FEBRUARY 20, 2015, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9
UPTOWN,
continued from Page A1
“I have the confi dence we
can meet future challenges,
with his help in preparing
me,” Elliott said, motioning to
Nardi. “It’s time for the train-
ing wheels to come off. We
will solve problems as we keep
moving forward.”
Replied Nardi: “Keep
rocking.”
Nardi, 57, hasn’t indicated
what his next step is. He said
the longstanding joke between
the two men was the moment
Nardi left the business, he
would open a new music store
right across River Road.
One thing is certain, how-
ever: Nardi won’t be coming
in every day. A going away
celebration party was set for
Wednesday evening this week,
after the Keizertimes went to
press.
“Once we reach the end
of the month, my day-to-day
time here will cease,” Nardi
said. “I’m not quite sure what
the next adventure will be. My
wife works from home. Once
I decompress, I will decide on
the next venture. I don’t have
to jump right into something.”
Over the years Nardi, Keiz-
er’s 1999 Merchant of the Year,
had looked at selling to Elliott,
but the timing wasn’t right.
The sale fi nally took place last
year.
“The process has been go-
ing amazingly well,” Nardi
said. “Paul has been part of
how we became what we are.
He’s been alongside me.”
Nardi recalls a busy time in
the life of his company.
“It was in 2007 or 2008,
when the economy went
weird,” he said. “We had just
bought this building. We’d
had 15 years of steady growth,
then things got strange. We’d
made a huge investment with
the building and started talk-
ing about bringing Paul in as a
partner. We realized we would
have to do something.”
Though business was ham-
pered by the recession and a
sale didn’t happen, Nardi said
the lessons made both him
and Elliott better business
people. When the two started
talking seriously again a few
years later about a sale, things
went smoothly once a second
arrangement was worked out.
“Basically it was a title
change,” Nardi said. “I became
the director of accountability
and he became the president
of the company. Janis (Elders)
was transitioned to an ad-
ministrative role. There was a
divine hand on all of this. It’s
been a really, really smooth
transition.”
For Nardi, there was no
one else he considered selling
to.
“I couldn’t think of a bet-
ter person to take the reigns
and move this company for-
ward,” Nardi said. “Paul has a
servant’s heart and he loves to
serve people. As my position
was more in the back, Paul has
been our company face for a
long time.”
For Elliott, taking over the
music store was years in the
making.
“I talked long and hard
with my wife (Karen),” Elliott
said. “She knew this was my
lifelong dream, but we had to
get things in position fi nan-
cially. We were saving like we
never did before, getting our
fi nancial ducks in a row. All of
these aspects were new to me.
Two years ago things were in
place as far as fi nances. Then
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Clem not prepared for
the President’s Award
Dan Clem
walks to
the stage to
accept the
President’s
Award on Jan.
31 at the Keizer
First Citizen
Banquet.
KEIZERTIMES/
Craig Murphy
KEIZERTIMES/Craig Murphy
The Uptown Music staff of (from left) Janis Elders, Paul Elliott,
Wes Smedsrud, Miriam Butler, Jim Nardi and Robert Keyes
pose for a group shot. Not pictured: Shane Hall.
it took a year to put together
the documents to make this
happen.”
Elliott laughed when re-
membering being asked what
his goal was when he took the
business over.
“My goal is not to mess it
up,” Elliott said. “Jim and his
wife Sylvia have built a com-
munity staple here over the
past 24 years.”
Nardi quickly adds his two
cents.
“We wouldn’t be here
without his contributions,”
Nardi said of Elliott.
How would Elliott describe
taking over the business?
“It was really exciting and ter-
rifying at the same time,” he
said. “But I’m surrounded by
the best group of people.”
Things haven’t been too
bad; Elliott reports sales rose 8
percent last year compared to
the previous year.
Nardi points to some
changes Elliott implemented
as at least part of the reason.
“There are some new
things to make us more com-
petitive,” Nardi said. “There’s
a bigger online component
now, with a new website and
online payments. Paul kept the
good and is building on top of
that.”
Elliott said he simply fol-
lowed advice from his mentor.
“What Jim has taught me is
to put the people and process
in place to help make it easier
to do business with us,” Elliott
said. “It takes time to imple-
ment new technology and
there are growth pains, but it’s
easier for us now and for those
who want to do business with
us. I try to approach this with
great humility. I’m humbled
by the opportunity given to
me. My previous 16 years was
just practice for this.”
