Curtis Lumber 125th Anniversary-The Chronicle by Mark Frost

Family-owned Ballston Spabusiness now has 21 stores By Gordon Woodworth Chronicle News Editor Curtis Lumber had its origins in 1827 when Captain Isaac Henry Curtiss built a sawmill on Charlton Road in Ballston Spa. In 1890, the modern-day Curtis Lumber Company took shape when Elmer A. Curtis bought the business, dropped the second “s” in Curtiss and be- Holds its gan the success that has resulted now own in era in the independent of ‘big box’ firm’s 125th anniversary this year. dominance Curtis Lumber has 21 stores and about 570 full-time employees. CEO Jay Curtis is the fifth generation of his family to be involved in the business. Jay’s children — Christopher, 29, and Kylie Holland, 23 — are both in the company’s manager in training program. Last year, total sales were $170-million, Mr. Curtis said. “I purchased the retail division and inventory early in 1992, after working my way up through the ranks beginning in 1980,” he says. “The company has only changed in size, and the technology used to get the job done.

“I started with 11 stores, grew to 22, and then consolidated one.” The big growth spurt was in 2005- 2006. In 2005, Curtis Lumber purchased seven Webb & Sons stores in central New York. In 2006, it bought four Gregory Supply stores in northern New York and Vermont. Mr. Curtis describes the evolution this

way: “Long-term organic growth — with a couple of moments of sheer terror.” He said Curtis Lumber has survived by successfully serving the Do-It-Yourself homeowner as well as contractors and sub-contractors and government accounts. “Because we serve both the retail and commercial customer, we strive to main-

tain a balance between the two,” Mr. Curtis said. “When you neglect one, the other suffers also, contrary to popular belief.” The CEO says, “We have always strived to dig a little deeper discovering the needs and wants of our customers, and providing an experience that keeps them coming Please turn to next page

The Glens Falls Chronicle - April 23, 2015

125th anniversary of Curtis Lumber, the family-owned independent Curtis Lumber at 125 From previous page

back over multiple generations. “Products and methods change, styles come and go, and come back again, but how the customer decides to part with their hardearned money never changes.” Howard Greenholtz, the Warrensburg native who manages the Queensbury store, said Curtis Lumber’s success “comes down to our ability to do small projects to big proj- Jay Curtis is the ects and having fifth generation to knowledgeable peo- be involved in Curtis ple in every depart- Lumber. He bought the company from ment. “Our secret is his late father Bob in a commitment to 1992, and has grown the relationships it from 11 stores to 21. Photo provided Curtis Lumber has built with contractors, and a lot of loyal customers because we’ve been loyal to them.” Let ‘big box’ stores go their own way How does Curtis Lumber compete with big box stores, Home Depot and Lowe’s? “We don’t try,” Mr. Curtis said. The only adjustment after they came into the mar-

Each store tailored to its own community

“All of our stores are very different, and have evolved over time,” says Kylie (Curtis) Holland, a sixth generation member of the Curtis family. “We listen to and adapt to our communities. We want to be consistent, but at the same time each store fills specific needs.” Howard Greenholtz, who manages the Queensbury Curtis Lumber store on Big Bay Road, just west of Exit 18, said, “Jay [Curtis] gives us the autonomy to bring in what fits for our community...We are not being told, ‘This is what is going to go in your store.’ Every branch can work that

1891: Curtis Lumber’s first sawmill on Charlton Road in Ballston Spa. ket, he said, was “we noticed immediately that we needed more salespeople, and checkouts.” Advertising manager Dave Bielawski, in his 41st year with Curtis Lumber, said of the larger chain competitors: “We basically decided to let them go their own way, and we kept doing what we had always done. “We spoke to other lumber companies, and they all told us to ignore them. They said, ‘Do what you do well and don’t worry about them.’” Mr. Bielawski said the competitors “are not like us. We have knowledgeable employees, and accurate, professional and dependable on-time delivery, which is huge. Eighty percent of the material we sell is delivered. And we are locally owned and part of the community. People know us, out for themselves.” Matt Greenholtz, Howard’s brother, now manages the Warrensburg store but spent three years in the Schuylerville store as well. “In Schuylerville,” he said, “it’s more agricultural and they sell more pipes and railings and things like that. I don’t sell any of that here. “[In Warrensburg] we do more walk-in and business with single-home builders, while Queensbury does more with bigger contractors. Each store is going to be set up differently.” Kylie (Curtis) Holland said, “There is great communication between store managers and corporate. We trust our managers.” — Gordon Woodworth

