BPD August 2013

MOULDING & MILLWORK SPECIAL ISSUE CERTIFYING YOUR BUILDING PRODUCTSAUGUST 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORSBPD Building

Products Digest

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4 Building Products Digest August 2013 Building-Products.com

August 2013 Volume 32 Number 6

BPD BuildingProducts Digest

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Special Features8 FEATURE STORY

EXPERT ADVICE TO SELL MORE MILLWORK

10 MARGIN BUILDERSPVC TRIM FOR HISTORIC REMODELS

12 MANAGEMENT TIPSHOW BUILDING PRODUCTS GET CERTIFIED

14 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTSELLING STRUCTURAL INSULATED PANELS

16 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTSOUTHERN CYPRESS TIMBERS CALLEDON FOR GOOD LOOKS, DURABILITY

32 MASTERING LEADERSHIP4 TIPS TO TAME A COMBATIVECOMPANY CULTURE

In Every Issue6 TOTALLY RANDOM

10 OLSEN ON SALES

18 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

28 MOVERS & SHAKERS

35 APP WATCH

30 FAMILY BUSINESS

36 NEW PRODUCTS

41 KAHLE ON SALES

42 IN MEMORIAM

43 ASSOCIATION UPDATE

44 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

45 DATE BOOK

46 IDEA FILE

46 ADVERTISERS INDEX

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BPDBuilding Products Digest

TOTALLY RandomBy Alan Oakes

Are you fitting in?JUDGING BY OUR Movers & Shakers column the past few months and talking to some

owners, the first signs of hiring seem to be happening in the industry—a good sign.If you are one of the unfortunate many who lost their jobs and left the industry duringthe last five years, welcome back! You might be tempted to think that the hard part isover, but it may be just beginning. Many new hires are so anxious to accept a job offerthat they skip doing their homework on the company they are about to join.

If you have been unemployed for some time or out of the industry, it is very likelythat you will find things have changed. In some cases, the bigger concern might behow you might fit back in again. Following the one time I had a gap in my resume, Ifound it tough just going to work—I soon missed the refrigerator at home, and theoffice politics made it difficult to enjoy my new environment.

Technical skills are only one component of a job. How you behave will determinewhether you enjoy your new job or cannot wait to get out of there as soon as possible.During the last few years, I have seen several contacts with long gaps in their employ-ment move yet again six months after finally landing a job. I can readily admit that inpast life much the same happened to me, although maybe with a longer timeframe.Certainly it’s easier to find a job when you have one rather than when you don’t.

When you join a company, the biggest issue you run into is understanding and“buying in” to the culture. I once joined a company that did not allow personal assis-tants. As company president, that first month I wasted so much time doing thingsmyself—even sending a fax was a challenge. I soon realized that this was never goingto work out because that same culture spread to many other things that I could not fitinto (it took me a year to get out). Certainly, you need to observe how people behave.I tried to observe how people interacted with each other (e.g., are they actually talkingor sending emails to the person in the next cubicle? In those first meetings that seemedto drone on interminably, how did people interact? How were decisions made?).

Often you are hired and told to come in and make changes. On day one, you have apreconceived notion of what is expected of you. The problem is that the theory thateverything done in the past is wrong is what gets you and the company in one heck ofa mess a few months down the road. Listen: You may find there are good reasons whythings are done the way they are. Coming in and changing everything overnight takeseyes off the business and creates uncertainty and confusion. Rocking the boat beforeyou can get buy-in to change will never end well. The target on your back increasesexponentially.

Conversely, hiding in your cubicle is not the way to endear yourself to your newcolleagues and manager. Learn what they do and why, how you fit into the wholeprocess, and how your results impact those in your own department and the companyas a whole. Don’t wait for that first review; get 360˚ feedback early on.

I have learned over years that we all make mistakes (yes, me, too!). The issue iswhether we can admit to them or we play the blame game. As a manager, I expect andactually hope that mistakes will be made. It is the way we learn. Conversely, I haveseen individuals who cannot admit blame yet will takecredit for others’ work. I am sure we all have thoughtsabout those types of individuals.

Beginning a new job is never easy. You are new toeveryone and everyone is observing you. Make sure theimpression you make is a good one and you are stand-ing out for the right reasons.

I targeted this column for new employees, but asa company owner or manager, some of themost expensive mistakes you make are inhiring. If you believe you hired the rightperson, how does your company integratenew employees and help them feel part ofthe team as soon as possible? From expe-rience, generally not much!

Alan Oakes, [email protected]


Expert advice to sellmore custom millwork

millwork business.

BPD What trends have you noticedin custom millwork over the past fiveyears?

Ted Smith Custom millwork hastaken the same trend as everythingelse in the housing industry, whichwas down but not dead. Remodelinghas been healthy and custom millworkis often used on such projects becausepeople want something different withmore appeal. As construction makes acomeback, the custom millworkshould trend back up along with it.

Ron White With the drop in hous-ing starts, custom millwork decreased.I see it slowly coming back, but evenwith that, a lot of customers tell methat with the custom homes beingbuilt, the builders are using basic com-

THE ECONOMIC REBOUND has notonly boosted the home building

industry, but is also providingincreased demand for higher-marginproducts, such as custom millwork.

As a two-step distributor and man-ufacturer of quality custom linealmouldings and custom door jambssince 1979, Smith Millwork, Lexing-ton, N.C., keeps close tabs on thepulse of the market.

To help dealers take advantage ofthe latest trends in custom millwork,BPD called upon the experts at SmithMillwork—president Ted Smith, vicepresident Mike Trantham, outsidesalesmen Jim Kilpatrick, Ron White,and Dennis Ramey, and inside sales-men Shane Michael, Mark Rummage,and Jeff Wiesner—who boast a com-bined 200 years experience in the

FEATURE StoryCustom Millwork

modity patterns. It has got a little bet-ter, though.

Dennis Ramey The major trend incustom millwork over the last fiveyears has been that beginning in 2007and lasting until early last year wehave seen a lot less of it due to the sadstate of our economy. Since custommillwork is mostly used in commer-cial and upper-end custom homes, webegan to see it start to come back lastyear as housing starts began to rise.This year, with housing expected toreach one million new starts, it is pos-sible that custom houses and hencecustom millwork could again reachwhat might represent as much as 50%of custom’s historically high totals.

Mark Rummage Trends aretoward maintenance-free and paint-grade products. Recently, many peo-

Building-Products.com August 2013 Building Products Digest 9

ple are choosing a cleaner look, not asmuch detail, such as a plain covecrown. Most are designing largercrowns/casings/base patterns and 8’doors on the first floor, and then asmaller version of the same patternsand 6’8” height doors on the secondand subsequent floors.

Jim Kilpatrick More homeownersare getting away from the basics. Theyare being more creative in their selec-tions and doing things that are outsidethe norm.

BPD What are the pros and consof choosing custom trim over stan-dard?

Jeff Weisner If you use a customtrim millwork, you can get a look thatno one else has, but you will be facedwith a delay for production and anincrease in cost.

Shane Michael Custom trim mostdefinitely gives a house a specialattraction and should help keep thevalue up in case they need to sell. Theonly negative I can see is that there isa higher cost when purchasing customtrim.

Kilpatrick It’s also not readilyavailable if you need more down theroad.

Smith Pros: You get to chooseexactly what you want. Your homewill be different than your neighbor’s.The products come in many differentspecies of lumber. You can matchexisting profiles in older houses. Youcan duplicate damaged items on his-torical projects. You can make itemsthat will fit existing opening for doorsand windows.

Cons: Lead times are longer, soyou have to plan ahead. More expen-sive than stock millwork. Takes moretime to choose what you want. Youhave to make sure you order enoughthe first time because if you order toomuch, you probably can’t take it backand if you don’t order enough, itextends the lead time and your costgoes up.

White You can get more distinc-tive patterns, larger sizes, choices inwood species. Lead times are longerand cost is greater; however, mostpeople who want a specific custompattern don’t necessarily mind theincreased cost.

Ramey The pro side of using cus-tom trim is that you can design mould-ings to suit your tastes in almost anendless array of designs and woodspecies in order to make your projectuniquely yours. The con side of the

equation to me is very small, if thecustomer devotes sufficient time andplanning to the choosing of patterns,wood species, and the scheduling oforders. With proper planning andassociating one’s self with a qualityprovider, custom can be a snap.

Using off-the-shelf trim materialscan be the way to go for the majorityof builders and their customers, too,because today we have so many morepatterns available in stock that only afew years ago would have been con-sidered custom and special order. Ifmore off-the-shelf patterns are used,the builder can hold down costs. Theprimary drawback on using standardstock trim is the customers’ choices inwood species are more limited.

BPD Have you seen an increase ofcustomers buying custom millwork?

Smith Yes, with the slight increasein housing activity and with remodel-ing doing well, we have seen a littlemore custom business.

Mike Trantham Yes, in the lastsix months.

Kilpatrick Yes, mainly in higher-end homes.

Rummage Not as much custommillwork during the recent economicdownturn, but it is gradually pickingup.

BPD Do you have any advice fordealers for working more productivelywith a custom millwork plant?

Michael Please ask as many ques-tions as possible when working withthe homeowner and contractor. This

sales team has more than two centuries of industry experience. (L-r) RonWhite, Mark Rummage, Ted Smith, Mike Trantham, Phil Osborne, Dennis Ramey. Not Pictured: JeffWeisner, Shane Michael, Jim Kilpatrick. All photos by Smith Millwork

encourages them to consider alloptions that are out there, includingcustom trim. It is also beneficial tosuggest that they consider some stain-grade trim for a few of the rooms evenwhen the main portion of the home ispainted, to help make the homeunique.

Rummage A proper takeoff iskey—ordering enough custom materi-al for the job. Understanding the appli-cation it will be used in and how theend-user wants to finish the item isimportant. Allow adequate lead timefor orders to be produced and deliv-ered.

Kilpatrick I would make sure thatI worked with a supplier I was com-fortable with because if there are anyproblems that occur you want to makesure they are corrected in a timelyfashion. These are products that arenot on the shelf and take a couple ofweeks or more to produce.

Ramey My advice to dealers whowant to expand their business byoffering more custom millwork wouldbe to educate your customers on theneed to allow sufficient lead times andto use the millwork manufacturers’sales representatives to educate thebuilders concerning what is availableand what the manufacturers limita-tions are. As in anything we do, hav-ing a great partner increases every-one’s chances of success.

Smith My only advice would be toalways try to make the up sale to cus-tom millwork because it usuallyequals more sales revenue and betterprofit margins.


MARGIN BuildersPVC Trim

PVC millwork meetsthe challenges ofhistoric renovations

Construction, Boston, Ma., who uses cellular PVC trimfrom Azek Building Products, Scranton, Pa. “We’ve beenable to make the transition to PVC very successfully.”

Bill Sandrock, owner of Stratton Creek Wood Work,Kinsman, Oh., agrees. He’s been working with PVC prod-ucts from Versatex Trimboard, Aliquippa, Pa., for the pasteight years.

PVC TRIM AND millwork can provide a long-lastingsolution to a common challenge of historic-renovation

projects: recreating intricate trim and millwork patternsthat must be replaced.

“PVC trim can be milled to replicate historic profilesaccurately, but without the time, labor or costs associatedwith maintenance,” says Ergun Merdin, owner of D&E

V products were the key to matching a new garage/barn to an 1837 farmhouse. (Photo by Azek)


cate the look of wood, they aren’t affected by moisture andare highly resistant to mold. In addition, PVC trim is con-sistent in size and finish, immune to rot and insect infesta-tions, and lightweight and easy to install over solid sub-strates.

“PVC delivers the authentic, rich appearance of wood,coupled with the durability and very low maintenancehomeowners want,” says Jack Delaney, national sales man-ager of The Tapco Group’s Kleer Lumber division.“Whether it’s a coastal mansion or modest neighborhoodhome, PVC is appropriate on virtually every house.”

