Editor’s Note: Randy Johnson, a legend of the appliance industry, died earlier this month (January 2025) at the age of 78. Still working as chief merchant of Southeast tech and home-goods giant BrandsMartUSA, he was beloved and respected by vendors and competitors alike.
His many admirers include Sam Abdelnour, Whirlpool’s former North American sales VP, who spoke at Johnson’s funeral and shared the following tribute to his customer and friend of over 40 years.
My earliest recollection of Randy Johnson was, “Wow, who is this guy??” He was better versed in the major appliance business than anyone I had met at that point in my career!
What I didn’t know that day was the level of honor, integrity, and respect that guided his every business decision. Relationships with his team and suppliers were the building blocks of this complex man. If Randy made a deal with you — even if he realized straight away he made a mistake — he honored it to the end. We should all be so principled.
Randy created more value through more lifetime relationships with suppliers than most and set the stage for other great merchants in the major appliance industry. And while he knew the value of his business and the huge advantage it gave him with suppliers, he never really took advantage of it. Rather, he was always available when a supplier needed something, and always held to his core values of honor, integrity, and respect.
I remember we once had a very heated exchange, leveraging the size of the business we did with each other. The meeting ended and I was sure our business together was harmed. But as I stood up to leave he said, “I have never respected you more than I do right now.” Our relationship evolved to a new level and we never looked back.
Randy was a true friend to Whirlpool but our relationship extended far beyond business, as there was much more to him than his merchandising skills. He valued and loved his family, as well as friends and business, and he never met a stranger. Never.
In meetings, he always asked about family members first (by name!), and was genuinely interested in how they were doing. Business came afterward, and ended with “Give your family a hug for me.”
Randy was also a legendary joke- and storyteller. He could entertain a room of two or 200. He had that knack and brought a huge dose of passion to everything in his life.
He operated on three simple business principles:
- “There are no bad products, only bad prices.”
- “In negotiations, you can only pick one: the price or the quantity.”
And the most important, which he lived every day:
- “Your word is your bond.”
A life well lived and ended all too soon. Goodbye, old friend.
About the Author
Sam Abdelnour is a longtime Whirlpool executive and retail industry expert who dedicated his 40-plus-year career to the appliance industry and developing those around him. Contact him at samaabdelnour@gmail.com.
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