Company: Pawn America Minnesota, L.L.C.
Main Contact for the Chamber: Dan Kealey
Title: Director of New Business Development & Community Affairs How long has the company been in operation: since 1991
Company’s mission statement: To provide every customer an unmatched standard of professionalism and integrity enabling each to depend on us with an ultimate level of trust.
What do you hope to gain from your Chamber membership:
Awareness in marketplace to improve business and involvement in the chamber comunity.
Copy about Brad Rixmann specifically: Integrity …
Credibility …
Dignity
…
Respect …
For those who battle the constant reminders of negative stereotypes steeped in the psyche of generations of consumers, politicians, municipalities, media folks and so on when it comes to Pawning … These words represent nothing short of a bright ray of light amongst an industry that is often portrayed as shady at best.
I am proud to acknowledge and one of our own Chamber members who knows a thing or two about producing a product that Prides itself on turning these rays of light into what I would deem … shining stars.
Back in 1991, inspired by his own positive experience patronizing a local pawn store, Brad Rixmann decided to open his own shop in a Minneapolis suburb. Since then, he has grown his business to include 20 additional Pawn America locations as well as two successful ancillary brands, Payday America and CashPass Network, which compliment his core business.
More importantly, Brad has proven to be a trailblazer in taking on the delicate task of softening the image of, and gaining the integrity/credibility for this typically “Four lettered word” stereotyped industry.
Over the last few years he has made great strides by introducing the consumer to beautifully built out concept stores, various high-profile community cause programs, an aggressive and ongoing PR presence, and high gloss and friendly, well produced commercials.
He was once quotes as saying, “One of my primary goals is to change the image of, and position my company and industry in a way that will enable my sons to one day take over my business without the obstacles I have seen due to the misinformed marketplace in relation to the PAWN experience’:
For those who have the pleasure of knowing him, he is consistently frank, sincere and dedicated in his passion while constantly trailblazing the way for others in not only developing, but preaching a new “brand” of pawn.
A 2007 recipient of the NPA Pawnbroker of the Year Award, Brad has also served as President of the MN Pawnbrokers Association where he consistently shares his experiences, marketing victories (and failures!), ideas and philosophies with the Pawn industry at large, as he is truly passionate about his business, its image and most of all … its ongoing success!
With this said, I’m proud to welcome a true shining star … Pawn America’s … Mr. Brad Rixmann!
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Copy focused on Community:
Brad Rixmann, Chief Manager of Pawn America comments on his company’s community engagement, “Even more rewarding than being involved in community action is the real-life traction we’ve seen from our programs. In helping children, soldiers, low-income families or local folks fighting disease and even tragedy, the successes are ever evolving and changing. We’ve always been grateful to be in a position to help.”
Pawn America has championed the following philanthropic causes:
- Kids Feeding Kids Initiative for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities
- Hennepin County Sheriff Foundation (HCSF)
- PCs for People
- Donation to Fairview Transitional Services
- Building Libraries for Soldiers in Iraq
Pawn America’s devotion to each of these causes includes much more than monetary donations but also volunteer hours, creative collaboration and countless resources to make actual, measurable changes in the community.
From the local kid who’s been able to eat at the Kids Feeding Kids kitchen, to a soldier in Iraq who’s able to enjoy a movie during his down-time, Pawn America is making a noticeable difference.
About Pawn America
Pawn America has 21 locations including: Anoka, Bloomington, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Duluth, Fridley, Hopkins, Mankato, St. Paul, Robbinsdale, Rochester, Roseville, St. Cloud, St. Louis Park, West St. Paul, Sioux Falls, SD, Fargo, ND, Onalaska and Wausau, WI and the newest store in Appleton, WI. For more information on Pawn America, its community initiatives and other store information, log onto: www.pawnamerica.com.
—————————————————————————————————————————–Specific Community Involvement Details:
I. Kids Feeding Kids Program- The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities
The Kids Feeding Kids program was launched on MLK Day 2007, in partnership with Pawn America and The Boys & Girls Clubs of The Twin Cities, to solve a serious hunger problem plaguing local children.
Kids Feeding Kids is built on the original Kids Cafe model used in 1994 in which members received a free family-style meal four evenings per week and on all school release days during the school year. The program was a huge success and grew from being offered at one club in the metro, to three total clubs. A few years later, the Kids Cafe eventually lost funding due to budget cuts and the cupboards were closed.