Perhaps best of all, PVC trim requires little mainte-nance—unlike wood trim, which must be re-painted on aregular basis.

“I’ve never met a homeowner who likes maintenance,”says Joe Cracco, c.e.o. of Modern Yankee Builders,Cumberland, R.I., who also uses Versatex products. Thecompany works on historic homes and landmarks, plus tra-ditionally styled new homes, that must withstand the harshelements of the New England coast.

“In areas where wood trim is exposed to a lot of waterand then deteriorating, we come in, remove the rotten trim,and install accurate new profiles made from PVC,” henotes. “It’s a sad fact, but wood rots. They see that we canget a historic effect with materials like PVC trim—andbring the level of maintenance a lot closer to zero.”

Carter Lumber, Fairview, Pa., supplied and custom-milled Azek PVC for the renovation of an 1873 farmhousewith a new barn/garage.

“On both the house and barn, we were able to matchthe period look beautifully,” says Kevin Raines, one ofCarter’s outside sales reps. “We used a CAD program torecreate the historic brackets we were able to save on thehouse, designed and built windows, and milled a cross-buck pattern for the barn doors.”

Recreating historic trim in PVC also means that thestructure will be around for future generations to appreci-ate. “Some people shy away from PVC in the restorationbusiness, and I don’t understand why,” commentsSandrock. “It doesn’t rot—and we recycle all the dust andscraps when we mill it, to make more product—so it’s asgreen as can be.”

V A delivers the look of wood with the long-term durabilityand low maintenance customers want. (Photo by Kleer Lumber, TheTapco Group)

1 A at Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, Oh.,was renovated with cellular PVC trim products. (Photo by VersatexTrimboard)

“We do a great deal of intricate restoration work, so westarted using cellular PVC for exterior applications becauseit can be cut and shaped like wood. We laminateVersatex’s PVC sheet to give us the needed thickness, andthen mill it to our specifications.”

His latest historic project involved renovation of acupola at Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, Oh., whichdated to 1897 and had been irreparably damaged by theelements. He started by taking samples of all the originalcrown moulding, corbels, handrails, and turnings.

“With PVC, fabrication wasn’t so much of a chal-lenge,” he notes. “We measured the original piece, drew itin AutoCad, and then figured out how to manufacture it.We custom-ground knives to match and ran the profilesthrough the moulder.”

According to Sandrock, it took about 1,100 man-hoursover the course of five months to construct all the millworkneeded for the six-sided cupola.

“This was probably the most detailed project we’veever done,” he says. “By doing this in PVC, the paint willstick and it will last. It’s never going to rot and it’s notgoing to peel. The new paints expand and contract with thematerial. ”

Although PVC trim components are designed to repli-


WITH THE DESIGN of a new build-ing product comes the question

every manufacturer must ask: Should Icertify it? In short, the answer is yes.Putting a product through the certifica-tion process is a matter of complianceand will save manufacturers time andmoney in the long run.

Certification allows manufacturersto sell their products in the global mar-ketplace. Building codes outlined bythe International Code Council (ICC)have been unified, permitting manu-facturers to demonstrate compliance toa large geographic area through oneset of certification documents.Certification to applicable standardsalso allows products to be placed onthe shelves of commercial outlets.

How buildingproducts are certified

MANAGEMENT TipsBy Tom Patterson, Intertek

Those who choose not to gain certi-fication to building codes and industrystandards must prove compliance witheach individual jurisdiction, an oftenexpensive and laborious method forgaining approval. In addition, theirproducts do not have the ability to besold through commercial channels.

The certification process is efficientand extremely beneficial for manufac-turers to gain market access, and canbe broken down into four steps. Forstarters, it is advantageous to partnerwith a Nationally Recognized TestingLaboratory (NRTL) that understandsbuilding codes and industry standardsand can help ensure manufacturers testtheir products to the proper require-ments. There are even a few testing

laboratories that can provide manufac-turers with the research reports neces-sary to prove that a product functionsproperly and demonstrates buildingcode compliance.

Once a manufacturer has connectedwith an NRTL, the next step is towork with the laboratory to develop atest plan to achieve the necessaryrequirements. In order to develop thisplan, manufacturers must understandtheir market from both an applicationperspective and a geographic perspec-tive. Where the product will be usedon a building and whether it will be ina residential or commercial structurewill determine the intensity of the test-ing that must be performed.

In addition, requirements varybetween regions, so it is important formanufacturers to know exactly whichlocations they want to sell their prod-ucts in, as it will dictate the types oftests conducted.

After a test plan has been deter-mined, the testing and evaluationphase begins. While physical tests areperformed, engineering evaluationsbased on prior, commonly known dataare also often used. NRTLs are famil-iar with how different materials per-form under various types of conditionsand levels of stress. It is this extrapo-lation conducted by engineers thatenables manufacturers to extend theapplication of a product without hav-ing to conduct unnecessary tests.Testing and evaluation is not abouttesting every potential application, butabout the benefits of evaluating to awide variety of potential applications.

After a product has successfullycompleted the testing and evaluationprocess it can then be certified, indi-

A A at Intertek’s Vancouver lab prepares for a curtain wall test to determine where and how theassembly of building products can be used.


cating that applicable industry stan-dards have been met. Once certified, itis important for manufacturers todemonstrate that the product remainsas it was when it was first tested. Thisis done through ongoing surveillanceby the third party NRTL, which pro-vides a variety of required follow-upservices depending on the product andits intended application.

Previously, certification was seenas a purely necessary process per-formed solely for the purpose of sell-ing products in desired markets. Now,accredited certification bodies areadding more value to the processthrough updated product certificationdirectories. Previously basic and bare-bones, these directories currently con-tain links to manufacturers’ websitesand easy navigation tools, allowingindustry professionals to search for aproduct by standard or performancelevel, among other options. They havebecome a great resource for engineers,architects and specifiers trying to findthe right product to fit their buildingneeds.

Another benefit of certification isthat it preserves manufacturers’ testdata, allowing them to prove compli-ance years down the road. In NorthAmerica, as long as a manufacturerdemonstrates that their product has notchanged and still complies with thestandards originally tested to, thatproduct will remain certified no matterhow old the test report is. However, itis important to remember that differentparts of the world have differentrequirements. For example, a five-year-old test report is too old inEurope, whether it proves certificationor not.

For manufacturers, the testing andcertification process can allow them toextend their products’ reach in theglobal marketplace. By partneringwith an NRTL, manufacturers canensure that all the necessary tests areperformed and standards are met. Inthe long run, these laboratories helpmanufacturers save time and moneyand provide a competitive advantagethrough placement in product directo-ries consulted by a wide variety ofindustry professionals. When it comesto testing and certification, the ques-tion should be when—not if.

– Tom Patterson is director of certifica-tion for building products for the Americasregion for Intertek. He serves as a boardmember and treasurer for the Air BarrierAssociation of America. Reach him viawww.intertek.com.


Selling SIPsWhat you need to know aboutstructural insulated panels

rants.Following are answers to common

questions dealers and builders haveabout SIPs:

What are the key selling points forSIPs?“For one-time residential owner-

builders, a key benefit is the quality of

ALTHOUGH STRUCTURAL insulatedpanels (SIPs) provide multiple

efficiencies for building constructionand operations, many builders stilloften rely on the traditional buildingmethods they are most familiar with.As builders look for ways to differen-tiate themselves, LBM dealers canprovide a valuable service by being

ready to answer questions about SIPs.SIPs are an advanced building

method, but are actually quite easy tobuild with. They can be used in virtu-ally any light construction project,including single-family homes, multi-family structures, and commercial andinstitutional construction ranging fromschools to offices to retail and restau-

PRODUCT SpotlightBy James Hodgson, Premier SIPS by Insulfoam

A N A AN arrive at the jobsite pre-cut and sized, ready to be put into place with a crane. All photos courtesy Premier SIPS by Insulfoam


the finished home—both structurallyand environmentally,” notes Brian vonAllworden, PE, SIP expert withWright Engineers, Phoenix, Az. “Forproduction builders, it is speed. Thefaster they can build, the quicker theycan sell.”

SIPs are significantly stronger thanstick frame construction. Benefitsinclude roof systems that eliminate theneed for a truss system, which in turnreduces framing schedules by remov-ing the labor and installation time fortruss construction. Additionally, SIPsare exceptionally strong in rackingdiaphragm shear capacities, which arethe primary structural properties engi-neers are concerned with when design-ing for earthquakes and hurricanes.

On the environmental side, SIPs arearguably the best performing structur-al system available. U.S. Dept. ofEnergy tests show SIP construction isabout 15 times more airtight than stickframing. Additionally, DOE foundthat SIPs have a 47% higher whole-wall R-value than either standard studwalls or advanced framed walls. SIPsalso help reduce jobsite constructionwaste up to two-thirds, and supportindoor air quality by sealing out com-mon pollutants.

As von Allworden noted, SIPs helpreduce building cycle time becausethey eliminate the need for separateframing, insulation and sheathingwork. Further, the panels arrive at thejobsite pre-cut and sized for each spe-cific part of the structure.

“With the pre-built panels, you justhave to piece the building togetherlike a puzzle,” says Glen Kamerman,partner with Kamerman Construction,Manhattan, Mt. Building with SIPscan help contractors earn more moneybecause of fewer framing hours on thejob.

SIPs can also simplify constructionon tight urban job sites where stagingspace is limited. Densely packedbuildings and heavy street traffic pre-sent challenges that can be solved byusing SIPs, which can be installed in amatter of hours.

Will my framers be able to installthem?A skilled framing crew typically

can learn the steps for installing SIPsin a matter of hours, and quicklybecome proficient in working withthem. Because SIPs are made of wood(OSB sheathing on both sides of aninsulating foam core), they are easy tonail, saw and drill—similar to tradi-

tional wood framing.

What about the impact on othertrades?While there are some specific tech-

niques that subcontractors will need tobecome familiar with, building withSIPs does not create a roadblock inconstruction.

Traditionally, very little plumbingis included in exterior walls regardlessof the building style used. With SIPs,most plumbing is located in the interi-or walls.

Running wire is simpler and fasterwith SIPs, as manufacturers pre-cutelectrical chases into the panels.Crews simply pull wiring through thechases after the panels have beeninstalled, which saves the time andhassle of drilling holes through numer-ous wall studs, as is the case with stickframing.

What are the key trends in SIP con-struction? “I see a lot of multi-family and hos-

pitality developers looking at SIPs as away to to stand out from the crowd,”says von Allworden. “And, as moreSIP structures are built, many buildersare realizing that the bottom line is thesame, or better, as with stick construc-tion, but they are getting a better finalproduct.”

In what types of buildings are theymost popular?

SIPs are increasingly popular ineducational facilities, from K-12schools to colleges and universities,where they can be used in dorms,gymnasiums, classroom buildings, andother structures.

What are important things to lookfor when choosing a SIP manu-facturer?“First you need a manufacturer

who is reliable,” says von Allworden.“There were a lot of SIP firms aroundsix years ago that are now gone. Youalso need a company that is bigenough that they are not dependent onyour money to buy their materials.And, of course, you need a companywith a quality product.

For LBM dealers and distributorsconcerned that SIPs could cut into thetraditional meat of their business—lumber—it is worth remembering thatthere will always be a strong marketfor framing lumber, even in SIP struc-tures. SIPs are typically used for out-side walls and roofs, with stick-framedinteriors most common. Additionally,as demand continues to grow for ener-gy-efficient structures, being knowl-edgeable about SIPs can be an impor-tant way to grow business within anew market segment.

