Guidance from a Name You Trust
Guidance from a Name You Trust
Why NHPA Strategic Consulting
Mission Focused & Non-Biased
Our team of consultants is NHPA mission focused and has no allegiance toward any buying group or business, other than yours.
Specialized Retail Focus
NHPA Retail Consultants each specialize in specific areas of the business, keying in on the retail core competencies and key strategic areas that matter most to you and your growth.
Proven Subject Matter Experts
NHPA Strategic Consultants have helped design curriculum for NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program and NHPA’s Foundations of Retail education programs. They are also regular contributors to Hardware Retailing and Paint & Decorating Retailer magazines. Their expertise is industry renowned.
Roundtable Moderators
NHPA Strategic Consultants are participants in NHPA roundtables and take part in and help lead the critical conversations that point the way forward for their fellow independent home improvement and paint and decorating retailers.
Extensive Retail Experience
NHPA Strategic Consultants have worked in retail most of their careers and have held top positions at some of the leading independent hardware stores, home centers, LBM and Paint & Decorating retailers in the US.
Why NHPA Strategic Consulting
Mission Focused & Non-Biased
Our team of consultants is NHPA mission focused and has no allegiance toward any buying group or business, other than yours.
Specialized Retail Focus
NHPA Retail Consultants each specialize in specific areas of the business, keying in on the retail core competencies and key strategic areas that matter most to you and your growth.
Proven Subject Matter Experts
NHPA Strategic Consultants have helped design curriculum for NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program and NHPA’s Foundations of Retail education programs. They are also regular contributors to Hardware Retailing and Paint & Decorating Retailer magazines. Their expertise is industry renowned.
Roundtable Moderators
NHPA Strategic Consultants are participants in NHPA roundtables and take part in and help lead the critical conversations that point the way forward for their fellow independent home improvement and paint and decorating retailers.
Extensive Retail Experience
NHPA Strategic Consultants have worked in retail most of their careers and have held top positions at some of the leading independent hardware stores, home centers, LBM and Paint & Decorating retailers in the US.
About the Service
The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) is excited to launch a new service—NHPA Strategic Consulting—connecting independent retailers one-on-one with trusted industry experts to tackle your most pressing business challenges.
Our consultants have spent their careers working for top independent retailers. Each consultant brings deep expertise in key areas of running a home improvement retail operation, backed by a proven record of innovation and success.
Like NHPA, our consultants are unbiased and fully vetted by your association. Their guidance is rooted in real-world experience, giving you practical solutions to take your business to the next level.
As a trade association, it's our mission to connect you with the best retail minds in the industry who can provide the best solutions for your specific needs.
Consulting Focus Areas
Retail Operations
Inventory Management
Merchandising Management
Strategic Planning
Family Business Coaching
Financial Analysis/KPI Monitoring
Lease Negotiations
Business Valuation
Pricing and Margin Management
Vendor Relations
Succession Planning
Meet Our Consultants
Darrell Baker
Prescott Business Advisors
Darrell Baker brings a wealth of industry expertise to NHPA’s Strategic Consulting team, with a strategic focus on retail operations assessment and planning, inventory management and change management,
The former Vice President of Marketing & Merchandising at Aubuchon Hardware, Darrell is also a proud graduate of the Retail Management Certification Program (RMCP) Class of 2015.
An active contributor to NHPA, Darrell has participated in the Marketing & Merchandising Roundtable since 2013 and continues to share his expertise as both an RMCP instructor and an NHPA Media columnist.
Tony Corsberg
Merchant5
Due to his understanding of the importance of merchandising management and vendor relations, Tony Corsberg brings decades of retail leadership experience to NHPA’s Strategic Consulting team.
As the former Vice President of Marketing & Merchandising at Friedman’s Home Center, where he oversaw operations for five large-format home centers, Tony has a deep understanding of effective merchandising strategies and supplier partnerships.
An active NHPA contributor since 2012, Tony has participated in the Marketing & Merchandising Roundtable and co-created the NHPA Foundations of Leadership program. He also shares his insights as a regular NHPA Media columnist.
Curtis Gillman
Legacy Retail Advisors
With a primary focus on family business coaching, leadership and ownership succession, business growth through acquisition and greenfield expansion and financial analysis and KPI monitoring, Curtis Gillman brings extensive operational and strategic expertise to NHPA’s Strategic Consulting team.
Curtis is the former Chief Operating Officer of Gillman Home Center, overseeing 18 locations and driving operational excellence across the organization.
An active NHPA contributor since 2023, Curtis participates in the Top Guns Roundtable and shares his insights as a regular NHPA Media columnist.
Dr. Rob Mathews
Mind2Momentum
With a tactical focus on strategic planning, problem solving and innovation and customer experience mapping, Dr. Rob Mathews brings a unique blend of academic insight and hands-on retail expertise to NHPA’s Strategic Consulting team.
Rob serves as the Executive Director of the Ball State University Entrepreneurship Center and is the former owner of Mathews True Value Home Center, giving him a deep understanding of both entrepreneurial and operational perspectives.
An active NHPA contributor, Rob has been the lead instructor for NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program since 2016, co-created the NHPA Foundations of Leadership program and regularly shares his expertise as an NHPA Media columnist.
Jeremy Melnick
LJB Advisors
Jeremy Melnick brings deep expertise in accounting, lease negotiations, and business valuation, helping retailers make informed financial and operational decisions that drive growth.
Jeremy is the former COO of JC Licht, overseeing 60 locations, and the previous owner of Gordon’s Ace, a seven-location retail chain. He has been recognized as NHPA Young Retailer of the Year (2006) and as an NHPA Top Gun (2016).
An active NHPA contributor, Jeremy shares his insights as a regular NHPA Media columnist.
Mike Aylen
Bloom Retail
Mike Aylen specializes in pricing and margin management, helping home improvement retailers optimize profitability and make data-driven pricing decisions.
With 15 years of experience as a pricing consultant for retailers across the U.S. and Australia, Mike brings a global perspective on retail strategy and best practices.
An active NHPA contributor, he serves as a 2025 Retail Management Certification Program (RMCP) instructor and shares his expertise as a regular NHPA Media columnist.