But fortunately the cupboards weren’t closed for good …
In fall of 2006, Brad Rixmann of Burnsville-based Pawn America approached leaders of The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities to discuss the possibility of reinstating and
reinventing the Kids Cafe program at the Jack Cornelius Club in South Minneapolis, with the longer-range goal of expanding sites through an ongoing cause-related initiative spearheaded and supported by his company, staff, business associates and friends. Shortly thereafter, the Kids Feeding Kids initiative was created and funded through a joint effort of Pawn America and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities.
During its first two and a half years, the Pawn America/Boys & Girls Clubs Kids Feeding Kids program has provided:
- 750 nutritious meals per week for inner-city youth members between the ages of six and eighteen.
- Important skills for the Club kids including nutrition, kitchen safety and sanitation and understanding of recipes and measurements.
- A Second Kitchen In St. Paul! The second kitchen now operating in St. Paul provides meals to hundreds of kids weekly and proves the Kids Feeding Kids mission and program are stronger than ever.
- Recently, a “summer months box-lunch option” was implemented in partnership with the Sodexo Foundation and General Mills Food Services. This seasonal program will provide an additional 13,500 lunches to four Club locations throughout the summer months – a time when many kids are more likely to miss a nutritional lunch opportunity.
- That’s over 50,000 meals per year!
Pawn America and Brad Rixmann not only helped create and fund Kids Feeding Kids, but it is not uncommon to see employees rolling up their sleeves on a weeknight serving up meals and conversation with local kids.
- 2. Hennepin County Sheriff’s Foundation
Pawn America is a valuable part of this independent, nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to strengthening public safety through youth-based activity programs, prevention, intervention, education, outreach and 21st century crime fighting tools and programs.
Through relationships such as that with Pawn America, The Hennepin County Sheriff Foundation is able to support county-wide law enforcement programs and activities. partnering with local Twin Cities Leaders.
An example of this partnership includes participation from the HCSF for the annual Kids Feeding Kids Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration and awareness event this past January.
- 3. PC’s For People
As part of the company’s mission to give back, Pawn America has donated hundreds of refurbished computers through a local program called PCs For People. The idea and goal of the donation is to use the equipment, which is outdated for business purposes, and give it a second lease by fixing it up for people who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to own a computer.
Presently, Pawn America is developing a campaign* to encourage customers to drop off old and working computer systems to their stores for a gift certificate in return. This relationship rewards a child or adult who desperately wants … but can’t afford a computer. The environment wins as well when old computers get a new lease vs. a new location… in the local dump.
4. The University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview Transitional Care Unit.
Pawn America made a unique donation in December of 2008 to The Transitional Care Unit at the U of M Medical Center, Fairview. The Unit provides therapy to help patients whose independence has been affected by injury, disease or illness. These patients are classified as too well to stay in the hospital, yet not well enough to go home. The Unit’s specialists work with patients to help then resume their daily routine, independence and confidence as soon as possible through exercise, rehabilitation, memory and cognitive care, wound care, vision rehabilitation and more.
Pawn America began earmarking “therapy-friendly” merchandise when a nurse called requesting a few items on the wish list of patients and caregivers at the Transitional Care Unit. These items were to help rehabilitate, entertain and even inspire patients. For example, the Unit’s Wii Fit is already being used to foster rehabilitation for several patients. However, the Unit was in dire need of additional Wii consoles, musical instruments, games, etc. Also low in supply were CDs for the unit’s music therapy program, DVDs for patients and other types of entertainment options. Here is the complete list of items Pawn America gathered, wrapped and distributed to patients and caregivers at the Transitional Care unit:
- 1POD(s) and docking stations (for projecting sound)
- Personal CD players with headphones
- MP3 players
- Acoustic Guitars
- Electric Guitars
- Portable DVD players.
- Library of DVDs
- Library of CDs
- Small radio players with headphones.
- Wii games (Wii fit)
- X-Box 360 and games
- Widescreen LCD TV for Video games.
5. Pawn America Builds Libraries for Soldiers in Iraq
Shortly after the start of the war in Iraq, Brad learned the son of two Pawn America employees was being deployed. He wanted to help out and decided to package and send components of a media library with the soldier. Brad wanted to give the soldiers a collection of more than 1,000 DVD’s, CD’s, video games and movies to entertain and comfort soldiers during their downtime. Since the first installment, Brad and Pawn America have sent components to Iraq for two additional libraries.