– James Hodgson is the general man-ager of Premier SIPS by Insulfoam,Puyallup, Wa. For more information onSIPs, visit www.premiersips.com/bc.

reduce and simpify building schedules, while imparting stength and durability.


150 lbs.—and they needed 500 ofthem.”

Harris, who serves as past presi-dent of the Southern CypressManufacturers Association, workedclosely with the student team. “Wehad numerous phone calls concerningdesign and strength values ofcypress,” he recounts. “They alsospent quite a bit of time with me,learning about cypress and what theycould expect from it. They visitedwith us at the sawmill to see how wesawed the timbers, and then again atour facility in Dothan when we weredrying them.”

Because the timbers were going tobe end-butted together and stacked,they had to be cut very precisely atCustom Lumber’s mill. Then theywere placed in an air-drying tunnelfor two months, to achieve moisturecontent of 25% or less.

CYPRESS TIMBERS—locally sourcedand milled—were paired with

innovative design for a new town hallin Newbern, Al.

“We selected cypress because it’s anative Southern species,” says DavidFrazier, a fifth-year architecture stu-dent with the Rural Studio at AuburnUniversity, Auburn, Al. “We likedthat it’s naturally durable, rot- anddecay-resistant, and not preferred bytermites.”

Frazier was one of four studentswho worked on the project, from orig-inal design to final completion. Theirchallenge was to create a primarycommunity campus to serve multiplefunctions: a voting location, a meetingspace for the town council, and a suit-able space for events attended by thetown’s 186 residents.

In order to convey a scale andimportance suitable for a civic struc-

ture, the students chose to use heavycypress timbers, rather than a tradi-tional structural frame and cladding.Walls were constructed using 16 rowsof 8”x8” cypress timbers. For a 28 ft.span in one wall, they constructed aglue-laminated cypress beam toaccommodate expansive windows anda door that opens to a courtyard.

While the cypress timbers offeredsimple, yet durable beauty, they alsopresented several significant designobstacles.

“The students did all the workthemselves, by hand, including cut-ting the timbers to fit, drilling them,then stacking without the use ofcranes or lifts,” says Chuck Harris,Custom Lumber Manufacturing,Dothan, Al., which supplied 22,000bd. ft. of cypress timbers. “This wasan incredible undertaking. Each 8-ft.-long timber weighs approximately

were paired with innovative design for a new town hall in Newbern, Al., designed and built by Auburn University students. All photos courtesy the Rural Studio.

Cypress timbers called onfor good looks, durability

PRODUCT SpotlightCypress Timbers


CYPRESS TIMBERS—locally sourcedand milled—were paired with

innovative design for a new town hallin Newbern, Al.

“We selected cypress because it’s anative Southern species,” says DavidFrazier, a fifth-year architecture stu-dent with the Rural Studio at AuburnUniversity, Auburn, Al. “We likedthat it’s naturally durable, rot- anddecay-resistant, and not preferred bytermites.”

Frazier was one of four studentswho worked on the project, from orig-inal design to final completion. Theirchallenge was to create a primarycommunity campus to serve multiplefunctions: a voting location, a meeting

A N using 16rows of 8 x8 cypress timbers, for simple, yetdurable beauty, inside and out.

mill in Dothan, Al., supplied 500 cypress timbers, about 22,000 bd. ft.Pictured is a member of the team, student Mallory arrett, with president Chuck Harris.

space for the town council, and a suit-able space for events attended by thetown’s 186 residents.

In order to convey a scale andimportance suitable for a civic struc-ture, the students chose to use heavycypress timbers, rather than a tradi-tional structural frame and cladding.Walls were constructed using 16 rows


Hardware storeturned lumberyard

Since the company was launched in1955, strictly as a hardware store, it’sundergone five expansion projects, allwithin the same block, says GarthSmith, whose father founded theenterprise. “We kept needing toaccommodate new products andanswer customer demand.”

But, as we noted, this is the bigone. Two years ago—again, proddedby “the fact that we continually getrequests for new merchandise,” hesays—the major upheaval material-ized. Dale mushroomed from 40,000

COMPETITIVE IntelligenceBy Carla Waldemar

THE STAFF AT Dale Hardware,Fremont, Ca., has been through

this over and over and learned to takeit in stride but this time, it’s the bigone.

No, not another earthquake,although the community sits smackon the valley’s famous fault line andthe operation, in fact, promotes amulti-faceted earthquake survival kitto its customers. Earthquakes tumblebuildings, while Dale, instead,extends them.

We’re talking about expansion.

A N A AV N new lumberyard satisfied California dealer Dale Hardware’s customers’re uest for new merchandise.

sq. ft. to 100,000 sq. ft.—what ownerGarth rightly calls “a substantialincrease” felt in every department, butmainly in two product lines—a gar-den center and a lumberyard, bothbrand-new arenas for Dale. And notonly an all-new lumberyard, but astate-of-the-art, covered, drive-thrufacility, answering demands for sticksthat Dale’s commercial accounts hadbeen lobbying for. It’s stocked witheverything from specialty hardwoodand the redwood so popular inCalifornia, along with decking ofevery persuasion, to the standarddimensional Doug fir routinely uti-lized by Dale’s prime customers, thetown’s remodelers.

Personnel count shot up from 95 to120, including managers well-versedin the new and unfamiliar lines. (Andif you’re selling lumber, you’ve got todeliver it, so that meant several newvehicles, including a forklift.) SKUsvaulted from 45,000 to 65,000.“Every department was expanded,”says Garth, who has eagerly followedin his father’s footsteps.

“I worked here through highschool and college, which convincedme it was what I really wanted to do. Igot seriously involved in the mid-’70s. Shortly after—the early ’80s—my dad died unexpectedly, so it land-ed in my lap a little quicker than we’dplanned. I learned by trial and error.”

For one thing, he learned early onhow and whom to hire. “Our processis pretty involved. We use a teamapproach—four or five people sitting


in on interviews. We’re continually seeking good employ-ees, and what we’re looking for is a can-do attitude—someone who really enjoys working with people. We cantrain them in product knowledge, but not how to smile, toenjoy talking to people; it’s far easier to teach them how tofix a toilet.” Or, since the lumberyard debuted in January2013, how to build a deck.

But who the heck taught Garth that a grueling recessionwas the time to more than double your space? Pin the cred-it on the guy himself. “I decided that now is the time.Three reasons,” he ticks off. “One, money is as cheap asyou’ll ever get it. Two, when it comes to contractors tohire, during this down stretch we’ve got the pick of the lit-ter. And three”—most essential—“by the time we’re done,the economy most likely will be turning around, so we’llbe perfectly positioned.”

He was right. “It turned out very, very well, and busi-ness is quite brisk.”

Added bonus: Can you say “federal funding?” Garthexplains the lucky break: “It was a coincidence. I had aregular bank loan all set up when the city came to me andsaid, Garth, we have a bond for Alameda County withmoney allocated to us in Fremont. Your business fits therequirements.’ So I sent in a one-page application.” Almostimmediately he was told, “You got it!” “I didn’t stumbleonto it, it came to me, and saved us money.”

Since the expansion, Dale has tracked solid increases incustomer counts and sales. “We’re attracting more femaleshoppers than before, especially in the new garden center.

service,” he re-emphasizes, “is Number One: That’s wherewe shine. It’s a very competitive market, but you can’t buyservice. That’s where we try to make a difference,” Garthdeclares.

“Product selection also,” he’s quick to add. “We do somuch better than the boxes, plus services—everythingfrom cutting keys and glass to screens, from pipe cuttingand tool repair to furnace troubleshooting and equipmentrental, even bulk kerosene sales, whatever a traditionalhardware store used to do, plus bigger projects like irriga-tion systems for their lawns. We have all the parts andpieces.” And don’t forget those earthquake kits!

Dale gets the word out via print ads (“but print is verycostly!”), a Facebook presence, and, now, Twitter: “We’replaying with it; it’s the way to go.” The company’s cus-tomer-friendly website features department managers whooffer tips and guide folks through projects. Customers,both retail and pro, also can take advantage of its rewardsprogram, which offers points for purchases—plus, “wecapture their emails and can use them for promotions,”Garth confides. Folks also line up in the parking lot when-ever Dale hands out free hot dogs when its barbecue grillsare on sale.

Never a dull moment and that’s exactly the wayGarth likes it. “I just enjoy working with people; it’s fun!And I’ve got a good group of employeeswho work together as a family.”

In fact, one of them is family:his son, 30, one of the company’sassistant managers. Plus, there’sthe benefit no one can refuse, saysGarth. “There’s lot of money to bemade if you do it right.”

Good deal: Looks like noone in Dale’s crew will be onfood stamps any time soon.

Carla [email protected]

V facility has been especially popular with Dale’s com-mercial accounts.

And the lumberyard has opened up our contractor busi-ness,” he reports. The split between retail and pro cus-tomers hovers where it’s always been, at 50/50, with prosdivided between commercial accounts, such as local utili-ties, the water district, and city and county departments,served by Dale’s expressly dedicated outside salesman,and Dale’s remodeler contractors.

Because this community in the Silicon Valley of theBay area is “pretty all built up, not much land left,” accord-ing to Garth, “we do only a couple of new homes a year.So our forte is serving the remodeling trade, which hasbeen pretty constant, although kind of slim the past four,five years. People saw their home values drop, so theyweren’t going to put any more money into them. But that’sstarted to escalate.”

Sure, there’s competition—there’s always competi-tion—but folks stay loyal to Dale because of its primo ser-vice: “That’s what we hang our hat on—friendly, knowl-edgeable employees. We put a lot of time and effort intotraining them in product knowledge and service. And that


the entire customer’s business to us onthe first call. Business-to-business sales isa relationship built over time. Our goal isto become our customer’s number onesupplier, but it won’t happen on the firstcall.

What will happen is we can earn thecustomer’s respect and permission (orright) to continue to call. One of our pri-mary goals of the initial call is to haveagreement from our customer that theywill continue to take our call. If we cantalk to them, we can sell them.

The point is to respect the buyer’s cur-rent decision, whileselling/explaining/defending his need tohave us as a supplier also.

Mr. Johnson, I don t want to get in the way of the rela-tionships you already have. What I would like is to be asecondary or back-up supplier. We will get to know eachother. ou will see the uality of my products and service.

I respect the relationships you already have. A greatcompany like yours will have good suppliers. We are agreat supplier and would like to prove it to you one step ata time. et me offer you product for three months. If at theend of that time we haven t done any business, no hardfeelings and we both move on. What s your email?

ou know, everyone needs a back-up plan. I am yourback-up plan. I m sure you currently have great suppliers. Iwon t get in the way of that. What I will do is show you apiece of the market you haven t been seeing. et me callyou ne t Monday with some great deals on

Write It OutMake your answer in your style.

Make several versions for the differ-ent types of customer you willencounter. To make them our ownwe must write them out. We mustbrand our answers in our minds.

We must be prepared, ableand, most importantly, willingto change minds and defend theidea that we are the beyond-obvious best choice.

OLSEN On SalesBy James Olsen

James OlsenReality Sales Training

(503) 544-3572 [email protected]

IDEASMUSTBE defended. Someone (us,for example) must stand up for an idea

and speak on its behalf. The idea thatsomeone should buy from us, even if weare the beyond-obvious best choice, is anidea that must be defended with ourwords.

Quotrons vs. Idea DefendersThere are three categories of sales

people that languish away in the land ofunderachievement and mediocrity:

uotrons They quote product allday long, but never sell it.

Product Presenters Highly versedon the market and product, but never sellit.

The ice uys “How ya doin’, buddy?” They insultthemselves (you think that’s all it takes?), their competition(you think you are the only charming person in the world?),and their potential client (do you think all I need is likeabil-ity to buy from someone?). And never sell it.