Nardi noted the difference
in starting a new business ver-
sus taking one over.
“We started from zero,”
Nardi said. “We invested a
total of $2,500. We invested
more over time. It was a long
and slow process to build it.
Elliott noted the difference
in starting point for him.
“Jim was able to start it
small and learn along the way,”
Elliott said. “He didn’t have to
jump aboard a large business
and go on a merry-go-round.
I just grabbed on and Jim
pulled me into the center of
the merry-go-round, where
it moves slower and I can see
what’s going on.”
Elliott, 46, recalls when the
reality of the change hit him.
“When it sunk in is when
I did payroll, when I signed
Jim’s check,” Elliott said.
“Then it was real. There’s no
way I’d be here today without
the support of my wife and
my crew here.”
Nardi looks back at the last
24 years with fondness.
“I feel blessed,” he said.
“Paul and I both came out
of performing backgrounds.
We’re music people at the
heart. We’re fortunate to make
a living doing something we
love.”
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By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
Having recently stepped
down from public offi ce,
Dan Clem fi gured there was
no reason to dress up for the
Keizer First Citizen Awards
Banquet on Jan. 31.
Besides, the former Salem
City Councilor didn’t antici-
pate winning anything so a
sweater, jeans and tennis shoes
seemed to be safe enough.
But Audrey Butler, presi-
dent of the Keizer Chamber
of Commerce, had a different
plan.
Butler surprised Clem with
the President’s Award.
Butler called Clem, who
serves as chair of the chamber’s
Government Affairs Commit-
tee, the “iron link” between
her and legislation impacting
Keizer.
“He’s the man who has el-
evated the chamber to a new
level,” Butler said.
Clem joined the chamber
last June.
“I am truly humbled to be
welcomed into Keizer in such
a wonderful fashion,” said
Clem, who recognized wife
Debbie for her support. “The
public deserves our best and I
hope to continue to give my
best. I’m always reminded by
Audrey’s caring heart and her
sense of volunteerism. That’s
the great thing about this
community, you just volunteer
so much. Audrey says it and it’s
absolutely true. She lives it and
the community lives it.
“We vote once or twice a
year, but when we volunteer
we vote daily about the kind
of community we want to live
in,” he added. “I’m very proud
to be part of Keizer, thank
you.”
Butler, who as chamber
president had the sole call on
who got the award, outlined
why she chose Clem.
“The last six months have
been more than I anticipated,”
Butler said. “I can’t wait to see
the fl ourish in growth we will
have in the next six months.
As I began the journey of your
chamber president six months
ago, I knew I was going to fi nd
a few avenues I would struggle
in. Like they say, you’re only
as strong as your weakest link.
I know my strengths and my
weaknesses. When you identi-
fy the weak points in you, you
can only improve them. Those
weak points can only be made
stronger.”
After returning to his seat,
Clem still couldn’t believe he
was leaving the event with a
new clock.
“I’m shocked,” he said.
“Keizer is such a wonderful
place because of the people.
I’m deeply humbled and hon-
ored by this award.”
Debbie noted she didn’t
know about the award before-
hand, but she didn’t sound ter-
ribly surprised based on what
her husband does.
“This is nobody who loves
their community more than
Dan does,” Debbie said. “He
thinks of the whole area as his
community. He does a lot of
good stuff.”
Clem took the good na-
tured ribbing about his some-
what casual attire in stride and
pointed to a valid reason.
“I didn’t wear a suit and
tie because I’m out of offi ce,”
Clem said.
A celebration of Keizer
RIVERfair is the perfect vehicle to tell Keizer about YOUR
organization:
• Non-profi t organizations
• Charities
• Teams
• Youth sports organizations
• Churches
RIVERfairwill be held at
Keizer Rapids Park on Saturday,
August 8.
Vendors are now being signed up for this one-day
event that will benefi t Keizer organizations and fund
vocational scholarships for Keizer students
10’ x 10’ vendor space is $50
$125 for food vendors
Call 503-390-6840 or visit riverfairkeizer.com
to get information or get a registration form.
RIVERfair is presented by
Making Keizer Better Foundation,
a non-profi t organization