All Star Trophies and Awards Owner Heads for Retirement
After 30 years in the industry, Marty Heine hands off the business to his son-in-law
Marty Heine, the owner and operator of All Star Trophies and Awards, has been serving central Minnesota with custom trophies, medals, plaques, and awards for nearly 30 years.
Over that time, he tells WJON radio that he’s created thousands of trophies for local Minnesotan youth and high school athletics and businesses. Now, after helping so many create memories, he looks to retirement.
“It’s a business I’ve been happy to be in, and it makes me proud to make other people happy,” Heine tells WJON.
He says he’s in no rush to move on and plans to take his time stepping down and ensuring the new owner, John Lewer, gets well situated for business.
“Right now, I don’t plan on going anywhere fast. We are telling customers about the new ownership, so there should be no changes with any service other than they may see less of me and more of John,” Heine says.
Lewer, Heine’s son-in-law, first found himself working at All Star in college. He’s spent the last year under Heine’s wing, learning from him.
“I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel. We have a great foundation, and I’m going to try and build off of that and keep doing what we do well,” Lewer explains.
He adds that he knows he has “big shoes to fill” but takes on the role with excitement and gratitude to have such a great mentor.
“There is a lot I need to learn and a lot I have learned from him. There is some growing pains which is good; I think that makes you a better business owner,” Lewer continues. “Just having a resource like Marty is priceless for me.”
In addition to trophies, awards, and plaques, the St. Cloud, Minnesota shop offers other products and services, including name badges, certificates, ribbons, lapel pins, drinkware, sandcarving, and engraving.
