brothers, of which he was a regional manager. I told him I had no experiance at retail, and did not know anything about shoes. (My family and I had just moved to Omaha from Hot Springs SD) He assured me that if the manager felt I had the qualities for sales, that I would be trained. Dick set up the interview, and next day, I was hired to work at Burts in Omaha. Dick knew that I was not able to go out an purchase suits, so he brought me over to his house, and gave be several of his old suits to wear until I could afford to buy my own. I moved up quickly from sales to assistant manager in several Omaha stores with Dick as my mentor. Then after a year in Omaha, Dick said they had a manager assignment for me, but would require me to move to Lansing Michigan. As a small town boy from Pierce NE, my wife and I along with our young son were reluctant to move, but with Dicks advise felt it was a good carrer decision to make the move. As it turned out Dick was correct all the way. Not only was he right on with his advise, but the training I received during my Omaha year, propelled me from Lansing, to Detroit, to Long Island, then to Manhatten. Within 3 years I was managing one of the largest Edison stores in the company. Many years have passed since then and I am still in the shoe business, designing and building shoes for many of the largest retailers in the world. I travel internationally, and the shoe salesman from Omaha has had the opportunity to see the world. I look back to the kindness and support I received from Dick to give me a chance, and to mentor a young man whom was down on his luck. I will never forget Dick Rea.