Kelly’s fighting spirit pays off
Business savvy helps keep family company thriving

By STEPHEN CLARK
Observer-Dispatch

Like the good son, Jonas Kelly, 37, returned to the family-owned home improvement center after college and helped it through its biggest challenge yet: battling home improvement chain stores.

After being in the Utica area for decades, Jay-K Independent Lumber Corp. — founded by Kelly’s grandfather and run by his father and uncle for years — faced its toughest competition ever when Home Depot and Lowes moved into the neighborhood during the late 1990s.

“Sales were down and people were leaving,” Kelly’s father, Chris, said.

But “quitting was not an option,” Kelly said. Under the “modern” leadership of Kelly and his cousin Dean, Jay-K weathered the storm and remains an economically viable business.

That’s only one of the reasons why Kelly — who also serves on several community boards — has been named a 2004 Accent on Excellence honoree. Another reason is his humility.

“I’m proud and pleased to be a recipient of the award,” Kelly said. “I wish I could include another 60 people here, the employees, who help drive this organization.”

Kelly started as an employee there when he was 13 years old. He worked there in the summertime during high school and college.

“It’s a good place to work,” Kelly said. “The atmosphere is always fun.”

Joseph Romanelli, who nominated Kelly for the award and leads a family business, described the impact of such business on the community as crucial, especially Jay-K.

“They’ve been here for generations,” Romanelli said, “and still continue to give back. You don’t get that with the chain stores that roll into town. I’m just impressed with their staying power.”

Kelly helped Jay-K maintain its staying power in the late 1990s by implementing a plan with his cousin Dean, his uncle Kevin, and his father to fight the invasion of the home center chain stores.

“People always ask, ‘What changes did you make?’” Kelly said. “The answer is instead of homeruns, we made a thousand base hits.”

The family decided to avoid radical changes (such as becoming strictly a lumberyard) and simply enhanced the store’s strengths: customer service, employee satisfaction and keeping abreast of current industry trends.

“It’s really worked out,” Kelly said. Sales picked up again in 2000 and Jay-K regained its footing in the home improvement center race.

“I think it’s important that we recognize these people in the community,” Romanelli said. “Our community is surviving because of these people. ... None of us are doing it for recognition, especially Jonas. He’s doing it because he’s that kind of person.”