Master sellers stand for something. They have “a waythey do business.” Do they accommodate their customers?Yes. Do they calibrate their personality to their customer’spersonality? Yes. Do they know their markets and prod-ucts? Yes, yes and yes.

But what sets master sellers apart is their ability (anddesire!) to change people’s minds. Master sellers do not shyaway from this crucial task—they embrace it. They believethey are the best choice and relish the opportunity toshow/explain/sell their customers it is true. They defend theobvious best choice—themselves—with their words.

I’m Happy with My Current SupplierHow we orchestrate our first call to customers has more

to do with our ultimate success than any other call. If wefumble this crucial interaction, it is difficult to build ourbusiness fast enough to overcome the inevitable leaks inour account base. Master sellers build relationships morequickly. When they lose a big account it doesn’t take themlong to replace the business. Master sellers have:

A better bench. They cultivate the quality and quantityof their secondary relationships.

Their initial calls are impactful. They create “heat” ear-lier and “get cooking” with new customers sooner.

Our number one objection on every new call will be:“I’m happy with my current supplier.”

Some salespeople have no plan. Some are too aggres-sive, believing the fallacy that we are magically converting

Changing minds


ull u l g u l es is under construction inSullivan, In., targeting a late summer opening.

eer g umber so r u l , Melrose,Ma., agreed to sell its site to a real estate developer and willwind down operations next year after 143 years.

e s o s umber o , Clearwater, Fl., hasopened a 4,800-s . ft. store on 3 acres in Wilmington, N.C.(Brian Basye, mgr.).

o s u l g u l will open its 85th retailstore early next year in Dayton, Tx.

g m umber, Brookline, N. ., has built a spa-cious new $2-million facility that incorporates a new ware-house and replaces the showroom it lost in a Nov. 2 fire.

out r umber, St. Joseph, Mo., has closed aftermore than a century and auctioned off its remaining inventoryand e uipment.

ller umber o , Mount Pleasant, N.C., wasdestroyed in a June 26 fire sparked by lightning.

The company remains open during rebuilding.

r e umber o has selected a new site in Nework, N. ., to relocate in the coming year.

m t s umber u l , East Rome, a., hasfiled Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Stephen Patton, owner of the 68-year-old company since2002, hopes to emerge in an even stronger position.

r s u l g ter ls ome e teropened a new store in Lewisburg, Tn.

umber, Columbia, S.C., was li uidated at auction.

l o A e r re, Forest Acres, S.C., has beenopened by Brandon Clarke, owner of e A e

r re, Cayce, S.C.Bill Jones manages the new 3,000-s . ft. store.

lu r re, Lake Monticello, Va., has begunremodeling as it switches from o t est to A e r

re affiliation. A re-grand opening is set for Sept. 13-15.

lem g umber o , Cleveland, Ms., has opened a2,000-s . ft. elt ome es g s loor g oshowroom in Cleveland (Shannon Brown, mgr.).

ro oberts, Brattleboro, Vt., is being sold byPaul, Robert, and Michael Putnam to Rick Bibens, effectiveSept. 29.

b t t or um t opened a e tore discountLBM outlet at the former site of A m t umber o ,Farmington Hills, Mi.

mmo umber, Belgrade, Me., won a workplacesafety award from Maine Employers’ Mutual Insurance Co.

DEALER Briefs lue in e ins estru turinBlueLinx Holdings, Atlanta, Ga., has launched a

restructuring plan that includes “realignment of headquar-ters resources” and possible sale or closure of five of its 55distribution centers.

The distributor will operate all five DCs at least untilthe strategic review is complete in the fall, as it considerswhether to close, sell or otherwise obtain “strategic part-nering” for each location to best increase stockholdervalue.

Streamlining operations headquarters is expected tosave up to 10 million a year, including payroll costs, andgenerate up to 27 million in operating cash.

Days after announcing the plan, BlueLinx increased itscredit facility by 25 million to 447.5 million.

Central Hardwoods uys rinityTrinity Forest Industries, Hurst, Tx., has been acquired

by E&E Acquisitons/Central Hardwoods, Dallas, Tx.Trinity will continue to operate out of its Hurst facility

with existing personnel, with Greg Ryback continuing tomanage. The deal also includes Trinity’s name, brand andintellectual property.

ormer I Mill to estart in ir iniaA new company started by former employees of

International Paper’s Franklin, Va., sawmill, has purchasedthe shuttered plant and will restart operations by the end ofthe year. The mill has been closed since 2009.

“The mill was originally designed to have the capabili-ty of manufacturing a variety of lumber products. We planto take advantage of this by manufacturing a diverse prod-uct line that will satisfy a wide range of customers,” saidco-owner Perk Taylor. “Upgrades in the mill will allow thesawmill to purchase both large and small sawtimber.

Franklin Lumber plans to make 14.8 million in newcapital investments during the next five years to increasethe mill’s capacity and competitiveness. Products will con-sist of dimensional lumber for retail, treating and trussmanufacturers. The company will also have a strong mar-ket for its residual products, including wood chips.

enera le Maine Dealer Han s It pParks Hardware, Orono, Me., is closing at the end of the

month after 121 years.Lin White Jr., who has been owner for the past 23

years, said that many factors went into his decision toclose. For years, he’s been analyzing customer counts,buying trends, sales averages, and other statistics.

“All of those factors played into my decision,” he said.“It’s not a single factor, but it’s an established downwardtrend.” He also didn’t want to sacrifice customer service inorder to keep the business going.

White is liquidating the store’s inventory and will usethe revenue to renovate the property, turning it into three orfour retail spaces.

e lans ew Central Ohio DCAce Hardware is building a new distribution center in

West Jefferson, Oh., to replace its 40-year-old DC inPerrysburg (Toledo), Oh., in fourth quarter 2014.

The new site has easy access to I-70 and is closer tomore Ace stores. It will supply merchandise to retailers inOhio, northern Kentucky, and parts of Michigan.


SUPPLIER Briefsest ter r ses, Cortland, N. ., shut down its oo ro u ts dry kiln/milling facility in Harrisville,

N. ., July 31 and placed the plant and e uipment up for sale.

ter t o l orest ro u ts, Vancouver, B.C.,has completed its ac uisit ion of e le umber

ter r ses sawmill operations in Thomaston, a.Interfor’s $45-million investment will include adding more

kilns, to up Keadle’s capacity over 160 million bd. ft.

obb s umber, Searsmont, Me., installed a new 35debarker.

elt mber has installed a new N double-trackbatch dry kiln, Kiln Boss controls, and reen Burner technolo-gy at its operation in Ola, Ar.

u ll umber, Arbor Vitae, Wi., lost the building thathouses its panel shop, moulding/flooring shop, and planer in aJuly 3 fire.

Amel umber, Amelia, Va., added micronized copperand Wolmanized EraWood treated lumber to its existing lines.

ee o or umber, Dallas, Tx., is now distrib-uting Ab o tropical hardwood decking.

o sm r et g or , rand Rapids, Mi., isnow distributing or l TruExterior Trim products.

Atl s oo g, Atlanta, a., added new e uipment toincrease production of shingles with HP Technology, which arelarger, with a 1-1/4 wide nailing area and 130-MPH-ratedhigh-wind warranty.

or ersto e e lt oo ro u ts relocatedto a larger facility in Cincinnati, Oh., with room for an R D lab.

ert ee broke ground in Jonesburg, Mo., on a new$100-million complex, which will include a 60,000-s . ft. resi-dential roofing shingles manufacturing plant and 150,000-s .ft. warehouse.

o ul , Milton, Ont., will open a stone wool insulationplant next year in Mississippi.

l t r has purchased a 100,000-s . ft. building on 23acres in Columbus, Ms., to open a new masonry productsplant in the first or second uarter of 2014.

ere l oo , Binghamton, N. ., now offers 1 x4decking factory-finished in mahogany.

smose s MicroPro wood preservative has earnedreenguard gold certification from ro me t

New websites: rt se rou , Liberty, Oh.,www.earthwisewindows.com tegr t om os tes,Biddeford, Me., www.duralifedecking.com

Anniversaries: urr umber, Wooster, Oh., 160th ber r umber, New Branfels, Tx., 60th llumber o , Chester, S.C., 60th r m

ress, Canton, a., 15th

ew n land Dealers Closin pTwo Massachusetts lumber dealers have closed after

more than a century of business.Northampton Lumber, Northampton, shut down in July,

as owner Gail LaBarge fielded offers for its building andsite. “There was more interest in the property alone,” saidLaBarge, who took over the business from her father,Charles Paquette, about a decade ago. “I understand thenostalgia aspect, but that’s just the way it’s playing out.”

While the economic downturn and the emergence ofbig-box retailers hurt the business, LaBarge said her desireto retire is the primary motivation behind the closure.

Noble Hardware, North Attleborough, Ma., also closed,due to warehouse-store competition. “The big stores havethe buying power so the small businesses can’t keep up,and we aren’t building houses right now, so it’s just notcutting it,” said Keith Noble, who bought the store—thencalled Schofield Hardware—with his brother John in 1989.

When the brothers won 1 million on a scratch ticketlast year, they put most of it into the business. They openedup a seasonal garden and home d cor store called NobleCountry Gardens, and renovated their building so theycould lease out floor space to local artisans and vendors.

“But we couldn’t get enough vendors,” Keith said. “It’stoo bad to see it go. We put our hearts into it. It’s a shame.”

oise uyin Southern lywood MillsWood Resources LLC, Shelton, Wa., has agreed to sell

its Southeast operations to Boise Cascade, Boise, Id. Expected to close in the third quarter, the deal includes

softwood plywood producer Chester Wood Products,Chester, S.C., and specialty hardwood/softwood plywoodmanufacturer Moncure Plywood, Moncure, N.C.

Wood Resources, a division of Atlas Holdings, acquiredChester and Moncure from Weyerhaeuser in 2004. WoodResources will continue to operate Olympic PanelProducts, Shelton, and the newly restarted Omak WoodProducts, Omak, Wa.

Han ins estarts Mississippi MillHankins Lumber is investing 1.5 million to reopen its

mill in Grenada, Ms., after a 15-month closure.The company uses southern yellow pine harvested in

Mississippi to produce dimension lumber and boards.

a es Over emple Inlanduildin rodu t lants from IGeorgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., has completed its 710-

million acquisition of the building products division ofTemple-Inland, Diboll, Tx., from International Paper Co.,Memphis, Tn.

“With the sale final, we are eager to combine our assetsinto one building products business,” said Mark Luetters,executive v.p.-building products. “Temple-Inland bringshigh-quality assets with teams of talented employees, andwe look forward to combining best practices so that we willcontinue to improve our ability to serve key customers.”

The purchase includes 15 U.S. facilities in Alabama,Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,Tennessee and Texas, producing a range of building prod-ucts, including fiberboard, gypsum panels, lumber, MDFand particleboard.

IP agreed to sell the building products unit to G-P inDecember, after acquiring Temple-Inland a year prior.


AN A A from Anthony Forest Products helpstransition to new southern pine design values.

nthony dds Span Cal ulatorAnthony Forest Products, El Dorado, Ar., has added a

lumber span calculator to its website at www.anthonyfor-est.com. A mobile app version for Apple and Androidsmartphones is also available.

Powerful Solutions uses the new southern pine designvalues to calculate spans and compare spans of southernpine versus other lumber species. Pull-down menus allowusers to input species, grade, member type, deflection lim-its, spacing, and loading conditions.

Automatic defaults are set for the most common deflec-tion limits, spacing and loading conditions when member

types are changing. Clicking on the grade/span comparisoncalculator bar allows span comparisons between differentgrades of southern pine.

Insurers I M M oin or esIndiana Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co. and

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co. havestruck a deal to affiliate their companies, creating commonmanagement, shared services, and pooled reinsurance.

The newly affiliated group will be headquartered atPLM’s offices in Philadelphia, Pa., although significantoperations will continue in Indianapolis, In.