they like us, and they trust us. We hear that over and over.” Greenwich native John Kirk, Curtis Lumber’s director of purchasing, in his 45th year with the company, admits. “We are the last of a dying breed. There are not a lot of us left.” Is Curtis Lumber still looking to grow? CEO Mr. Curtis said it depends on three factors: “Fit, opportunity and feasibility. We maintain an ad hoc team that is ready to spring into action should the opportunity present itself.” He said, “The plans are in place, but if you look too far out, you trip on the potholes in the road right in front of you.” Does he anticipate turning the company over to his son and daughter? “Very much so,” he said. “As I said, plans are in place.” In 20 years, he said Curtis Lumber will be “running like a finely tuned machine” and he will be “happily retired.”

Biggest challenge? ‘Taxes & regulation’ What is Curtis Lumber’s biggest

challenge? “Taxes and regulation,” replies CEO Jay Curtis. “The truly idiotic stuff. “Government has grown so totally out of control, it seems you can’t open the doors in the morning without kissing the rings of 50 regulators, 30 inspectors, and handing the prior day’s receipts to the tax and fees guy.”

Curtis’s 21 stores: From Burlington, Vt., to central New York From its base in Ballston Spa, Curtis Lumber operates in three regional divisions. The Eastern Region has stores in Queensbury, Warrensburg, Schroon Lake, Granville, Schuylerville, Delmar, Fort Plain, Hoosick, Perth and the flagship store in Ballston Spa. The Central Region has stores in Delhi, Hamilton, New Berlin, Norwich, Sherburne and Waterville, in central New York. The Northern Region includes Ray Brook and Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Burlington and Williston, Vt.

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Schuylerville manager Doug Kirk: ‘If people are looking for good advice, this is where they come’ Greenwich native Doug Kirk has been at Curtis Lumber’s Schuylerville store for 39 of the last 42 years. He’s been manager since 1992. “I’m the type of person that if I get a job, I like to stay in that job,” he said. His cousin John Kirk, Curtis Lumber’s director of purchasing, told him of an opening in the Schuylerville yard, and he got the job. “Then I came into counter sales in the early 1980s, and became an assistant manager, and when John left in 1992, I took over the store,” he said. He said Curtis Lumber “is an excellent company to work for. They think a lot of their people. It’s very family oriented. They take pride in their employees, as we are proud to work for Curtis Lumber. And they respect their employees. “We have good customers, a friendly atmosphere, and a lot of emphasis on training. When you see a house go from a design to being built, you get a lot of satisfaction out of that. It’s a good feeling that people look to you for good advice. “…If people are looking for good advice, this is where they come.” He said he was 20 years old when he started, and got a kick out of a customer who came in a few weeks back who had been doing business with Curtis for 41 years. “We have shared a lot of experiences,” he said. “We were both young married me, and then we had kids, and then the kids got married, and now we have grandkids.” He said Curtis Lumber executives don’t micro-manage their employees. “We run our own ship,” he said. “We have a lot of flexibility and leeway. They put us in this position for a reason.” He said the Schuylerville store employs 12 full-time people, “and we’ve never had layoffs. I love the company I work for. I never had any desire to think about another job.”—Gordon Woodworth

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3 The Glens Falls Chronicle - April 23, 2015

Curtis Lumber

The Glens Falls Chronicle - April 23, 2015

125th anniversary of Curtis Lumber, the family-owned independent

Jerry Laramie, left, and Clint Stone are kitchen designers at Curtis Lumber’s Queensbury store. Gordon Woodworth photo

