In 1995, at 28 years old, I joined ASD as a salesperson — hopeful that this opportunity would finally be the one for me. I came in with energy and ambition, but it was a rocky start. The early days were filled with uncertainty, trial, and error. Still, I stuck with it. After that first tough year, I began to hit my stride, closing deals and building momentum.

By 2002, a leadership position opened to head up the sales team. I threw my name in the hat, believing I had earned a shot — but someone else got the nod. That person didn’t last, and when the opportunity came around again in 2003, I got the call. I became VP of Sales, a role I poured myself into for the next seven years.

Then in 2010, I was asked to lead the company as President. For six years, I did everything I could to guide the business, grow the team, and push our performance to new levels. And then came the biggest turning point of my life.

In 2016, I was given the chance to buy the company — to go from employee to owner. It was thrilling, and terrifying. After 21 years of steady, responsible growth, I had built a safe, stable life for my family. Now I had to risk everything — tens of millions of dollars, every ounce of security — to bet on myself. It felt nearly impossible.

But then I asked myself: Why not?
And I jumped.

We made it happen. I found a way to finance the deal, took on massive debt, and together with my team, we went to work. In 2018, we acquired another company. The momentum was building. Then came 2020 — and COVID. Everything we had built was suddenly in jeopardy. We had doubled our headcount and revenue, and now the future looked uncertain. Like many others, we were tested, torn, and shaken.

But again, the team showed up. We fought. We adapted. We survived — and eventually, we thrived.

In 2023, I had the opportunity to sell the company and take some chips off the table. I did — but not all of them. I reinvested a substantial amount, because once again, I saw the next challenge. The next big opportunity. And I asked myself again: Why not?

Why not go take the next big leap, Why not grow bigger, better. stronger, Why not 5X, 7X or even 10X growth this time.
Why not buy more companies, create more opportunities, and build a world-class, high-performance culture?
Why not help our team rise, grow, and win — not just for the company, but for their families, their customers, and their future?

This is the next chapter. Another fight. Another ride.  Why Not
It’s still scary. It’s still bold. But this is what the American Dream looks like. You take the shot. You go all in. You bet on yourself — and on your people.

Why not us? Why not now? Let’s go.

Thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to participate in you and your families “why not” in honoring Carson and the way he lived his life.  This is truly an honor for me…

Kevin Kiziah, CEO