Current PLM president and c.e.o. John K. Smith willserve as c.e.o. of the integrated organization. John F. Wolfwill retire as president and c.e.o. of ILM and become amember of the board of directors of both companies.

“This combination is an opportunity to capitalize on thestrengths of each organization for the benefit of all,” Smithsaid. “It will allow us to offer a broader and financiallystronger market for the insureds of both companies, and amore secure workplace for employees. I truly believe thatwe are building the premiere property and casualty insur-ance marketplace for wood products and building materialbusinesses in the United States.”

The affiliation is not a merger. Over time, there will be agradual sharing of resources, but the companies’ names,brands and unique products will be preserved.

The deal is subject to approval by the applicable depart-ments of insurance—a process that management expects tobe completed by year’s end.

Based in Indianapolis, In., ILM was established in1897—two years after the founding of PLM.


Drew arrison is new to marketingoperations at Snavely ForestProducts, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Ken Castleberry, ex-BlueLinx, hasbeen named regional sales mgr. forGeorgia at Huber EngineeredWoods.

Jackie olley, ex-Tri-Supply, hasbeen named millwork mgr. forBuilders FirstSource, Jarrell, Tx.

eorge M ishtorn II, ex-KimalLumber, is a new national accountexecutive for multi-family saleswith BlueLinx, Atlanta, Ga.

John Callahan has been promoted topresident of Riverhead BuildingSupply, Riverhead, N.Y. Previouspresident dgar oodale and v.p.Russell oodale will stay on asco-chairs of the board.

Patrick Schleisman, ex-WoodWorks,has joined Hoover Treated WoodProducts, Thomson, Ga., as labo-ratory mgr. for the research/engi-neering/development team.

Timothy rand, ex-Coastal ForestProducts, is new to contractorsales at Mast Road Grain & Build-ing Materials, Manchester, N.H.

MOVERS & Shakers

Jean-Marc Dubois, Nordic Engi-neered Wood, has been promotedto director of business develop-ment for its Nordic WoodStructures commercial division.Tony Saad succeeds him asregional sales mgr. for theNortheast

Robert llrich has rejoined arskyLumber, Corpus Christi, Tx., inmillwork sales.

Shaun Mock, ex-ABC Supply, isnow product sales mgr. atProBuild, Middleton, Wi.

Jerome Siedlecki is new to JoffeLumber & Supply, Vineland, N.J.,as senior estimator.

Diane Womble has joined 84Lumber, Orlando, Fl., as millworkcoordinator.

John owen has joined the salesforce at Bay Building Supplies,Waukesha, Wi.

Kyle Schnit , ex-Stock BuildingSupply, has joined BMC, as salesmgr. for Dallas/Fort Worth, Tx.

Karyn iddens is new to outsidesales at East Coast Lumber,Cocoa, Fl.

ick Philemon, ex-Guy C. Lee, isnow territory sales mgr. for MetalSales Manufacturing, Wilmington,N.C.

Richard ewcomb has been promot-ed to store mgr. at Handyman AceHardware, N. Dayton, Oh.

Daniel DeJarnette, ex-GAF, is thenew plant superintendent atGeorgia-Pacific, Dudley, N.C.

Jared yons has been named chiefoperating officer for Poole LumberCo., Covington, La.

Jason Kuckewich is new to insidesales at ABC Supply, Indianapolis,In.

ane Durand is now based inBeltsville, Md., as territory salesmgr. for Boral’s TruExterior Trimin the mid-Atlantic states.

Kellen ray is now with AndersenCorp., as territory mgr. for Austin/San Antonio, Tx.

ill White, ex-Elof Hansson, is newto lumber sales at West Fraser,Germantown, Tn.

Mason Third has joined Moulding &Millwork, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl.,as territory mgr.

ddie Torres is now Orlando, Fl.-based regional sales rep for Jeld-Wen.

Building-Products.com August

2013 Building Products Digest 29

John D lena was promoted to v.p.-marketing & national accounts forUnited Window & Door Manu-facturing, Springfield, N.J. reggProscia is now v.p.-sales.

Tom Miller has been promoted tov.p.-supply chain management atAmerhart, Green Bay, Wi. Jeff

erboncouer succeeds him asnational accounts mgr.

Wayne Shuey, ex-PrimeSource, isnow sales mgr. for Profast Supply,Orlando, Fl.

Ma Mick illman has retired asc.e.o. with The Hillman Group,Cincinnati, Oh., after 44 years withthe company, but remains a direc-tor. James P Waters is now c.e.o.

Katharine DeSanto has joined thesales team of Vermont NaturalCoatings, Hardwick, Vt.

Mike nderlin, ex-Crystal Windows& Door Systems, is new to TheBilco Co., New Haven, Ct., as dis-trict sales mgr.-residential productsfor Il., Wi., Ia., N.D., and S.D.

William C riffiths has been elect-ed chairman, president, and c.e.o.of uanex Building Products,Houston, Tx., succeeding Da idD Petratis, who has resigned.Dewayne Williams is now v.p andcorporate controller, and MartinP Ketelaar, treasurer.

ee D ier anowski, ex-Formica, hasbeen named business developmentmgr. West for Dur-A-Flex, EastHartford, Ct.

Carl Cothran ex-Mohawk, hasjoined SCS Global Services,Emeryville, Ca., to head its certifi-cation services for the flooringindustry. He is based in Rome, Ga.

James Rane, chairman, president andc.e.o., Great Southern Wood Pre-serving, Abbeville, Al., was elect-ed to lead Auburn University’sboard of trustees in the comingyear. He has served on the boardsince 1999.

Machem Tweete is the now directorof social media for Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax,Nv., report co-owners ughMungus and reddy ungus.

ren Thomas, whorecently launched ContractorsChoice Lumber, Shawano, Wi.,with Cody essette, ex-CentralTransport, and Keith raff, ex-Dennison Retail Lumber, alsocontinues working withArrowhead Builders.

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FAMILY BusinessBy Wayne Rivers

I want to sellmy companyWhat do I need to do?

AST WEEK, my investment advisorcalled. He had a couple of clients

who wanted to sell their small busi-nesses. We discussed the nature of thecompanies: what they do, who worksthere, the goals of the owners, etc.After bit of discussion, it becamepainfully apparent to us that thesegentlemen, whose firms are verysmall and depend on the owners forvirtually every single decision orfunction, have nothing worth buying!

Sadly, that harsh truth is the casefor the majority of family businesses.Forewarned is forearmed: It’s betterto deal with reality now than to hopefor some future miracle.

No matter how big your companyis, how clever your advisors are, orhow fat your margins are, there areonly five ways to dispose of a closelyheld or family business:

Close the doors.

Give it away.

Sell to insiders.

Sell to outsiders.

A combination of the four above.In the first alternative, a family

could decide the business is no longerviable, they have socked away suffi-

cient savings/investments for them-selves, and they simply wish to liqui-date the firm and walk away. There isnothing at all wrong with this alterna-tive, if it is consistent with the goalsof the family.

The next alternative would be togive away ownership to family mem-bers, key employees, or strangers onthe street, for that matter. Then thecompany’s ownership, if not its day-to-day management, would be in thehands of others for strategic decision-making purposes.

In most family businesses, thingsare pretty clear when either the oldergeneration owns 100% of the compa-ny or the subsequent generation ownsit all. What is often murky, and usual-ly quite contentious, is when thesenior and junior generations shareownership and must develop newrules or norms about how they willmake collective, group decisions andshare power.

Selling to insiders means simplythe owners wish to sell to either fami-ly members who are employed in thecompany or key, trusted managers—or a combination of the two. Again,there are power sharing and decision

making questions to answer. Also,since NextGen family or employeesaren’t likely to have piles of cashlying about for just such an occasion,how the deal will be financed can pre-sent obstacles.

A family company could decide tosell to outsiders (including the alter-native of going public). Selling out,which is often seen as a valid alterna-tive by the owners of closely heldcompanies, is a fantasy for most fami-ly-owned businesses.

Finally, a company could use a bitof each of the four alternatives andcome up with a combination plan thatmakes sense. They could close downa problematic area of the company,sell a division to key managers, givecertain assets to NextGen familymembers either during senior genera-tion owners’ lifetimes or at death, andsell another portion to outsiders if thisoption is viable and there are suitablepurchasers.

Now, in the two “I want to sell ”instances above, the owners don’treally have businesses at all, althoughthey are incorporated, file tax returnsas businesses, etc. What I mean is thatbusinesses, by definition, are perpetu-al. That is, they can continue in spiteof the demise or retirement of thechief executive.

What most family business ownershave is not a business, but a job—anda pretty demanding, often thanklessone at that. If they genuinely want tohave a business capable of creatingsustainable opportunity and wealth forfuture generations, there is a step-by-step process for doing so.

To put an even more emphaticpoint on the assertion that most familybusiness owners have jobs and notbusinesses—and therefore their com-panies are not worth an outsidebuyer’s attention—we call on theexperience of one of our consultants,who had an 18-month assignment forbuying viable, closely held companiesfor an investor’s portfolio. He learnedthat potential buyers or investors lookat hundreds of deals before they closeon even one.

In evaluating the viability of aclosely held company, investors wantthe following:

Customers and suppliers loyal tothe company, not just the owner

A company with a unique niche,with barriers to entry

Relatively little competition

The management team can run


the company without the owner beingthere

There are assets inside the com-pany that can be leveraged (such asproperty or receivables)

A recurring, predictable stream ofrevenue

Employees are motivated to stay,rather than leave (a buyer’s worstnightmare)

The absence of any one of theseseven items dramatically reduces thevalue of the acquisition target. Thesad fact is that most sellers receive farlower selling prices than they hadanticipated. If you are interested inselling your family business to out-siders, use this objective checklist tosee how you stack up and where youmight have deficiencies that should beimproved.

If there are only five ways to dis-pose of a closely held company,which of the five is the most commonand which alternative is the most real-istic for the typical family business?The two most common transitionmethodologies for closely held com-panies are giving the company to fam-ily members over time (often whileretaining a salary or other incomestream from the company), and sell-ing to insiders who could be familymembers, loyal employees, or anycombination thereof.

The beauty of either of these twomethodologies—or using them inconcert—is that the insider purchasersor recipients are usually more knowl-edgeable about the capabilities of thecompany, are willing to pay a higherprice in one form or another, usuallyhave extensive emotional ties to thebusiness and senior generation own-ers, will rely on the departing ownersas sources of funds (which canincrease total return for the sellers)and ongoing expertise, therefore caus-ing less disruption, upheaval, and rad-ical change than might be expectedfrom an outside purchaser.

The best advice I can give is tostart planning early for the ultimatetransfer of your family business, inorder to maximize your opportunitiesand value.

– Wayne Rivers is the president of TheFamily Business Institute Inc., Raleigh,

. . Reach him at wayne.rivers family-businessinstitute.com or - .

Reprinted with permission of eyResources . o portion of this articlemay be reproduced without its permission.


MASTERING Leadership

steps to taminga combative culture

OOK AROUND. Has a 10,000-lb.gorilla taken over your company?

Before you reply with a quick “no”and refocus on your to-do list, bear inmind that this giant beast is known bya second name: culture. And under-stand that taming him is imperativebecause his destructive behaviors cankeep your company’s tribe from doingwhat it was brought together to do.

Here are some tell-tale signs that hehas adopted your organization as hishabitat:

There are several positive changeinitiatives in the works, but the oldguard refuses to alter “the way we’vealways done things.” They aren’treceptive to new hires and won’t takean active role in training them. Ratherthan working to move the companyforward, they spend most of their daymaking excuses for why things shouldstay the same.