Kitchens are a growing part of the Queensbury store’s overall business “Kitchens and kitchen design are a huge part of this store’s business,” said Queensbury Curtis Lumber store manager Howard Greenholtz. “Kitchens make up around 10% of our overall sales. We were always very big in kitchens, but three years ago we added Jerry Laramie, who is an experienced and outstanding kitchen designer. Then about seven months ago we added Clint Snow, another very good kitchen designer. “Since we paired those two up, our sales and profits have exceeded our ex-

pectations.” That has happened, Mr. Greenholtz said, because of the ability of Mr. Laramie and Mr. Snow “to deal with a wide range of jobs, from starter homes to million-dollar homes, and their ability to match any level and be able to talk on those levels. “The biggest part is getting people to trust the designs and the designers. “Kitchen design is a very big part of what we do, and we put a lot of effort into training our employees to keep them on the cutting edge.” Mr. Laramie worked for Best Kitchens for 28 years. “We guide our customers through all parts of the process, starting with the di-

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mensions, the windows, what they want for appliances, the cabinets, ventilation, lighting, and then we lay the kitchen out.” Curtis Lumber doesn’t do the actual installation, he said. “We design and sell the components, and then we refer them to one of our subcontractors,” he said. Mr. Laramie said it’s very busy now because people are getting their tax refunds back. “We’ll be steady now right through the fall,” he said. “I like the atmosphere here at Curtis,” Mr. Laramie said. “We have a lot of tools to work with. The road sales guys bring us leads, and Ballston Spa helps with leads

up here. The potential to grow is there. “And when you do a design and then go to the house for a visit and you see what you created, it’s pretty cool. And having happy customers is very satisfying.” Mr. Snow said he worked at Greenberg’s in Bennington for more than 11 years, and then at Best Kitchen for four years. He said Curtis Lumber is able to offer the customer more variety because of the wide range of related supplies. “We have the accessories to go along with the kitchens and baths, right down to drill bits and those little screens for the drains in the sink,” he said. — Gordon Woodworth

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6 The Glens Falls Chronicle - April 23, 2015

125th anniversary of Curtis Lumber, the independent Jon Hallgren, VP of retail operations: ‘We have the right people in right jobs’ Vice-President of Retail Operations Jon Hallgren grew up “down the road from the original Curtis Lumber store on Charlton Road in Ballston Spa, and started working part-time for the company in 1971 while he was in college at Plattsburgh State. “I was loading hand cars and painting buildings,” he said. He got married in 1976, and became night store manager in the Ballston Spa store, and then IT manager in 1981. “In 1986, I became sales manager, and I was vice president when Jay took over,” he said. “Jay worked for me, and then I worked for him!” In his current role, Mr. Hallgren works with “all of the directors and general managers for store operations, purchasing and marketing. I visit stores and big customers, like Peter Belmonte of Belmonte Builders.” He said the custom home business “is a larger percentage of our business now, but houses are smaller and windows are much more sophisticated and many of the product lines are more sophisticated.” He said when the big box stores arrived on the scene in the early 1990s, “we panicked at first, and our business shifted more toward the builder and we saw a resurgence in kitchen and decking. “The customer needing service comes to us. That’s where we focus.” At the corporate level, he said “we get

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A Curtis Lumber staffer for 41 years, Dave Bielawski helped build the flagship store in Ballston Spa, seen in the background. He said close to two dozen employees have been at Curtis Lumber for 30 or more years. Chronicle photo/Gordon Woodworth

Advertising manager Dave Bielawski started by building trusses and painting truck letters Dave Bielawski helped build Curtis Lumber’s flagship store in Ballston Spa, a massive 150,000-square-foot building on Route 67 with a 70-acre lumber yard in the back. That was back in 1976, two years after he started working there. Soon after, “they found out I was artistic. I saw someone else lettering a truck, and I made a suggestion, and they suggested that I do it if I thought I could do it better. So I did! “I made all the signs for another two years, and worked in the sawmill, and in 1978 started to do advertising. I pretty one or two complaints a month. Our managers are empowered to find solutions, and usually they are taken care of at the store level. We have the right people in the right jobs, and we are all accessible. And its an accessibility that makes a different. “If we get a customer complaint, there is a sense of urgency. We will drop every-

