Message to Shareholders: Steven Burggraf

A message from the Chairman of the Board

Steven Burggraf, Chairman

Dear Ace Shareholders,

2024 was an extraordinary year for Ace for many reasons, and as I look back, the overwhelming sentiment I feel is pride – I hope you feel the same. Ace celebrated its 100th Anniversary – that’s an accomplishment that very few retail brands get to experience and one that I won’t soon forget. As I sat at the Centennial Celebration in Chicago, it was amazing to pause and look back at our rich history, celebrate where we are now and look forward to the next 100 years and beyond. What’s most exciting to me is that a century later, Ace is not only growing, but we are thriving!

Speaking of growth, if you read John Venhuizen’s message in this Annual Report, you’ll see that Ace continues to grow in many ways – from our financial growth to opening new stores, to attracting new customers and providing new, innovative ways to serve them. This 100-year-old company is never content; we are always looking and driving forward to meet the needs of the communities we serve. And while we will always be laser focused on improved financial performance, we remain devoted to these local communities, winning the hearts and stirring the souls of both consumers and our helpful workforce.

Looking back on 2024, here’s some numbers that depict that devotion:

The Ace Foundation raised a record $25 million. This includes funds for local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, the American Red Cross, and our own Ace Helpful Fund.
Our customers are happy – 87.5% of customers rated Ace retailers a 5 out of 5 for customer satisfaction.
Our employees are engaged – Overall, our participating retailers enjoyed employee engagement survey scores in the top third of Gallup’s database.

If those weren’t enough, we notched several more victories that demonstrate the strength of our company and the power of our brand. Here are just a few of the noteworthy accomplishments from 2024:

#1 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s "Best of the Best" Franchises List
#5 on Franchise Times’ Top 400 List
#5 Most Trustworthy Company in America (according to Newsweek)
#5 in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500

On behalf of the entire Ace Board of Directors, thank you for contributing to yet another impressive year for our company. Your commitment to building and growing your business and strengthening our iconic Ace brand – all while serving your local communities – is a big reason why Ace is, and always will be, the place.