Ron Hier

Background

About Ron Hier

After retirement from the fire department, became very active in real estate in Venice California. Assisted writing rules, regulations and waterway navigation policies for navigating the canals, After several years of debate on cutting a channel to the ocean via the Marina Del Rey entrance channel, the L.A. City Council voted it down, and unfortunately, this energetic development was abandoned. 1970-1987, joined with a partner in Van Nuys, California, starting and developing the largest computerized, wholesale auto parts delivery system in the U.S. with franchises in California and Hawaii. Key to the business was the first “mini” computer in the parts business, installed in the warehouse and the size of an office desk. Each delivery truck had a two-way radio with access to the warehouse, plus an on-board IBM “PC” computer, complete with printer, to keep track of customer and on-board inventory (one of the first of its kind and unheard of in the early to mid-80s. It was a first in the business before UPS or Snap-On knew what a computer was. During this time I was a member of the Van Nuys Chamber of Commerce. Later with my son, owned and managed a furniture and wood products manufacturing company (30 employees) in suburban Los Angeles, supplying furniture to hotels throughout the State of California. 1988-1993, owned a classic car restoration and collision repair business (6 employees). Unique at the time was the fact that we built a relationship with insurance companies for collision repair on older classic cars. Most insurance and general body shops at the time, would not deal with classic or antique collision repair. During this time I was a member of the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce and Norwalk Kiwanis Club.