much created the advertising department, which includes our catalogs, newspaper, radio and television.” He said a new radio ad campaign about to start features customers talking about their experiences with Curtis Lumber. “We put something on our Facebook page, and we got dozens of responses,” he said. “It’s amazing. Everybody talks about how they love Curtis Lumber, how much they trust the people who work here, and they are so loyal to us. It makes you proud to work at a place like this. “People like us. They trust us. I make a lot of cold calls on folks who have dealt with us, and as soon as I say Curtis Lumber, they just start talking about how much they love the stores and the company. “We’ve built that reputation, and we have earned it over time. And we employ local people. That’s a recipe for success.” — Gordon Woodworth thing to make it right.” — Gordon Woodworth

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Curtis Lumber Biggest asset? ‘Our people & their skills’ Curtis Lumber’s biggest asset?

“Our people, and their skills,” says CEO Jay Curtis. “I want employees that are naturally motivated, and hopefully smarter, faster, hungrier and more creative than I am.” Is it hard to keep people? “Yes, but it is a natural, organic process,” he said. “We are a family, and families are kind of quirky. Either you fit or you don’t. We give people lots of leeway to grow with us, or help them find a better path for their lives that may or may not include Curtis Lumber.” Ad manager Dave Bielawski, in his 41st year with Curtis Lumber, said close to two dozen employees have been at Curtis Lumber for 30 or more years. — Gordon Woodworth

Lisa Ashdown, clerk in purchasing, started in work-study program — that was 39 years ago Purchasing clerk Lisa Ashdown started at Curtis Lumber 39 years ago, cleaning the stores and offices as a high school student in the work-study program. “After I graduated from high school, I started full-time and became a cashier in the Ballston Spa store,” she said. She was a buyer for 20 years before becoming a purchasing clerk three years ago. “I check packing slips to make sure what we ordered is what we received, and check invoices for seven stores, making sure the pricing and quantity is correct.” Curtis Lumber’s recipe for success? “A lot of it is our customer service,” she said, “and how we treat our customers. We all focus on that. We try to get it right. And we still pick up the phone. “It’s always been like a family here. We all seem to work very well together, and we all know how our jobs might affect others who we work with. “It’s a fun and happy place to work…I haven’t found anything I like better!” — Gordon Woodworth

Extensive employee education program Nearly every Curtis Lumber employee interviewed for this 125th anniversary issue mentioned the ongoing employee education and training program as a very important part of the company’s long-term success. Purchasing clerk Lisa Ashdown, in her 39th year with the company, said, “We have invested in Curtis Lumber, but Curtis Lumber has invested in us also. They train their employees well, and then the training continues. They give us the tools to get our jobs done.” Kylie Curtis Holland, the 23-year-old daughter of Curtis Lumber CEO Jay Curtis and his wife Kendra, said, “We have a very extensive career internal employee training and career development program. We cover everything from new products to software to sales. We try to mix things up. “Right now I’m teaching a communications class. Today we had about 65 participants here. We have folks from Norwich in our Western Region to Williston, Vermont, in our Northern Region.” Jennifer Stickney, a 20-year employee who works in the advertising department, said, “Our employees go through a lot of training, and know what they are talking about. Training can be anything from basic computer skills to products to how to complete a sale and how to deal most effectively with customers. “Employees from all 21 stores come to Ballston Spa for training, and we have vendors come in to talk to them about products. Vendors are very active in our training. How can you sell something if you don’t know everything about it?” — Gordon Woodworth