Your employees are constantlypatting themselves and each other onthe backs. Unfortunately, they’re oftencelebrating empty wins like getting aclient’s order right on the second tryor passing an angry customer on toanother department. These “celebra-tions” only serve as a smokescreen tohide stagnation and lack of progress.

Most people in your companyseem too comfortable. They gravitatetoward and “nest” in the familiar. Attimes, you wonder if innovation, cre-ativity and motivation are foreign con-cepts to them.

“Unfortunately, the gorilla’s con-stant bellowing drowns out other mes-sages in the concrete jungle, whichallows poisonous cultures to takeentire organizations hostage,” saysMicheal J. Burt, coauthor of ebras &

heetahs ook Different & Stay Agileto Survive the Business Jungle. “Thegood news is, prepared and proactiveleaders can provide clarity, unite thetribe, and tame that unruly gorilla sothat cooperation, growth and innova-tion are once again in the spotlight.”

According to Burt and co-authorColby Jubenville, leaders who cansuccessfully go nose-to-nose with cul-ture gorillas are members of a newlyevolving breed: ebra and Cheetah (or

&C) Leaders.

“ ebra and Cheetah Leaders are socalled because they exhibit qualities ofboth breeds,” explains Jubenville.“Like zebras, they boast a distinctiveappearance that others can easily rec-ognize. Like cheetahs, they possessgreat speed and are particularly quickaccelerators. And like both, they havean ability to utilize their senses so wellthat they excel in adapting to theirenvironments. In other words, theseare leaders who are able to adapt tothe fast-paced, always-changing, andhighly competitive business world,and who are capable of leadingdiverse tribes within it.”

ebra and Cheetah Leaders recog-nize that 10,000-lb. gorillas are sus-tained by individuals who, unlikethemselves, have refused to adapt tothe ever-changing landscape of reality.

The authors suggest four things&C Leaders must do in order to stop

feeding the gorilla and create clarityamid the chaos of the concrete jungle:

et real about the reality yourtribe is facing Chances are, the pathyou once took through the jungle waswide, well marked, and free of mostsignificant obstacles. You could counton easily visible indicators, typicalbenchmarks, and annual performanceratings to keep you going in the rightdirection. And if any doubt croppedup, your company’s fearless leaderwould dictate who should lead, whoshould follow, and what should bedone. To hear your change-aversegorilla tell it, that’s still an accurate


portrayal of reality. Don’t let him foolyou. The good old days are long gone.

“In today’s competitive, constantlychanging global economy, organiza-tions whose cultures expect the jour-ney through the concrete jungle to beeasy won’t last long,” Burt says.“These days, the path can quicklychange, or disappear altogether. Youmight encounter rockslides or quick-sand at any moment. And predators—otherwise known as competitors—willbe constantly nipping at your heels.

“ &C Leaders are committed todrawing a clear picture of the true,actual circumstances their organiza-tions face, regardless of how positiveor negative they may be. Only thenwill you be able to cut through thesmokescreen your gorilla may bethrowing up and unite your tribe inpursuit of an overarching dominantaspiration.”

Make sure your tribe under-stands the comple order of the con-crete ungle In nature, jungles areincredibly complex. They contain adizzying amount of animals and plantsthat are competing for resources andsurvival. But despite (or in somecases, because of) the occasional casu-alty, the ecosystem supports the manypopulations that call it “home” andenables them to thrive.

Ideally, that’s the case within yourcompany, too. However, it doesn’tmatter how balanced and well calibrat-ed your tribe is on paper if all of itsmembers don’t understand where, howand why they fit.

“It’s a natural instinct for people toworry about their futures,” Jubenvillesays. “That’s why so often new ideas,policies and people spark pushback.Established tribe members worry thatthey’re being edged out or that they’reentering the endangered species list.And that type of uncertainty feeds thegorilla. It’ll beat its chest, bellow andattack what it mistakenly perceives tobe the competition, effectively haltinggrowth and progress.

“As a &C Leader, it’s imperativefor you to not only leverage yourtribe’s talents, but to make sure all ofits members understand where they fitwithin your organization’s ecosystem,both now and in the future.”

Clearly define success Oncetribe members understand the order ofthe jungle they inhabit, &C Leadersmust outline what, exactly, constitutessuccess. Left to their own devices,

each individual is likely to define thatoutcome differently, usually in what-ever way would benefit them mostpersonally. In this scenario, you’relikely to have some employees whomistakenly believe they’ve “made it,”while others struggle, strive and snipetheir way in the wrong direction.

“We refer to the force of a tribeworking toward success as collectivepassion,” says Burt. “The struggle tosurvive and succeed in the globaleconomy won’t always be pleasant oreasy. But if your tribe goes throughthe metaphorical fire together, it willemerge as a stronger, more efficientgroup. Collective passion helps createa cooperative, unified environment—

in which gorillas can’t survive.”

Create new le els of profession-alism This step is the easiest. You’llfind that when your tribe’s membershave collectively survived the crucibleand reached the first level of successyou’ve set for them, their relationshipswith each other will change.

“Specifically, competition withinthe tribe will naturally be replaced bynew levels of cooperation once every-one sees what they’re all capable ofaccomplishing together,” promisesJubenville. “This will then allow thecompetitive focus to fall where itbelongs: outside the tribe.

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Since 1912

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Natchez, Ms., has acquired Moore’sHardware, Dahlonega, Ga., fromLamar Ricketts.

“CNRG was a good fit for us,”said Ricketts, who will stay on as aconsultant. “After 20 years of runningthis business, it was important to us tochoose a good owner for the future.CNRG understands our business andthey are committed to investing in itfor the future.”

CNRG now operates 44 stores inthe South (including five in Georgia)under nine separate brands.

on time Iowa Dealer ClosesFifty-six-year-old Waterloo Lum-

ber, Waterloo, Ia., auctioned off thelast of its inventory and equipmentJuly 18, after closing a month before.

The buildings and property are upfor sale.

“Numerous things happened overthe course of the last couple of years,”said third-generation co-owner NickDonlea, who has operated the compa-ny with his sister, Stacy, and brother,Tony, since 2003. “Contractors con-stantly closed and retired, and we justdidn’t find any new business.”

He also blamed competition fromnational retailers.

ew Owners for lorida MillNew York-based private equity

firm Blue Wolf Capital Partners hasacquired substantially all of the assetsof Suwannee Lumber, Cross City, Fl.

Suwannee c.e.o. Frank B. “Bump”Faircloth and president Daniel Dickertinvested alongside Blue Wolf and willremain with the company, as will oth-ers on the management team. MichaelRanson and Charles Miller, partnersat Blue Wolf, will join the company’s

board of directors.“We are excited by the opportunity

to partner with Blue Wolf,” saidFaircloth. “Their operating experienceand vision will be invaluable as wecontinue to modernize our operationsand increase capacity in order to takeadvantage of the rebounding housingconstruction and remodeling mar-kets.”

Founded in 1954, Suwannee oper-ates a 150 million bd. ft. sawmilloperation that supplies decking anddimensional lumber to customers inthe Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, andNortheast United States. Suwanneealso operates a ground cover division

that manufactures and bags a varietyof mulch and soil products, as well asa retail hardware store (Florida ForestProducts) and firewood operation(Lite My Fire).

. . Wholesaler dds etail Potter Lumber has operated lumber

warehouses in Corfu and Le Roy,N.Y., since 1903. In late June, thecompany held a grand opening cele-bration for its first retail store, also inCorfu, which will offer hardware,plumbing, and electric.

“Our warehouses have been onWater Street in Corfu for years, andthis building just happened to be

A in Dixon Springs, Il. designed and built by homeowners Rick Street and StephanieBrown was remodeled with MoistureShield composite decking donated by AdvancedEnvironmental Recycling Technologies, Springdale, Ar.


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across,” said co-owner Mary Dix.“The idea is to have the customersorder their lumber, then go across thestreet to get their building materials.Lumber and hardware go hand-in-hand.”

The family spent a year planningfor the new store. “We’re trying to bemore diverse and get a broader basein customers,” said co-owner BobDix. “Going against Home Depot is atough job.”

The company’s two warehouseshouse a large supply of lumber, truss-es, insulation and more, which can bedelivered anywhere in New York.

“I think we lose out on a lotbecause we are called Potter Lumber,and when people look at that theythink it’s just lumber,” said Dix.“Now we do everything.”

C Supply uys SellmoreABC Supply, Beloit, Wi., has

acquired the distribution assets ofSellmore Industries, a distributor ofsteep-slope roofing, siding and win-dows with locations in Baltimore andHagerstown, Md.; Philadelphia, Pa.,and Buffalo, N.Y.

“These four new locations willexpand and strengthen ABC Supply’s

existing presence in these markets,”said c.e.o. David Luck. “The core val-ues that Sellmore Industries has arevery similar to ABC’s core values.It’s a good cultural match.”

The locations will operate as ABCSupply branches. Sellmore’s vinylwindow manufacturing operation inBuffalo was not part of the acquisitionand will continue functioning as aseparate entity. ABC Supply will selland promote its products.

orthland oses iln to ireA June 28 fire at Northland Corp.,

LaGrange, Ky., destroyed one drykiln and enough wood to fill threetractor-trailers.

The blaze was discovered earlythat morning when an employeenoticed heavy smoke coming from akiln filled with lumber. Two hourslater, the fire had been contained, butwas still smoldering.

Owner Orn Gudmundsson specu-lated that faulty wiring might havebeen a cause, although an investiga-tion continues.

Northland has operated kilns to dryhardwoods since 1968. The lost kilnwas the smallest of the 10 at the 35-acre facility.

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Ad ertise in publications and websites they iewThere is a reason why advertising has been around for so

long. One way to collect lists of suspects is to advertise inthe publications or websites they view, offer something freeor inexpensive, and collect the names and details.

Those who respond to ads move themselves a step closerto being prospects in that they, by responding, show they’reinterested in what you offer and are willing to take action.

Partner with someone else who sells somethingcompatible to them

The key here is “compatible.” Again, if you have done athorough job of describing what the ideal suspect lookslike, you can then ask, “What else do they buy?” Or “Whoelse do they do business with?” That should lead you toothers who may have a vested interest in sharing their listswith you, in exchange for something of value from you.

Take a sur ey or send a newsletter to a larger list If you want to find “sales managers of medium-sized

LBM dealers,” for example, you could take a survey of allLBM dealers or send them a newsletter, with an opportuni-ty for the sales managers to respond to something that issuitable for them.

old seminars for larger groups of themBy holding a free or inexpensive seminar, you engage

with people interested in your subject who are willing toinvest time and money. This has the added benefit that youposition yourself as a valuable source of information.

se social media to unearth themLinkedIn, Facebook, and a slew of similar sites offer

opportunities to join segmented groups and to identifymembers who meet your criteria.

Remember that a suspect list is never finished. You areconstantly assembling that list. But do a good job at identify-ing suspects and everything else becomes that much easier.

– Dave ahle is a sales trainer, presenter, and author of

KAHLE On SalesBy Dave Kahle

VERY SALES process begins with identifying a group ofsuspects. Suspects are people and companies you sus-

pect may one day do business with you. They aren’t yetprospects, because you don’t know if they have a legitimateneed for what you sell or if they can make the decision tobuy it. That determination comes later. But in order to get agroup of prospects, you must start with a list of suspects.

Here are eight ways to acquire such a list:

uy a listThis is the information age, and lists are available for

almost every conceivable set of characteristics. For exam-ple, I could, this afternoon, contact a list broker, ask for alist of names, addresses, phone numbers, size of business innumbers of employees, and email addresses for manufac-turers (or any one of a couple of hundred classifications)within a set of telephone area codes. I could have thatdownloaded to my computer by the end of the day.

