News
June 2, 2021Alpin Haus Co-Founder and CEO Bud Heck Named Entrepreneur of the Year by Siena College
Bud Heck, co-founder and CEO of Alpin Haus, has been named the 2021 Civitella Entrepreneur of the Year by Siena College.
Heck is a 1963 graduate of Siena.
Heck and his childhood friend John Daly ran a Christmas tree business and a sno-cone truck, and used the proceeds to found Alpin Haus in 1964. The outdoor recreation chain began as a small A-frame ski shop in Amsterdam, NY and now has five area locations with more than 200 employees who sell recreational vehicles, boats, pools, patio furniture and a wide range of sporting equipment and apparel.
“My employees are my friends,” Heck said. “We love to be together. When I came home from work, I was always happy. If you come home and complain about work, your family won’t want to be a part of the business.”
Good thing Heck stayed smiling – after nearly six decades Alpin Haus is still family-owned and operated.
Michael J. Hickey, executive director of Siena’s Stack Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, said, “One of the pleasures of having this job is getting the opportunity to meet different generations of Siena entrepreneurs and I am never disappointed. Bud Heck is a perfect example of a Siena entrepreneur, focused on the positive social impacts of his enterprise, engaged with his community and building a family business that will enjoy multi-generational benefits.”
The annual award is endowed by Antonio Civitella, president and CEO of Transfinder. Civitella was Siena’s first Entrepreneur of the Year honoree in 2014.
“I decided to sponsor this award because I believe it is important to recognize the contributions Siena alumni are making in our community,” said Civitella. “Bud Heck illustrates what this award is all about, starting Alpin Haus soon after graduation. Now it’s one of the leading outdoor recreational retailers in the Northeast.”
