< John & Elizabeth Shaffer
Rhino Sports opened its doors on Sept. 1, 2001, less than two weeks before the 9/11 terrorist attacks rocked the country and wreaked havoc on the U.S. economy. But John Shaffer, founder and president of the fledgling Scottsdale commercial sports flooring company, didn't give up.
Even though commercial sales dried up in the months following the attacks, Shaffer sensed an increased demand for backyard sports courts and decided to shift the company's focus to the residential market. It was a risky move that meant abandoning the firm's marketing plan and creating a new one.
Shaffer, meanwhile, asked the W. P. Carey School of Business for advice on how to grow the operation. The information he received from the business school and other experts led to his company securing a second round of financing. Rhino Sports has been growing ever since in an increasingly competitive industry.
Name of business: Rhino Sports, Inc.
Nature of business: Athletic court manufacturer
Address: 15029 N. 74th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Web: http://www.rhinocourts.com
Founded: 2001
Employees now: 22
Shaffer, a 1981 graduate of Arizona State University, attributes the company's success to its core values of innovation, customer focus, operational excellence and a dynamic work environment that fosters teamwork. Rhino Sports has a network of 47 independent dealers, and each of them spends a week at the Scottsdale headquarters participating in events, meeting the staff and learning the company's philosophy and processes.
The company's community service initiatives are focused on organizations that serve disadvantaged children. It has installed free sports courts for the Salvation Army and Boys & Girls Clubs and created the Play On Foundation, a social, team and skill-development program for children.
