September Employee Spotlight: Rich Rene Rich Rene is a general manager at Abt with over 26 years of experience and deep knowledge of appliances, from refrigerators and ranges to grills and dishwashers. Whether helping customers or solving problems on the sales floor, Rich brings kindness and expertise. He began his Abt journey in 1994 in the warehouse. After a brief break, he returned in 1999 as a delivery driver and later moved into Custom Kitchens, his most rewarding role. “We'd go into an empty space and leave behind a dream kitchen,” he says. “Mr. Abt believed in me even when I had no skills. That meant everything.” Today, Rich supports any department that needs help. He often assists customer service and sales, still sells appliances, and has loyal customers who ask for him by name. Known for wearing many hats, Rich is the go-to person when something needs fixing. When asked what he loves most about his role, he smiled. “The best part is that my job is to say yes and help people—employees, customers, even folks just browsing. My job is to say yes to any reasonable request.” He believes everyone has the power to lead, no matter their title. “No one is above or below anyone; every role is important,” he says. He especially enjoys watching young employees grow from warehouse roles to new heights. At home, Rich prefers the classics: white GE appliances. His favorite, though, is his Napoleon Prestige grill. “I grill every day I’m off,” he says. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing and spent 16 years coaching youth football, leading a once-losing team to back-to-back undefeated seasons. Read more of Rich’s spotlight on the blog.