The Story of Ray Szmanda, the Man Who Became the Menards Voice

If you've lived in the Midwest for any length of time, you probably know how to "Save big money at Menards." You just sang that in your head, didn't you?

But if you lived around these parts before 1998, you definitely will recognize this guy, Ray Szmanda. He was the long-time pitchman for the regional home improvement store. For two decades, we heard him on the radio and saw him on our TV, telling us where we could save big money. Even now, 30-odd years since he retired in 1998, his voice is etched into my brain.

2026 is a year with a couple of Ray Szmanda anniversaries: 100 years since his birth and 50 years since he started telling us all about Menards.

READ MORE: The Olympic Ski Hill That Once Put South Dakota on the Map

Get our free mobile app

Who Was Ray Szmanda?

Raymond Jack Szmanda was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on June 22, 1926. He was in the Navy during WWII. After the war, he studied broadcasting and writing. In the 1950s, he started working as an announcer for radio and TV stations.

How He Became the Voice of Menards

In 1976, Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based Menards was auditioning people to be their new pitchman. His friendly and lovable style got him the job. At the time, it was just another gig. But over the years 'The Menards Guy' became a Midwest celebrity of sorts.

In 1998, he retired from the commercial announcer game to live a quiet life in his native Wisconsin. He passed away on May 6, 2018; he was 91.

Szmanda and his wife, Maxine, who passed in 2000, raised seven kids, and according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he liked ham radio and collecting vintage cars.

Ray Szmanda had a long career in announcing and advertising. But, he also co-anchored the news on a Dallas TV station in the late 70's. He also has one acting credit, playing The Official in the 1978 science fiction movie The Alpha Incident, directed by fellow Wisconsinite Bill Rebane.