Pam Schnurr
Single Mom and Blind Business Builder
She is the manager of P.J. Snackery, which is located in the main post office in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her name is Pam Schnurr. She has risen to become the Second Vice President of the National Association of Blind Merchants. With incomparable dedication and work ethic, she possesses one of the most generous, giving spirits you will ever meet. “Some allege that the blind cannot build and manage complex businesses; that the blind can’t become community leaders. Those who say that haven’t met Pam Schnurr”, says Kevan Worley, President, National Association of Blind Merchants.
Pam was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia with a very rare orphan disorder known as Hallermann Strieff Syndrome, causing her blindness.
Following an explosion at the coal mine where her father worked, nine year old Pamela left rural West Virginia with her family. Relocating to Indiana, Pam was enrolled at the Indiana School for the blind. At the school, Pam thrived. Following high school, she attended the University, pursuing a career in social work.
Although she did not complete her degree, her interest in social work and helping to empower others in the community remains a vital part of her life. Her commitment to community led to her involvement with the Indianapolis Resource Center for Independent living, Sheppard’s Bethel Mission, and at the hematology clinic at Riley Hospital for children.
She counts a chance meeting with Ron Brown, who is not only a Randolph Sheppard Vendor but is the state president of the National Federation of the Blind of Indiana, as a pivotal point in her life. Ron encouraged Pam to step out of her comfort zone and pursue food service, vending and business education. Pam says “This was a major step for me as I had been a stay at home mom and had never worked outside of my home. Thanks to Ron’s encouragement, as well as the prompting and encouragement of others in the NFB Family, I have been successfully managing my own business for more than 20 years. I have grown increasingly confident in my role as a hands-on manager, assuring that great customer service and customer satisfaction remain the focal points of the business.”
Mrs. Schnurr is the kind of small business operator which makes up the backbone of this nation. And she happens to be blind. She credits the men and women of the National Federation of the Blind for helping her build self confidence. But it is she who provides the spirit and the heartfelt commitment to creating a business with a genuine customer focus. She says, “Though I do have some usable vision, it is very limited, and therefore I employ a number of alternative techniques. Among these are the use of the long white cane to aid in mobility. I use a computer setup which is equipped with the JAWS screen reader, a text scanner and the Kurzweil reading software. I also use an audible coin sorter, bill counter and calculator. To assist in my business operation and record keeping, I use several specific computer programs designed for small businesses. These include: MS Excel, MS Word and Dome. I also use the Internet websites to place orders and transmit business related reports.”
Like many entrepreneurs, blind or sighted, Pam notes the tools and technologies necessary to operate a complex vending business. She understates her intangibles; heart, spirit, drive and a sincere desire to serve others. It is the combination of skills and attitude which brings customers to her vending machines break after break. Her desire to serve others, and her capacity to do so, is the reason her business continues to grow. It is why she has been a leader in efforts to grow entrepreneurial opportunities for blind women across America. She leads by example. Pam Schnurr talks little of herself. She talks of her family, her customers, her friends and her neighbors and she talks to anyone who will listen about the National Federation of the Blind. “One of the chief factors in my success has been my affiliation with the National Federation of the Blind. Though I consider myself to be a strong person, I doubt that I would have realized this success without the support, encouragement, and the network of resources that I have received from my NFB family.” Pam continues, “Some say there is no need for a specialized program to assist with business development for the blind. I know better. Without the Randolph-Sheppard priority, I might very well be living at or near the poverty level. No one would be providing the personalized snack services to postal employees that I think we provide, with a smile, at PJ Snackery. There would be vending machines, sure. But they would be managed by a cold, unfeeling, non-responsive, disembodied corporation somewhere. We’re there everyday. We provide hands-on service and we smile when we do it.” Pam contends that it is the combination of the National Federation of the Blind and the Randolph-Sheppard program that helps blind entrepreneurs capture opportunities which provide real service to this nation’s federal employees. We think she’s right and we thank Pam Schnurr for her leadership and service to others.