Information selling is now a major industry in this coun-try, and there are lots of providers. Just do a Google searchon “list brokers” and find a couple with which to work.

et referrals from your customersProbably the best way to meet a prospect for the first

time is to be introduced by someone you both know andrespect. Before that can happen, you need to get the nameand details for the person you want to meet. That meansyou must ask your current customers for referrals.

The best way to do this is to visit your customers face toface, have a conversation about your products/services andtheir satisfaction with them, and then ask them specificquestions to generate lists of names.

For example, instead of asking, “Who do you know ,”say, “Which is one of your vendors that could use our ser-vice?” Or “Which one or two people in your committeewould be possible candidates?” By asking specific ques-tions instead of general ones, you’ll direct their thinking inmore productive routes and acquire more referrals.

Rub shoulders with groups of themIf you have precisely defined your target markets, then

spend time thinking and researching this question, “Wheredo groups of them go?” The answers can vary from tradefairs and association meetings to other suppliers.

The most unusual answer to this was from a client whosold reference books to lawyers. He discovered that manyof them would frequent a local pub on Fridays. He thenmade it a practice to show up and rub shoulders them,meeting them in a social situation.

If you can identify where prospects go, then you can geta list of them from someone who organizes or administersthat event or meeting place. Or, you can just show up andcollect business cards.

Creating new customers ways to identify new suspects


illmore Thomas, 96, founder of Fillmore Thomas &Co., Lapeer, Mi., died June 5 in Lapeer.

He started his own wholesale lumber company in 1941,transforming it into a full-line window manufacturer in the1960s. He continued there full-time until 2008.

Donald eigh Atkins, 88, retired owner of AtkinsLumber Co., Louisa, Va., died July 19 in Louisa.

ictor irdsong 92, former owner of GoldenValley Building Supply, Clinton, Mo., died July 10.

He spent 60 years in the retail lumber business, servingas assistant general manager for the R.J. Hurley LumberCo. chain, before purchasing Golden Valley in 1967.

ouis A ode, 70, president and owner of WaterlooLumber, Waterloo, Il., died July 20 in Waterloo.

ladys auerman, 97, retired co-owner of threeIllinois lumberyards, died June 22 in Mascoutah, Il.

With her late husband Louis, she operated MascoutahLumber & Supply, Mascoutah; New Athens Lumber Co.,New Athens, and Freeburg Lumber, Freeburg, until theyretired in 1980 and sold the businesses.

Thomas dwin thridge, 75, retired manager ofLoblolly Building Supply, Moultrie, Ga., died July 20.

James rederick Jim Ruschill, 78, longtime Iowalumberyard manager, died June 17.

He spent 20 years running yards for Spahn & RoseLumber, starting in Lowell, Ia. He then managed FreitagLumber Yard, West Point, Ia., until 1978, when he startedhis own construction business. He retired in 2000.

Robert ob aggard, 52, v.p. of Hassell & HughesLumber Co., Collinwood, Tn., died June 25 of a braintumor in Waynesboro, Tn.

He also served as a director for both the National WoodFlooring Association and National Oak FlooringManufacturers Association, which he helped merge.

IN Memoriamrank W Denny, 79, former president of Builders

Square, San Antonio, Tx., died July 2 in Escondido, Ca.After graduating from Rutgers University, he moved to

Southern California in 1958 and helped launched AngelsHome Improvement Centers, as executive v.p. and generalmanager. He stayed on when the three Angels stores werebought in 1968 by Daylin and renamed after sister storeHandy Dan when they went public in 1972. Denny waspresident of Handy Dan when it was purchased by W.R.Grace & Co. in 1979. As president, Denny oversaw expan-sion of Grace Home Centers to 300 locations.

He left Grace in 1983 to launch Home Centers ofAmerica, San Antonio, which he grew to nine locationswithin a year and sold to Kmart, which renamed the chainBuilders Square. He expanded it to 162 locations by thetime it was sold to a leveraged buyout company in 1997.

Denny then founded the Cibolo Group, a San Antonio-based consulting and store development firm.

He also served as an officer of the Home CenterInstitute, a charter member of the National Home CenterCongress & Exposition, and a founder of the Do ItYourself Research Institute, Indianapolis, In.

Stanley Da idson, 88, founder of Davidson Lumber,Miami, Fl., died July 15 in Miami.

During World War II, he served as a navigator with thePolish division of the British Royal Air Force. After thewar, he lived in Venezuela for three years and then movedto Miami and launched his lumber chain, which wouldgrow to 18 stores across South Florida, employing 10,000.

Walter Sandy Robbins, 69, retired vice president ofGeorgia-Pacific’s engineered lumber division in Atlanta,Ga., died July 6 in Tarpon Springs, Fl.

After graduation from Purdue University, he worked atGeorgia-Pacific for 39 years, until retiring in 2006.

Jack ee enton, 79, owner of McGann BuildingSupply, Hancock, Mn., died July 8.

After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, he went to workfor his father-in-law, Marv McGann, in 1958, later takingover the business. His sons, Peter and Jim, are currently incharge.

Ste en dward Pepin, 59, owner of Pepin Supply &Manufacturing, Red Wing, Mn., died June 2.

Prior to opening Pepin Supply, he worked for Double JLumber, later taking it over as Pepin-Bauer Lumber &Building Supply.

William Richards, 89, retired manager of lumbersales for Smith & Richards Lumber Co., Bridgeton, N.J.,died May 13 in Bridgeton.

He spent 40 years with the firm, after serving with theU.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.

Mike ash, 62, owner of Double T Products,Westerville, Oh., died July 5 in Westerville.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry from OhioState University. In addition to operating Double T since1999, he also owned Sunrise Wood Products, Pickering,Oh., and had worked with Fireside Forest Industries,Powell, Oh.

N AN our Roof program allows distributors and contractorsto add their company logo and contact information to DiamondDeck roof-ing underlayment manufactured by CertainTeed, Valley Forge, Pa.


ASSOCIATION Update

umbermen s Association ofTe as ouisiana will gather for itsfall board and committee meetingsOct. 1-2 in Austin, Tn.

orthwestern umber Associa-tion will lead its annual Oregon milltour Sept. 29-Oct. 4.

The event will start and end atPortland Hotel, Portland, Or. Day onewill feature stops at Hull Oakes Mill,Monroe, and Weyerhaeuser’s veneerplant in Sweet Home, where lunchwill be provided.

Day two will visit Weyerhaeuser’sTruJoist mill in Eugene, plus the com-pany’s nearby timberlands.

Rosoboro’s plant in Springfieldwill take up day three, with lunch atGlockenspiel German Restaurant inMt. Angel.

Day four will be a guided tour ofthe gorge, waterfalls and vista pointsof the Columbia River, followed by adinner cruise in Cascade Locks, thenlodging at Skamania Lodge inStevenson, Wa.

The association is also holding itsNLA/Northwestern Lumbermens Inc.board meetings Sept. 13-15 inBrookings, S.D.

astern uilding MaterialDealers Association will host a Mid-Atlantic Pro Dealer Summit Oct. 2-3at Hotel Hershey & Country Club,Hershey, Pa.

Presenters include Steve Campbelland comedian Jimmy Carroll.

Among the social activities are agolf outing at Hershey Country Club,a cocktail reception with open bar andvendor mini-trade show, and a confer-ence banquet and awards show.

ortheastern Retail umberAssociation is holding its annualmeeting Oct. 11-13 at The Otesaga,Cooperstown, N.Y. Affiliate CentralNew York Retail Lumber DealersAssociation will stage its own annualmeeting during the event.

New Hampshire Retail LumberAssociation and Retail LumberDealers Association of Maine will co-host their annual meetings at SundayRiver, Newry, Me., on Sept. 6-8.

Long Island Lumber Association’sannual meeting will take place Sept.12 at Villa Lombardi’s Restaurant,Holbrook, N.Y.

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs

will go on a southern timber tourSept. 17-20. Stops will include F&WForestry, Lafayette, Al.; HB&G,Troy, Al.; Georgia-Pacific, Thorsby,Al.; Fitts Industries, Tuscaloosa, Al.,and Owens Corning, Atlanta, Ga.

ew Jersey uilding MaterialsDealers Association will go fishingOct. 4, leaving from Pier 1, MunicipalMarina, Atlantic Highlands, N.J.

The 50-ft. Bingo will leave at 7a.m. and return at 2:30 p.m. Donuts,sandwiches, chips and refreshmentswill be provided.

Ohio Construction SuppliersAssociation has scheduled two round-tables for the fall: an Ohio/Kentuckyroundtable Oct. 9-11 in Oshkosh, Wi.,and an installed sales roundtable Oct.16-17 at Courtyard Marriot CincinnatiAirport, Erlanger, Ky.

Construction Suppliers Associa-tion plans regional insight meetingsfor Oct. 15 in Savannah, Ga., andNov. 13 at the Hilton Garden Inn,Augusta, Ga.

CSA’s annual meeting is Sept. 19-20 at the Dolce Hotel & Resort,Peachtree City, Ga.

orth American Wholesaleumber Association presents its fall

wood basics course Sept. 16-19 atOregon State University, Corvallis,Or.

ational umber uildingMaterial Dealers Association sannual ProDealer Conference getsunderway Oct. 23-25 at the SheratonNashville Downtown, Nashville, Tn.

Presenters include Greg Brooks,Building Supply Channel, on“Understanding Labor Shortages inthe LBM Industry;” Jim Robisch Sr.,Farnsworth Group, “Where Pros andD-I-Yers are Buying BuildingSupplies & Home ImprovementProducts and Why;” Brad Farns-worth, Farnsworth Group, “EmergingTrends in Remodeling—A Consumer& Contractor Perspective;” JohnBurns, John Burns Real EstateConsulting, U.S. housing analysis &forecast, and NLBMDA president/c.e.o. Mike O’Brien, Washingtonupdate.

Other highlights will be a yard tourof Stewart Lumber, Brentwood, Tn.;

dealer panel discussion on componentoperations; tour of the Country MusicHall of Fame & Museum; board andcommittee meetings; installationofofficers dinner, as well as networkingbreakfasts, lunches, receptions andparties.

Southern orest ProductsAssociation will hold its fall meetingOct. 3-4 in New Orleans.

“We are expanding the agenda toinclude a town-hall style marketingcommittee meeting to gather inputfrom all members about the futureprograms and activities to be under-taken,” said SFPA president SteveConwell.

Pennsyl ania orest ProductsAssociation will hold its annual meet-ing Sept. 17 at the Penn StaterConference Center Hotel, StateCollege, Pa.

The meeting follows AgChoiceFarm Credit’s fifth annual forestproducts executive developmentworkshop.

mpire State orest ProductsAssociation convenes its annualmeeting Sept. 25-26 at the GeneseeGrande Hotel, Syracuse, N.Y.

irginia orest Products Associ-ation will hold its 55th annual con-vention Sept. 20-22 at the CavalierOceanfront Hotel, Virginia Beach,Va.

Presentations will feature DeltonAlderman, Urs Buehlmann, and AlSchuler, Virginia Tech’s Departmentof Sustainable Biomaterials, dis-cussing the U.S. housing market andthe forest products industry; ClaudiaDodge, BB&T Insurance Services, onimplementing the new healthcare law,and Charlie Becker, VirginiaDepartment of Forestry, on the stateof forestry in the Commonwealth.

Other activities include a privatetour of the STIHL manufacturingplant in Virginia Beach, golf outing atHeron Ridge Golf Club, and installa-tion of a new chairman of the board.

ational ardwood umberAssociation will host its annual con-vention Oct. 2-4 at Omni Hotel, FortWorth, Tx.

orth American Deck RailingAssociation gathers for its Oct. 16annual meeting at Lakeside Center atMcCormick Place, Chicago, Il.


