There’s a certain type of person who naturally steps into the role of a guide or changemaker. They don’t seek the spotlight, yet somehow the light always finds them. These individuals inspire others by doing, leading by listening and uplifting by walking alongside others rather than standing above them.

Confident but humble, guides are driven by a quiet conviction: to be 1% better today than yesterday, and to help others do the same. Their energy is magnetic — the kind that draws people in for advice, encouragement or simply the reassurance that growth is possible.

At their core burns a steady flame — a desire to make the world better by creating opportunities for others to rise. They believe in empowerment through betterment, knowing that every act of mentorship, every shared insight and every open door leaves a lasting mark.

These are the people who change industries, workplaces, and lives — one guided step at a time.

Each year, The Wholesaler magazine seeks to shine a light on an individual whose leadership is bold, whose impact is lasting and whose character strengthens the very core of our industry. We seek out this guide and changemaker to celebrate them, and the drive to make the world around them a better place. 

This year, the honor belongs to a woman whose professional influence is undeniable — and whose humanity and humility might be her greatest strength of all. She is a champion of partnerships, a builder of people, a cultivator of future leaders and an authentically supportive force working in PHCP-PVF distribution today.

It is our privilege to announce Shannon Mercil-Colvin, director of vendor operations at Hajoca Corp., as The Wholesaler’s 2025 Person of the Year.

A career built on curiosity and courage

Shannon Mercil-Colvin did not grow up dreaming of the PHCP industry. The industry found her, and she saw a place where her natural leadership could thrive. Fresh out of college in Baton Rouge, she walked into a staffing agency with a resume and a determination to work. The agency hired her and soon connected her with LCR, a division of Hajoca, one of the country’s largest privately held wholesale distributors of plumbing, heating and cooling, pool and industrial supplies. That moment would change everything.

“It was one of my first jobs out of college. I started as a specialties buyer and worked my way up,” Mercil-Colvin says, smiling. She smiles because looking back, she had no idea this would lead to a long career path in our industry, providing opportunity, support and major accomplishments along the way. Also, fulfilling her drive to help grow organizations and people — all with that one day of walking into a staffing agency. 

She advanced quickly within LCR, from senior buyer to inventory management leadership, overseeing Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. For 17 years, Mercil-Colvin immersed herself in the operational heartbeat of wholesale distribution in the roles within the company, and she loved it. But her next chapter would require a bigger leap. And they say that one must be ready for opportunity when it strikes, and the leap began, unexpectedly, on a shooting range.

The skeet-shot that shook her future

Around 2018, Mercil-Colvin attended an industry event where she found herself skeet shooting. More comfortable with golf and other sports, she felt a bit hesitant — until she struck up a conversation with another woman on the skeet team.

It was the kind of exchange that comes naturally to Mercil-Colvin, who has a gift for putting people at ease. As they talked about life, the industry and one’s goals, it became clear to the woman that Mercil-Colvin’s potential extended far beyond what she had already achieved. She saw her potential.

Their conversation turned to work and the future, and the woman told Mercil-Colvin something that hit home — and hard. 

“She told me, ‘Dream Bigger.’ I had an idea, but thought, how would I even do that?” Mercil-Colvin recalls. The woman replied, “You should at least explore it. Think bigger, think broader — once you start looking and exploring, you realize there’s so much more.” Mercil-Colvin was hesitant as the Dream Bigger step would take her trajectory into a national role at her company — one she wasn’t ready for, but deep down, she knew she could do. 

And why not her? The nudge opened her eyes to possibility. It gave her the courage to do something women aren’t always taught to do: ask for more, and for the role she could excel in. She knew what she wanted to do, and she would need to create the opportunity. 

Mercil-Colvin went to Hajoca’s leadership team and made her case: to expand and elevate the vendor relations role at Hajoca into a national strategy. Now is the time, she said. Let’s grow. Let’s evolve. 

Leadership agreed immediately- it was a 30-minute conversation, and Rick Fantham, president and CEO of Hajoca,  told her, ‘‘I believe in you. Go do it.” That trust mark became the catalyst for a career that would shape countless others.

Building something new 

In 2017, Mercil-Colvin was off and running in her new role as vendor relations director, helping expand the company’s visibility and connectability with industry manufacturers and vendors. She excelled because she is a natural at understanding that her role required developing partnerships. And for Mercil-Colvin, she could have the hard conversations, as well as be open to feedback, and face partnerships with a win-win attitude for both sides. 

