Freeland man sentenced to state prison for crimes against teens

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Gap store’s closing will leave a hole in Wyoming Valley retail offerings

<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Eileen Godin</p><p>egodin@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070815Wills1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tom Wills, managing partner of ABC Supply in Wilkes-Barre, is a proud recipient of the company&#8217;s highest award. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL070815Wills1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Tom Wills, managing partner of ABC Supply in Wilkes-Barre, is a proud recipient of the company&#8217;s highest award. </caption0></div></div>
<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Tom Wills has seen many different things cross his small desk, but one item now stands tall on that desk at ABC Supply Company Inc.: The Ken Hendricks Award.</p><p>ABC Supply, a leading distributor of roofing, siding and windows, honored Wills for his easygoing managerial style in June.</p><p>Employees must incorporate the company&#8217;s core values of respect, opportunity, work hard, have fun, entrepreneurial spirit, family, give back to the community and American pride to be nominated for the award.</p><p>Wills, a 31-year managing partner at ABC Supply, received the award during the Wisconsin-based company&#8217;s Founders Day held at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in June.</p><p>&#8220;Tom embodies the spirit that the Ken Hendricks Award is intended to recognize,&#8221; Keith Rozolis, president and chief executive officer at ABC Supply, said in a written statement. &#8220;Tom&#8217;s hard work, along with his willingness to help others succeed, has made him a role model.&#8221;</p><p>Wills&#8217; easygoing managerial skills and his ability to face each issue with professionalism and honesty has allowed him to field stressed calls from contractors, suppliers and sales representatives.</p><p>&#8220;Sometimes one call generates 20 others,&#8221; Wills, of Plains Township, said. &#8220;I&#8217;m good at juggling.&#8221;</p><p>Keeping him sane and organized is a big notebook filled with lists &#8212; list of calls to be made and problems to be conquered.</p><p>&#8220;I live by the lists,&#8221; Wills said.</p><p>But even his lists can not outweigh the value of his associates. The Wilkes-Barre location &#8212; at 40 Conyngham Ave. &#8212; employs 10 people, some of whom have been there nearly as long as Wills.</p><p>The atmosphere in the shop is more of a brotherly bond as staff tease each other.</p><p>&#8220;You have to have a sense of humor,&#8221; he said.</p><p>But joking aside &#8212; the award holds special meaning for Wills.</p><p>He had met Hendricks, who co-founded the store with his wife, Diane, before he died in 2007. The supply chain has more than 500 stores.</p><p>&#8220;He was a great guy,&#8221; he said.</p><p>A testament of his personality and commitment to the company, Wills&#8217; office walls include several pictures of his family including some of Hendricks and his wife at company events.</p><p>&#8220;This is a good company,&#8221; Wills said. &#8220;People search their whole life looking for that perfect job. I found it.&#8221;</p><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.</shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre store manager awarded for knowing ABCs of his business