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125th anniversary of Curtis Lumber, the family-owned independent The Greenholtz brothers manage Curtis stores in Qby. & Warrensburg “I love my job,” says Matt Greenholtz, a 1988 Warrensburg High School graduate who manages Curtis Lumber’s Warrensburg store. He worked his way up the ladder. “I was a yard man in the old Glens Falls store, and then when that store moved to Queensbury, I was the yard foreman and then assistant manager. “I came up here to Warrensburg in 200203, and then was manager of the Queensbury store for five years. “Then I went to Schuylerville for three years, and in 2013 I came back here.” “Curtis Lumber is Matt in a great company to work for,” he said. Wbg: ‘I “The employees are give 100% fantastic, you get to build relationships & know with your customers. I like everything about Curtis it.” has my And, he added, “I do know a lot of peo- back’ ple, having grown up here.” He said Cappy Griffin, who managed the Warrensburg Curtis Lumber store for many years, “used to tell me that my goal should be to be the manager of the Warrensburg store. It has worked out very well for me.” He said Curtis “is a family-friendly company, very consistent, and they take care of their employees. I give 100% and I know they have my back.” • Howard Greenholtz said he had worked in a furniture store for many years. “I came to Curtis Lumber because my brother Matt is a long-time employee who is now the manager of the Warrensburg store. I saw how well he was doing and how well he was treated and the bene-

ees. That tells you that Curtis knows how to take care of their employees and their customers. That’s the secret.”

Kylie Holland, in 6th Curtis generation with brother Chris & poised to move up

Matt Greenholtz (left) manages the Warrensburg store. His brother Howard manages the store in Queensbury. Chronicle photos/Gordon Woodworth

fits he was receiving, so when the furniture store closed, I was ready to come aboard.” He started in 1999 in the Warrensburg yard, and then moved inside, doing kitchen design and counter sales. “I really liked that, Howard and then got into the in Qby: ‘I manager in training program,” he said. saw how “Hoosick Falls was my first store, in 2000-01, well my then I became manbrother ager of the Granville store from 2001 to was 2006. “I was manager of treated.’ the Warrensburg store from 2006 to 2013, and then moved down here to Queensbury in August 2013.” Mr. Greenholtz said Curtis Lumber “is a phenomenal place to work. It’s still a family-owned company, which is very important to me. I feel like family-owned companies take much better care of their employees, and I get that feeling at Curtis. There’s always a home for you, and the

company is not going anywhere.” He said the company’s strength “is the employees. Upper management recognizes the need of its employees to be well educated and to have great people skills. I think it comes down to our ability to do small projects to big projects and having knowledgeable people in every department.” More than any other Curtis Lumber store locally, the Queensbury store goes head-to-head with Lowe’s and Home Depot, both just a few miles away. “You’re not going to compete with Lowe’s and Home Depot,” he said. “You have to offer great customer service and quality products and have the knowledge of how to put them together. We walk the customer from the inception of the idea to the end of the project. We’re more than a lumber yard. We have well-educated, well-trained employees who will do anything to help a customer with a project or a problem.” The route to success? “It’s a commitment to relationships that Curtis has built with its customers,” he said. “We have a lot of loyal customers because we’ve been loyal to them. “Curtis has a lot of long-term employ-

Kylie (Curtis) Holland, 23, is the daughter of Curtis Lumber CEO Jay Curtis and his wife Kendra. She and her brother, Christopher, 29, are in Curtis’s manager in training program. Mrs. Holland graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2012 with a degree in criminology and a minor in psychology. “I worked here for a while when I was in college,” she said. “I went back and forth about whether I wanted to work here, but then I graduated and started here fulltime, and I didn’t want to leave. I felt comfortable here. This is my place.” She says, “I remember coming in as a toddler and seeing people who still work here. That makes for an interesting dynamic. I would hide in the cabinets in the kitchen showroom, and run around all over.” Mrs. Holland said “growing up with every change we have seen in the industry, and having that to fall back on, gives me confidence.” She said her parents were “very supportive when I decided to come to work here. Both of them asked if I was sure it was what I wanted. I told them that it was, and I started at the bottom. “I’m learning everything about the company. Both my brother and I are doing that. I enjoy employee training and career development. We have a very extensive program that runs from December to April. I enjoy that.” — Gordon Woodworth

From our independent family-owned business to yours — Congratulations, Curtis Lumber, on your 125th anniversary!