As she grew the role, the company also grew. With more than 450 locations, Hajoca’s vendor relations were managed by Mercil-Colvin and one other team member, and it was getting tough to maintain the high level of service. 

Mercil-Colvin admits that she is always one to jump in and help: “I want to support everyone, yet saying ‘my plate is full’ is foreign to me.” However,  she recognized that something bigger was needed to keep up with the company’s momentum. And there was more opportunity for growth. 

Around two years ago, she decided it was again time to dream bigger. Mercil-Colvin approached leadership with another bold proposal: to expand the vendor relations department. Her vision included advancing education to team members, building advocacy groups and driving deeper vendor partnerships. Leadership liked the idea, and she was off and running.

She spent a year recruiting talent, intentionally seeking from outside the industry to bring in new thinking. On Oct. 2, 2025, Mercil-Colvin’s latest title became vendor operations director. She will focus on strengthening vendor partnerships through reporting, data analytics, market intelligence, co-op utilization and strategic vendor alignment. “Hajoca allowed me to ask, ‘Where can I be most impactful?’ And now I get to build around that with true servant-attitude leadership and a win-win mentality,” Mercil-Colvin says, smiling. “It feels like everything I’ve worked for has led to this — the chance to truly dive in and make a deeper impact.”

Her Dream Bigger moment years ago turned into a career path which drew upon her natural talents, abilities and character: an individual of ambition and integrity who is authentic, empathetic and resilient. 

Mentorship and the Power of Her

“I absolutely love to advocate and support anyone investing in themselves. I love to see people win,” Mercil-Colvin says, and it’s not just words. It’s also reflected in her actions as her mentorship and leadership abilities drive change. 

Mercil-Colvin advocates the power of women while driving change in the traditionally male-dominated PHCP industry. She is a believer in  treating people as she expects to be treated — and it has not failed her yet. She joined the American Supply Association’s Women in Industry program, where she rose to serve as a board member for three years, advocating for the advancement of women in the industry. 

She also joined the Southern Wholesalers Association’s Women in Leadership group (SWA WIL). With her volunteer efforts, she helped the group grow from a grassroots effort into an ever-increasing network that helps SWA members grow their own networks, and to help them advance both professionally and personally. 

Mercil-Colvin advocated for and with the group and its mission to strengthen the PHCP industry by introducing it to the next generation — the young female children (aged 9 to17) of SWA members who may not yet know the wide range of industry career path options. Mercil-Colvin played a vital part in rounding up support of the manufacturing community and fellow SWA distributors members to provide product donations, financial support and overall support of the group and its mission. 

Brandy Payne, SWA’s WIL chairperson and inside sales account manager at Midland Industries, has worked with Mercil-Colvin to champion the SWA WIL group forward. “Shannon has been an extraordinary team player, consistently going above and beyond to help the Women in Leadership group thrive,” she says. “The sacrifices required to lead such an initiative are significant, yet Shannon embraces them wholeheartedly. She recognizes that the future of our industry depends on strong, informed leadership, and she is committed to laying the groundwork for that future. She is not just contributing — she is transforming.”

At this year’s SWA’s WIL event, more than 25 young women — the children of SWA members attending the convention — spent the morning hearing from accomplished professionals about their career paths within the PHCP industry. By exploring roles in marketing, media relations, sales, customer service, accounting and more, the next generation discovered that the industry offers countless opportunities and diverse career paths. By showcasing the opportunities to join the industry, it shined a light on making it more mainstream. 

“SWA’s WIL is really important to me because the group’s core focus is to show female children of SWA members that this can be your industry, too,” Mercil-Colvin explains. “While at SWA’s conference, they can see women role models and their incredible success — and that is so rewarding.” It’s her drive to help people along their path, at whatever age that might be. 

For Marlee Poitinger Gannon, director of distribution and strategic accounts, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions, knows the impact that Mercil-Colvin is making in our industry: “I can’t think of a better force for good in our industry than Shannon. She has an incredible combination of positive energy, intelligence and work ethic. She has made a huge impact on my career — she is the type of servant leader who always reaches her hand down and out to bring others along with her. 

