[TowerTalk] The HRO Saga Continues....

[Joe Giacobello, K2XX]

  Ham Radio Outlet - Press Release for Immediate Release

*July 12, 2016*

*RE: HRO-Milwaukee, Amateur Electronic Supply's closing on 7/28/2016*

On July 1, 2016 Amateur Electronic Supply (AES) made the decision to 
close down their entire organization and terminate all retail operations 
at their Las Vegas, Cleveland, Orlando and Milwaukee locations.

Upon hearing the news, and with the concurrence of AES senior 
management, Ham Radio Outlet (HRO) sent senior management to each 
location to interview the staff with hopes of acquiring some of the 
Amateur Radio retail employee talent in each of the current AES locations.

Together with this interview process, HRO examined what it would take to 
perhaps acquire one or more of the AES store locations. At the time of 
these interviews, many opportunities were explored with current AES 
senior management.

We are very excited to announce that HRO was successful in providing 
offers of employment to a number of soon to be former AES employees and 
that to some, we have offered positions that involve HRO sponsored and 
funded relocation.

We are also extremely pleased to announce that, after the closing of the 
Milwaukee AES location on July 28, 2016, Ham Radio Outlet will begin an 
extensive remodeling project to create the largest Amateur Radio retail 
showroom in North America. We will open our newest and largest Ham Radio 
Outlet in Milwaukee at the end of August 2016.

Effective at the closing of AES on July 28, 2016, all former AES 
locations' direct telephone numbers and toll free telephone numbers will 
be redirected to the closest HRO location so as to not disrupt providing 
service to the AES customer base. Additionally effective on July 28, 
2016, the www.aesham.com website will be directed to www.hamradio.com 
also so as not to disrupt service for the AES online customer base.

Steve Gilmore, National Sales Manager for HRO states, "We are extremely 
excited to have a store in the Central Northern part of the United 
States. It will minimize shipping times for our products to be able to 
be delivered in 2 days or less in most of the lower 48 United States. We 
are building a showplace that all must come see! It will be expansive 
with massive inventory levels and a large all encompassing demonstration 
area featuring nearly all of the Amateur Radio transceivers on the 
market today."

Robert Ferrero, President of HRO tells us, "It is with great pleasure 
that we are able to continue Terry Sterman and Phil Majerus' legacy of 
providing a fantastic Amateur Radio store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is 
our immediate goal to have the largest, most well stocked Amateur Radio 
retail store in North America and perhaps even the world."

HRO is a family owned business with 14 sales locations throughout the 
United States which includes a formidable presence on the Internet, 
making it the largest Ham Radio dealership in the world.

HRO has been continually expanding with our most recent location in 
Plano, Texas which opened on February 2, 2015. HRO is also continuing to 
evolve with the relocation and expansion of our Portland store which 
will open on July 25, 2016 at 14405 SW Pacific Highway, Portland, Oregon 
97224.

Ham Radio Outlet - Milwaukee is located at 5710 W Good Hope Rd, 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It will be open for business at the end of August 
2016.