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Contractors show: ‘A thank you’ & ‘way to build loyalty’

Builder Ken Collette: Show gets everyone in mood to build again

By Gordon Woodworth Chronicle News Editor Curtis Lumber’s 24th annual Contractor’s Show at the Saratoga Springs City Center on April 9 drew hundreds of contractors and dozens of vendors. “It’s a thank you to all of our customers,” said Curtis Lumber advertising manager Dave Bielawski. “It’s a great venue for contractors to talk to vendors directly about new products.” Mr. Bielawski said the invitation-only event is very popular, drawing 1,500 people this year. “We always have it here in Saratoga,” he said. “It’s a good central location.” He said the event “builds loyalty. Let’s face it. People do business with people they like. And the only way they can like you is if they get to know you.” Jennifer Stickney, a 20-year Curtis employee who works in the advertising department, said the contractor’s show “helps build relationships. It’s basically a big ‘thank-you.’ We treat everyone to a great dinner, and it’s great having everything under one roof. “It’s like a playground if you’re a contractor. You get ideas, and you see new products, everything from roofing materials to power tools. The contractors love it, and they appreciate it.” Mr. Bielawski said the contractor’s show is a natural extension of Curtis Lumber’s corporate mission. “It’s a three-way partnership among our employees, vendors and our customers,” he said. “Our employees love it, our vendors love it, and the contractors love it.”

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The 24th annual Curtis Lumber Contractors Show on April 9 at the Saratoga Springs City Center drew more than 1,500 people — builders, vendors and Curtis employees. It was a chance to see new products, exchange ideas and sit down to a roast beef and turkey buffet dinner served from carving stations. Chronicle photo/Gordon Woodworth

“I sell at other stores, but the relationships Curtis has with its customer base is second to none.” He said the annual show is “a lot of fun. It’s like being a kid again. I love it, and the contractors love it.” — Gordon Woodworth

Gary Slusher of Stanley Black & Decker: Curtis knows very well its base of customers Gary Slusher of Queensbury, account manager for the Construction DIY Group of Stanley Black & Decker, brought his demonstration truck to Curtis Lumber’s Contractor Show at the Saratoga Springs City Center, and said in the next two weeks it will be at 11 of Curtis Lumber’s 21 stores. “Curtis knows their customer base very well, and they have strong relationships that can’t be duplicated,” he said.

Bolton builder Guy Williams: Service is phenomenal, prompt Guy Williams of C. Raymond Davis & Sons, a custom home builder based in Bolton Landing, said Curtis Lumber’s employees are what set it apart. “To me, it’s the people,” he said while walking the aisles of Curtis Lumber’s 24th annual Contractor’s Guy Williams Show. “Sure, they

Custom home builder Ken Collette of Collette Construction in Hudson Falls said he attends the Curtis Lumber Contractors event every year. “This is a great spring show, and it kind of gets everyone in the mood to start building again,” he said. “I’ve been dealing with Curtis for well over 20 years. Ken Collette And I’ve pretty much stuck with Curtis. “The lumber is top quality. I prefer Curtis lumber over anything else on the market.” But there’s more to it. “Curtis gives back to you,” he said. “I’ve been loyal to them, and they are like a family to me. The staff doesn’t change. They are knowledgeable and friendly. They get the job done.” — Gordon Woodworth

have great products and great pricing, but the people are professional and they are helpful. “The other day, I called Corey Johnson, who works in contractor sales in the Queensbury store, to ask him for some trim samples I needed for a job. Two hours later, they were on my desk. It’s unbelievable. And they are all really good guys.” He also singled out Frank Murtaugh from Curtis Lumber’s Schroon Lake store as being “so helpful.” He said he found a new cable railing system at the show that he bought for a “big house we are building on Lake George. And I also found some siding. I’ve bought a bunch of product today. “This show ties us more to the manufacturers and the products.” — Gordon Woodworth

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9 The Glens Falls Chronicle - April 23, 2015

125th anniversary of Curtis Lumber, the family-owned independent

The Glens Falls Chronicle - April 23, 2015

125th anniversary of Curtis Lumber, the family-owned independent Supporting local causes — ‘it’s just what we do’

