05/29/2026
Today we said goodbye to one of the absolute best โ and it wasn't easy! ๐โค๏ธ
After 21 incredible years, Wally Szymanskyj has officially retired from SWD โ and knowing Wally, he's probably already planning his next road trip on the Harley. ๐๏ธ
Wally's life story is genuinely one of a kind. Before SWD, he spent years at Rolling Stone Records, the legendary Chicago record shop, where he rubbed elbows with some of the biggest names in classic rock. (Yes, we've tried to get those stories out of him for years.) From there he went to Keats Manufacturing, and then 21 years ago he walked through our doors and never looked back.
He started in outside sales, hitting the road and building real relationships with customers. Over time he grew into our Technical Sales and Zinc Flake Quotation Specialist โ one of the most detail-driven and specialized roles we have. He was exceptional at it.
When he wasn't solving technical puzzles for customers, you'd find him on the soccer field on weekends โ as a youth referee โ or talking your ear off (lovingly) about his Harley.
Wally, you came to us from rock and roll, gave us 21 years of your best, and now you're riding off into the sunset. We couldn't write a better story. ๐ค๐๏ธ
Enjoy every road trip, every game, and every mile. You've earned it.