He was raised during the Great Depression and sold fruit door to door during college. He graduated with a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Hardy then opened up the Green Hills Lumber Company. He and his brothers opened up a lumber yard in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania and named his company 84 Lumber. The company has gone on to become the 3rd largest home improvement chain in the U.S. Hardy developed the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort which features three hotels, a spa, an off-road driving academy, a shooting academy, and multiple restaurants. The resort also houses the Mystic Rock golf course which was part of the PGA Tour from 2002 to 2006. He served as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Fayette County starting in 2004. He has donated millions to renovate Uniontown, PA. He originally ran for Fayette County commissioner in 2007 but then backed out. He has been married three times and has seven children. His daughter Maggie is the president of 84 Lumber.