Some of the Curtis Lumber fleet in front of the Ballston Spa store

Curtis Lumber classic pix

Curtis Lumber president and CEO Jay Curtis said supporting community causes has always been important to the company. “Our employees are the community, and we support what they support,” he said. “We have always done this over the generations. From Little League teams to disaster help to saving pets to major support for WGY’s Christmas Wish and the WGY Radiothon for the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center. “It’s just what we do.” Queensbury store manager Howard Greenholtz said that here, Curtis Lumber supports the Kiwanis Club’s Duck Race, the CROP Walk, “Boy Scout Eagle projects, Make A Wish and Habitat for Humanity. We were heavily involved in the Habitat For Humanity’s Glens Falls build, and we’re working now on three others.” Doug Kirk, who runs the Schuylerville store and has been with Curtis Lumber for 42 years, said they support “Little League teams, rescue squads, fire departments, VFW, Elks. They all come here and we try to help as much as we can.” — Gordon Woodworth

Warrensburg store, circa 1970 Original Charlton Road store, circa 1960

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Curtis Lumber

Thank you for choosing The Glens Falls Chronicle to showcase and celebrate Curtis Lumber on your 125th anniversary! We’re proud to work with you.

on Your 125th Anniversary

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onship over We appreciate and value our relati

1930: The Curtiss brothers: From left, Kent, Arthur, Henry and Elmer. The second ‘s’ was dropped from the company name in 1890. Elmer Curtis said it was a waste of time.

Curtis Lumber timeline 1827 — Captain Isaac Henry Curtiss builds first sawmill on Charlton Road. 1890 — Business purchased by Elmer A. Curtis. Drops second ‘s’ in last name, saying it’s a waste of time. Inception of modern-day Curtis Lumber Company. 1938 — Kent Curtis assumes ownership from father Elmer. 1949 — Robert K. Curtis assumes ownership from father Kent and establishes Curtis Lumber Company Inc. 1955 — Retail store built in front of existing sawmill. Expands into hardware and adds 11 employees. 1966 — Schuylerville store purchased from Schneible & Shepard. 1967 — Warrensburg purchased from Delbert Pasco (Hardware/Sawmill) . 1969 — Curtis Lumber clears way for construction of Ballston Spa location. 1971 — Schodack store opens – formerly Dorn Lumber. 1972 — New sawmill opens. 1974 — Delmar store opens. Formerly Delmar Lumber. 1976 — Curtis Lumber moves from Charlton Rd. to its current location on Route 67 in Ballston Spa. The store is 150,000 square feet. 1981 — Hoosick Falls store opens. 1982 — Fire closes sawmill operation. 1986 — Glens Falls and Amsterdam stores open. 1989 — Schroon Lake store opens. 1990 — Curtis Lumber celebrates 100th anniversary and expansion to current 130,000-square-foot store. 1992 — Jay S. Curtis becomes president, assumes ownership of nine locations from his father Robert. 1994 — Perth store opens (relocation of Amsterdam store) 1996 — Granville and Fort Plain stores open. 1997 — Queensbury store opens (relocation of the Glens Falls store) 2004 — Curtis Lumber is Pro Sales Magazine’s Dealer of The Year. 2005 — January: Curtis Lumber purchases seven Webb & Sons locations in Central New York (Norwich, Delhi, Hamilton, New Berlin, Greene, Sherburne and Waterville.) 2006 — October: Curtis Lumber purchases four Gregory Supply stores in Northern New York and Vermont (Plattsburgh, Ray Brook, Burlington, Vt. and Williston, Vt.) 2007 — With locations throughout New York and Northern Vermont, more than 600 employees and more than $150-million dollars in sales, Curtis Lumber is New York and northern Vermont’s largest independent building supplier. 2008 — Named Home Channel News’ Pro Dealer of The Year. 2015— Curtis Lumber celebrates 125th anniversary with 21 locations

Tony DeCarlo, inside contractor sales & Curtis staffer since 1978 In 1978, Tony DeCarlo took a job at Curtis Lumber, driving a truck. He’s still with Curtis, now doing inside contractor sales at the massive Ballston Spa store. “We were always more service-oriented than our competitors, as opposed to just being worried about the price,” he said. “And if we do something in error, we make it right. We do whatever it takes, and we make it right.” He said Curtis has “evolved, but we’re still kind of a family. Most of my customers are very good friends. I feel like I’m working for them, and in a sense I am.”

