“From humble beginnings, a family of six girls and one boy, we have grown our Ace family to approximately 120 employees,” said President & CEO of ACE American Industries Inc., Ngaire Scratch Ho-Ching, at the grand re-opening of their store as Neil’s ACE Home Center — in celebration of 30 years of service in American Samoa— last Friday evening.

Of the name change, the CEO said during the event that they chose “Neil’s ACE Home Center” as their new name, acknowledging that “thirty years ago, our customers referred to the business as “Fale Laupapa a Neo” or “Neil’s Lumber Store”. Therefore, it is only right we take it back to the start. Besides, “Scratch’s ACE Home Center” or “Sala’s ACE Home Center” didn’t quite have the same flow.”

The event was a special invite event that included members of the Scratch family from Canada and the US, friends from off-island, and employees.

Among the special guests were the President & General Manager of ACE Hardware International Robert Moschorak, who flew in from Chicago for the celebration, and ACE corporate and Regional Manager Dolly Alvarez.

Congressman Faleomavaega Eni and his wife Hinanui Hunkin and First Lady Cynthia Malala Moliga rounded out the special invites, with members of the business community and lawmakers also in attendance.

Moschorak, in his remarks noted that the Scratch family has exemplified what ACE Hardware International is all about — an independent family orientated business that focuses on its community, and is a part of that community, allowing ACE to become a household name.

Scratch Ho-Ching said of the re-opening, which re-named the store after 30 years of doing business as ACE- American Industries, that their family “recognizes the importance of learning from the past, in order to plan for the future.”

“We look to our roots in order to understand who we are and what we stand for. We pay tribute to our parents, Neil and Sala Scratch, who had the foresight thirty years ago to recognize a need in our community. With great courage, they created a family business that would allow us children the invaluable education gained in working and learning together, and instill in us the importance of serving in our community,” she told the guests.

“The same values that were instilled in us at a young age continue to drive us today. Integrity, loyalty, hard work, gratitude, and service are some of our core values that ACE was built upon and continues to emulate today.”

She acknowledged all of their employees, saying they are grateful to be able to work alongside such hardworking and dedicated people who represent the fiber of who they are.

The CEO spoke of the four building blocks that “make up who we are”: Family, Community, Giving, and Faith in God.

Recognizing “giving” as an integral part of their community work, Scratch Ho-Ching invited the “business community to join us in these worthy efforts. Let us leverage our resources in innovative ways to truly make a difference for our posterity. May we all give of our time, talents, and treasure as a way to ‘help up’ and not ‘hand out’ so that all families in American Samoa are self-sufficient and prosperous.”

Of their Faith in God, the CEO said, “the greatest gift that I have been blessed with in serving in our family business all these years is a stronger relationship with my Heavenly Father, and in turn I have developed a greater love for His children.”

Mrs. Sala Scratch, co-founder of Neil’s ACE Hardware Center, during her special remarks said family is everything and all of ACE’s employees are considered her children. She said her late husband Neil came from Canada, while she’s from Savai’i — Falealupo — and while they came from two different backgrounds, the one thing they had in common was that they came from hardworking families.

 “I am proud of my family, I am very proud of my ACE family,” she said. She then reminded everyone that whenever they are faced with trials and tribulations, take time to pray and ask the Heavenly Father for guidance and assistance.

Operations Manager, Nadine Solofa Taufa’asau was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, which included the presentation of awards to three of their longest serving employees of over 20 years. They were:

Samuel Chadwick, Head Mechanic, who was first hired Sept 16, 1994, as a carpenter,

Sales Manager Vaipuna Tia, who was hired Dec 30, 1992, as a truck driver for deliveries, and

Floor Manager Teni Maae, who was hired June 21,1991, as a laborer who helped write up and fill orders for the lumber and plywood in the front of the store, when it was in Tafeta.

Special presentations were also made to four community projects Neil’s ACE Home Center family has adopted over the last few years:

Helpful Hands Project — to the American Samoa Government they donated 100 ACE trash bins;

“Love Your Neighbor “Ministry project — a $5,000 gift card;

American Samoa Community Cancer Coalition, the “Angel Holiday” project — a $5,000 check; and,

The Hope House project — a $10,000 check.

The evening ended with a cake cutting ceremony, and 20% off all items in the store for those guests who wished to shop ACE — bringing smiles to all who attended. And indeed, many did shop.