Jon Rice

I’ve learned that one thing I can count on in life is change..

I was born in Waverly, NY on a warm, sunny day in August. Growing up in the country with my two brothers (Kenny and Jim) and four sisters (Charlene, Dawn, Scherry and Gale) whom I love dearly. My Mom and Dad both worked however with such a large family times were very tough. So Kenny, Jim and I worked on farms to help make ends meet. I can remember wearing “hand me downs” from my older brothers. My sisters did the same. Both my parents passed away in 1994-1995 but all the values they taught me have been a big contributor to where I’m at today. I learned hard work, persistence, commitment, and loyalty will define who you are.

Athletics comes fairly natural to me. So I enjoy fitness immensely. I make time to keep myself in good physical and mental shape. That means getting up every morning at 4:00 am and heading to the fitness center. My workouts include Isolation, CrossFit, and Functional along with cardio. I ran 2 half marathons and twenty plus 5k’s in 2012. Ouch! That takes a toll on your body. Hiking the beautiful gorges in Ithaca, NY has now replaced much of the running.

Upon graduating from Sayre High School, Sayre, PA, I held several jobs not knowing what I wanted to do. So I found myself painting fire trucks at Ward LaFrance in Elmira, NY. Quickly learning I needed to do a self-assessment . So I finally landed a job at IBM, Endicott NY. After working in manufacturing for two years, I decided to take an educational leave of absence. I was accepted at Elmira College, Elmira, NY where I majored in Marketing Research. Upon graduation with my B.S. degree, I returned to IBM. That’s where my professional career started.  During my 28 year career with IBM I held positons in Information Systems, Procurement, Production Control and Human Resources. Also, spent 7 years in Germany on an international assignment representing IBM.

After having a 28 year career with IBM, it was time to become an entrepreneur. My goal was to deliver quality products so it was out of this ambition StaySharpShears.com was born in 2004. I pride myself in assisting the consumer before, during and after their purchase. I’ve found that building relationships will yield returning customers.