W A D S PA STRIPSPlywood, OSB, particleboard and MDF by the

truckloads. Lumber Source, Phone (800) 874-1953, Fax 888-576-8723, [email protected].

tes: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1word, address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9.Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished camera-ready

(advertiser sets type), $65 if we set type. e ad to Fax 949-852-0231or [email protected]. For more info, call (949) 852-1990.Checks payable to Cutler Publishing. e l e: 18th of previous month.

o re l to s t r te bo umbers send correspondence tobox number shown, c/o BPD, 4500 Campus Dr. 480, Newport Beach,Ca. 92660. Names of advertisers using box number cannot be released.

OD C S O S

W D O

CLASSIFIED Marketplace

W D O W D O

TRI-STATE LUMBER CO.Your Southern Yellow Pine

Timber ConnectionSpecializing in 6x6, 6x8, 8x8, 10x10

Tel. (662) 862-2125 • Fax 662-862-4900email [email protected]

AV A N , Dallas, Tx., celebrated 90 years of business with a BB lunch featuringaward-winning brisket cooked by owner Dave Reichert.

tlanti White Cedar eturnsto ortheast

Manufacturers Reserve Supply,Irvington, N.J., is partnering withGates Custom Millwork, Gatesville,N.C., to bring Atlantic white cedarback to the LBM industry in theNortheast.

“We are very proud of our highquality, specialty building materialsproduct offering,” said MRS salesmanager Tina Breen. “Adding Atlanticwhite cedar to our stock products is aperfect fit.”

The product is harvested in NewJersey and milled at Gates CustomMillwork in North Carolina. “Atlanticwhite cedar is known for its high qual-

ity, but supply over the past 20 yearshas been somewhat limited,” saidGates owner Nancy Tuck. “We areexcited about our partnership with alarge landowner and MRS. This part-nership will allow us to consistentlydeliver premium Atlantic white cedarproducts to the market for the next 10years and beyond.”

MRS distributes in New Jersey,Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York,and Connecticut.

Car hief Crashes into ardA suspect fleeing police slammed a

stolen car into Dain’s Lumber,Peekskill, N.Y., on July 12.

The chase began when a police

officer saw the suspect break into a carand drive off. After failing to make aturn, the suspect crashed into the frontof the building and damaged an insidewall.

Officials said that the building isstructurally sound, but will requiremajor repairs. No one was injured inthe early morning chase and the sus-pect was being sought.

Suspe ts rrested at MenardsOn July 1, two suspects were

arrested at a Menards in Indianapolis,In., after trying to bribe two workersto look the other way so they couldrob the business.

According to police, the men firstoffered 100 to an employee insidethe store, but were refused. They thentried to enter the lumberyard using abogus receipt. When the yard workerrealized that the paperwork wasphony, she said the men offered her100 to let them in the gate anyway.

After she alerted security, the sus-pects were observed loading two waterheaters into their box truck, along withnearly 1,700 worth of vinyl siding. Asecurity guard blocked the gate withhis vehicle and detained the two menwhen they tried to drive the loadedbox truck off the lot. A third man, whowas in the truck, was able to run away.

Two 21-year-olds were chargedwith felony theft and receiving stolenproperty. Police were looking for thethird man, who had rented the truck.


DATE BookListin s are often submitted months in ad ance. Always erify

dates and locations with sponsor before makin plans to attend.

rogress e A l te umberme o o Aug buyers show,PAL h ., rand Rapids, Mi. (800) 748-8900 www.pal-coop.com.

N t o l r oo umber Ass Aug , Doing Business inChina course, Memphis, Tn. (901) 399-7567 www.nhla.com.

ster Ne or umber e lers Ass Aug , board meet-ing, Rensselaer, N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

umber e lers Asso t o o o e t ut Aug , boardmeeting, Rocky Hill, Ct. (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

g umber u l g ter ls Asso t o Aug ,annual golf outing, Hawk Hollow olf Course, Bath, Mi. (517)394-5225 www.mlbma.org

Nort ester umber Asso t o Aug 13 1 , project estimat-ing seminar, Appleton, Wi. (763) 544-6822 www.nlassn.org.

Nort er Ne or umber e lers Ass Aug 1 , fishingderby, Clayton, N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

e tr l Ne or et l umber e lers Ass Aug 1 , annualclambake, N. Syracuse, N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

o stru t o u l ers Asso t o Aug 1 , insight meeting,Hilton arden Inn, ainesvil le, a. (678) 674-1860www.gocsa.com.

r re oles le Aug 1 1 dealer market, Henry .onzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Tx. (713) 644-1495

www.handyhardware.com.Ne erse u l g ter ls e lers Ass Aug 1 , annual

golf outing, Knob Hill olf Club, Manalapan, N.J. njbmda.org.Nort e ster ou g umber e s Aug 21 summer outing,

Saratoga Springs, N. . Aug 22, board meeting, Ballston Spa,N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

lor u l g ter l Ass Aug 21 23 annual expo, RosenShingle Creek, Orlando, Fl. (352) 383-0366 www.fbma.org.

rg ll Aug 22 2 , fall dealer market, Boston ConventionExhibition Center, Boston, Ma. www.orgill.com.

lor r re o Aug 2 2 market, Doubletree Hotel,Orlando, Fl. (904) 783-1650 www.floridahardware.com.

Nort ester umber Asso t o Aug 26, 50th annual BrownCounty golf outing, Royal St. Patrick’s olf Links, Wrightstown,Wi. Aug 2 , Southwest Wisconsin golf outing, Hickory rove

olf Course, Fennimore, Wi. (763) 544-6822 www.nlassn.org.Vermo t et l umber e lers Ass Aug 2 , annual meet-

ing/golf tournament, Fairlee, Vt. (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com. ester e e r umber Ass e t Cedar Summit,

Whistler, B.C. (877) 422-9663 wrcla.org. oo e t lobal Buyers Mission, Whistler ConferenceCenter, Whistler, B.C. (877) 422-9663 www.bcwood.com.

Ne m s re et l umber Ass e t 6, board meeting,Newry, Me. (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

et l umber e lers Asso t o o e e t 6, boardmeeting, Newry, Me. (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

e t 6 dealer market, Shreveport ConventionCenter, Shreveport, La. (800) 256-8527 www.hdwinc.com.

oo oo ter t o l e t 6 10 annual convention, DearbornInn, Dearborn, Mi. www.hoohoo.org.

Nort er Ne or umber e lers Ass e t 11, boardmeeting, ouverneur, N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

A e r re or e t 11 13 fall market, O.C. ConventionCenter, Orlando, Fl. (630) 990-7662 www.acehardware.com.

ster Ne or umber e lers Ass e t 12, board meet-ing, Rensselaer, N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

o g sl umber Ass e t 12 annual meeting, Holbrook,N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com. ss usetts et l umber Ass e t 13, board meeting/fallouting, Hyannis, Ma. (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

l s e o e t 13 1 fall market, Overland Park Conven-tion Center, Overland Park, Ks. (800) 995-0525 blishmize.com.

Nort ester umber Asso t o e t 13 1 , board meetings,Brookings, S.D. (763) 544-6822 www.nlassn.org.

Nort Amer oles le umber Asso t o e t 16 1 ,wood basics course, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or.(800) 527-8258 www.nawla.org.

u so et l umber e lers Ass e t 1 , board meet-ing, Newburgh, N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

e s l orest ro u ts Asso t o e t 1 annualmeeting, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College,Pa. (717) 901-0420 www.paforestproducts.org.

ust ble orestr t t e e t 1 1 , annual conference,Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio, Tx. www.sfiprogram.org.

e tr l Ne or umber e lers Ass e t 1 , board meet-ing, Syracuse, N. . (518) 286-1010 www.nrla.com.

o stru t o u l ers Asso t o e t 1 20, annual meet-ing, Dolce Hotel Resort, Peachtree City, a. (678) 674-1860www.gocsa.com.

e tu orest ustr es Asso t o e t 20 21 WoodExpo, Masterton Station Park, Lexington, Ky. (800) 203-9217www.kfia.org.

o roe r re o e t 20 21 dealer market, CabarrusEvents Center, Concord, N.C. (704) 289-3121 www.monroe-hardware.com.

rue V lue o e t 20 22 fall market, McCormick Place West,Chicago, Il. (773) 695-5000 www.truevaluecompany.com.


ADVERTISERS IndexFor more information on advertisers, call them

directly or visit their websites [in brackets].

A t ge r m umber t gelumber om 1

A ert om o er

A t o orest ro u ts t o orest om 23

Ar o olm e oo om o er

u l g ro u ts om bu l g ro u ts om o er

re t e oo b re t e oo om 3

rum ler l st e e om

ustom umber u tur g l t t o ress om

e e e om

er oo re tme t o e er oo tre tme t om

em er stem em erol roo t om 33

eo r umber leo r lumber om 2

t le m t le om 3

Nort Amer oles le umber Ass l org 3

ro u ts tr m om 2

e s l umberme s utu l sur e lm s om 2

oseburg orest ro u ts roseburg om 31

s ou orest ro u ts s s ou orest ro u ts om 13

re trus o s s re ls om 3

m t ll or sm t m ll or om 0

out o st umber so om om 2 2

so rou les o s so grou om 21

oul gs tl moul gs om o er V

ll ms umber o N l o ress om 3

IDEA FileGoing Green and TraditionalWhat do you get when you combine tradi-

tional hardware, a host of green products, and ownersdedicated to sustainable living?

The answer is Gecko Hardware, a True Value storein Dallas, Tx., where customers can find both powertools and organic chicken feed—and also attend a freeclass on how to build the chickens a suitable home.

“I’m not going to send someone to Home Depot orLowe’s for power tools just because we can’t find any-thing green,” says Andrea Ridout, who co-owns thestore with partners Jennifer Stuart and achMontgomery. “We want to change the face of the hard-ware store.”

Ridout says that she and her partners had long dis-cussed opening a green-products store, but had beendiscouraged by how many did not thrive—then eventu-ally closed. “I think they were too green,” she says. “Ifthey couldn’t find a natural product, they didn’t sell it.That meant customers had to travel to several stores forhousehold needs.”

In contrast, Gecko offers not only power saws andelectric drills, but also nesting boxes for backyard hens,composting sup-plies, hydroponicgardening equip-ment and nativeplants, plus animalfeed and supplies.Gift items made bylocal artisans arealso on display.

The partnersunveiled theirgrand scheme in April, on Earth Day, and held a grand-opening celebration a month later.

As the store’s new website proclaims, consumerswho want to embrace a more eco-friendly lifestyle willfind all they need in one place. But they’ll also findwhat they need for all kinds of home repair, renovationand remodeling projects.

Gecko also hosts product demonstrations and do-it-yourself workshops. One of the many popular classes ishow to cook healthy meals on Circle J Fire Pit grills—which the store sells—with lots of tasty free samplesfor attendees and shoppers. Another favorite is when alocal artisan demonstrates how to sew custom dog toysfrom reclaimed fabrics.

Since the store sells many breeds of chicks for back-yard enthusiasts, a class on how to build a proper coopseemed natural. Last month, store employee KeithLowery taught a free class on how to build chickencoops and equipment that makes it easier to handlefeeding and care, such as gravity feeders, cleaningtrays, and stay-clean watering systems.

“We all own chickens. We just love chickens,” saysRidout of herself and her colleagues, who also facilitatechicken adoptions by putting the birds on view in thestore. Two handsome roosters, Felix and Oscar, whogrew up together and were hoping that someone nicewould adopt both of them, were recently on display—both in the store and on its Facebook page.

COMING NEXT MONTHin the September issue of BPD

NeLMAEastern White Pine

Special Section

isite

Building Productsco

ore ne s ser riendlier l out re uent u d tes t roug out e c d

rt one t let ccessi le ro ed se rc e tures

ent otos ideos ur e s Building roducts stoc tic er

BPDBuilding Products Digest

4500 Campus Dr. No. 480Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872

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