Crader Distributing receives Triumph Award

Speaking to the Southeast Missourian recently, Stan Crader recalled a time, several decades ago, when his father Don Crader needed nearly a year to sell Stihl products after they were delivered to the family business, which was then owned by his grandfather Buford Crader.

Fast forward to today and Crader Distributing Co. has blossomed into a large-scale Stihl distributer, spanning multiple states.

The company was honored last week at the Triumph Award Luncheon, which was presented by Southeast Missouri State University, Tri-State Advertising and Marketing Professionals and the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

"Crader Distributing Company definitely fulfills all of the five Triumph Award criteria -- legacy of sustained marketing and business success, appetite for innovation and continuous improvement, leadership in their business category, willing to take risks to grow their business and geographically located in this region," Charles Wiles, Triumph Award Committee chairman, said in a news release. "We salute their longtime dedication and commitment to marketing excellence."

Crader Distributing worked hard to get where it is now, and the Crader family business includes Blue Mountain Equipment out of Dallas. But despite its growth and success, it still remains family-oriented, with next-generation Craders already involved in the family business, and it still remains a fix in Southeast Missouri with its roots in Marble Hill.

We congratulate the Craders on their Triumph Award.