(518) 373-9613 • www.abelebuilders.com

Congratulations on 125 Wonderful Years!

Queensbury, NY • (518) 793-2634 Rozellind.com

Congratulations Curtis Lumber 125 Years of business is a great accomplishment! We value & appreciate our longstanding relationship.

NORTHERN HARDWOODS LUMBER CORP.

Quality kiln-dried Hardwoods Lake George, NY 518-668-4501

The Glens Falls Chronicle - April 23, 2015

rs ea Y 5 12 n o er b m u L is rt u C s n o ti la u Congrat the last 20 years!

The Glens Falls Chronicle - April 23, 2015

125th anniversary of Curtis Lumber, the family-owned independent Dan Wilson, director of yard operations: Curtis ‘very progressive’ Dan Wilson has a huge job, running Curtis Lumber’s main yard in Ballston Spa and maintaining the company’s fleet of vehicles and equipment. He is in his 42nd year with the company. “I’ve always been multi-faceted,” he said. “I worked in the freight yard, unloading cars back when you did it by hand, not by forklift. I did building maintenance, I helped out in the sawmill. “I was looking for a career, and Curtis was a good fit.” Mr. Wilson worked in the mechanic shop and ended up in charge of vehicle maintenance. Now, he oversees the company’s entire fleet, which includes 80 delivery trucks, more than 100 forklifts and roughly 300 pieces of equipment. “Cars, snowplows, pick-ups, off-road vehicles, you name it,” he said. He supervises 60 employees in the yard, managing traffic in and out and keeping deliveries on schedule. He said the advent of the big box stores made an impact. “Obviously we saw some traffic go away, but it was also an opportunity for us,” he

Director of Yard Operations Dan Wilson maintains Curtis Lumber’s fleet of vehicles, which includes 80 delivery trucks, 100-plus forklifts and 300 pieces of equipment. Chronicle photo/Gordon Woodworth

Curtis Lumber receives 50% of its inventory via rail at its 70-acre Ballston Spa yard behind the flagship store on Route 67. Chronicle photo/Gordon Woodworth

said. “We are different. We do a lot of business with contractors and commercial clients that they don’t cater to.” He called Curtis Lumber “a very progressive company, with an excellent benefit package, that continues to grow.” Not to mention job security. “I have never worked less than 40 hours a week, and never been laid off a day.”

Greenwich’s John Kirk, began in lumber yard at Schuylerville store, now purchasing chief John Kirk, director of purchasing, graduated from Greenwich High School in June of 1970, “and I went right to the Schuylerville store. I had no plans on staying. It was just a stepping stone.” Forty-five years later, he’s in charge of purchasing for all of Curtis Lumber’s 21 stores. “I’ve done everything here,” he said. “I started in the yard as a loader, then became the yard foreman, and then went into store sales. “I became an assistant manager, then store manager, then regional manager, and then director of marketing and advertising. I have been director of purchasing for five years. “If you show promise, they pay attention to you and take good care of you. If you educate yourself, you can move up the ladder like I did.” Mr. Kirk said back when he started, “we were called Curtis Cash and Carry, because Bob Curtis didn’t have enough cash flow at the time. We are a very wealthy, cash-rich company now, but back when I started, the company did not have a lot of

cash. “People would come in with $25,000 in cash because they really thought we only accepted cash.” Back then, “we were heavy with homeowners. Now, probably 65% of our business is contractor sales.” Curtis Lumber’s secret? “Number one, it is independently owned. Bob owned it and was deeply involved in the everyday business. Jay now owns it and he is here every day. He’s handson. “They treat their employees fairly. The pay is fair, and there are excellent benefits: health insurance, profit sharing, 401(k), vacations, holidays. It’s a very good package in this market. “And there’s job security. You don’t feel as if your job is in jeopardy.” He noted that Jay Curtis’s children Chris Curtis and Kylie Curtis Holland are both in the manager in training program. “The future is sitting right here,” he said. “The Curtis family is still going to be running Curtis Lumber 50 years from now.” — Gordon Woodworth