“I first started working with Shannon when I was young in my career, brand new to the industry. She took me under her wing — helping me introduce myself to key people, bringing my name up for opportunities when I wasn’t in the room and being one of my biggest cheerleaders in life and career. I am grateful for her mentorship and friendship and am so proud of her accomplishments.”

Earlier this year, Mercil-Colvin and members of the Hajoca team were inspired after attending a female-focused industry event. They wanted to bring the same sense of inspiration and opportunity to colleagues within Hajoca. “Within five months, we created the group, The Power of Her, and we run it like a true volunteer group, with a board of directors and a framework of organizational direction,” she says. “Our mission statement is: To transcend boundaries and to empower women leaders.” The group’s focus is on career and personal development, as well as networking. 

In early October 2025, the group had its first conference call, and more than 200 individuals joined in. The event provided an opportunity to connect, and as Mercil-Colvin puts it, “When you are around a network of similar individuals, you find comfort in asking questions such as ‘How do you handle this situation, or how do I grow?’” 

She adds that while the majority of the attendees were women, male colleagues were also on the call: “I believe in hearing different perspectives, different ideas and including different cultures and diversity — coming from both men and women.” She was encouraged by the number of men on the phone call: “I believe we need our male counterparts to be part of the Power of Her so they understand and value the unique benefits that women bring into the roles they hold within Hajoca.”

The inaugural call was an immediate success, and the framework to expand the group within the organization is off and running. And one point, Mercil-Colvin made sure to share with participants: “The next division manager for Hajoca may be on this call, and it may be you. There is no reason not to dream bigger.” This goes back to her drive in creating and fostering opportunity.

“Together, Shannon and I, along with our respective teams, executed one of the most impactful wholesale partnership expansions that will be felt across the industry for years to come,” notes Danielle Laird, sales manager for national accounts at Bradford White. “Shannon has always been devoted to advancing women in our industry through her involvement with organizations such as SWA and the American Supply Association. Most recently, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing her inspire and empower hundreds of women within her own company by championing Hajoca’s Power of Her initiative.” 

Who inspires her?

Mercil-Colvin grew up surrounded by Southern tradition and charm in a family with parents and two sisters — all with distinctly different personalities. “My mom is a very driven person — she was going to raise us to go to college and support ourselves. It was never questioned,” Mercil-Colvin recalls. While her mom was the nonnegotiator, her father was the opposite, the dreamer. “With my dad, he taught us that anything was possible.”

This balance shaped who Mercil-Colvin is today and what she strives to inspire in others. “I was taught that you jump in and you help,” she says. She believes that giving back creates a snowball effect and that it isn’t about making oneself better — it is to raise the bar for all. 

Her mentors have coincidentally been those who understood her drive, nurtured it and provided direction when requested. They also gave her the opportunity to soar, and in doing so, lifted the company she loves along with her. Among them are Rick Fantham, president and CEO of Hajoca, and Steve Ferry, division manager of Hajoca. Both “lead by example and have invested in me, and who are incredibly supportive and encouraging,” Mercil-Colvin notes.

She also credits her family, filled with love and support, for inspiring her to give back. She and her husband, Jason, recently married, bringing together a beautifully blended family of five children, ages 17 to 26.

Recently, one of her daughter’s friends started a women’s group in high school. “I thought that was so cool; I think whenever you volunteer, you can present an idea that people can take and replicate, and expand and grow,” she says, smiling. “Women in leadership is a big topic at my house and with my daughter, and I’m constantly challenging her and her friends.”

When asked what words of wisdom she likes to instill in others, Mercil-Colvin boldly responded, “Believe and be confident in your skills and ability to create opportunity, learn from your challenges and always continue to invest in your professional development.”

I asked Mercil-Colvin to illustrate the vision of our industry in the future. Smiling, she says: “I see a workforce rich in different backgrounds, ideas and leadership styles. I’m invested in winning, and one of my greatest achievements is helping and enabling others to dream bigger. That is for everyone. I want people to feel supported and comfortable in sharing their ideas. Investing in people like this helps put wins on the board. Ten years from now, I hope we’re fishing in an ocean — not just a small pond.” 

Shannon Mercil-Colvin shows us that leadership isn’t about collecting recognition — it’s about creating it for others. The Power of Her takes on a new meaning. Cheers to you, Shannon, and thank you for blazing trails for generations to come.