HBSD_0323

PROBLEMS SOLVED

Fasteners, siding, railing, roofing and other game-changing building solutions

The Orgill Advantage: Knowledgeable, Dedicated Reps

One of Many Bryan Gilbert

19 years with Orgill Texas Rep

One of Many Scott Rizzoto 21 years with Orgill Northeast Rep

Ultra developed their highstrength Ultrum™ Alloy to be as strong as steel, but to never rust. It’s the look and feel of traditional wrought-iron fencing, with a low-maintenance, warranted powder-coated finish.

fence intense tense

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Hardware All Stars

Check out past honorees—50 high-performing retailers from all 50 states—in the Digital Edition Library at hbsdealer.com/ digital-editions. And speaking of All Stars, submit your 2023 suggestions via e-mail to Hardware Editor Tim Burke at (tburke@ensembleiq.com).

Ken’s New Jersey Garage

Recent product demonstration videos include Golden Hammer Award-winning ideas, such as the Siligun, the world’s most compact caulk gun; and Evolve Stone, a veneer you can nail in place. Follow us on Youtube @HBSDealer

The survey says …

Poll questions on pressing topics are a regular feature on HBSDealer’s daily e-newsletter. Among the recent highlights was this investigation of crime responses.

QTo what extent is your business stepping up its theft-prevention measures?

11% Extreme theft-prevention steps

37% No new changes

Source: HBSDealer poll (n=175)

52% Moderate theft-prevention steps

DON’T TRUCK AROUND

WORK WITH THE BRAND WHO’S GOT YOUR BACK.

With millions of bags delivered every week and on-the-ground support you can count on, partnering with Sakrete means you spend less time waiting — and more time racking up sales.

Become a Dealer at Sakrete.com/Dealer

From the Editor Shifting challenges

PLUS, A MODEST PROPOSAL TO SOLVE RETAIL’S ALLEGED CEO SHORTAGE.

Leaders in the hardware and building supply industry — and let me be clear: if you’re reading this, I consider you as such — face an impressive lineup of challenges, not counting those they or anyone else don’t see coming.

You might already know that The New York Times reported a problem: Retailers in general are struggling to find CEOs. There are a lot of interim titles, they report, as business complexity accelerates.

In keeping with the problem-solving theme of this March issue of HBSDealer, the first-ever with a Rubik’s cube on the cover, I am putting forth a time-and-money saving solution. They can hire me — and I’ll chiefly execute official business at half the going rate determined by any random compensation committee. (Seriously, call me.)

According to the NYT article , the “battered industry’s next generation of leaders needs a complex set of skills, yet scaled-down store training programs aren’t meeting demand.”

The article seems confused about the business model of Canadian Tire — (this publication would never refer to an executive at that venerable Canadian institution as someone “outside of retail,”) but the Gray Lady hits the nail on the head by describing leadership challenges in retail as at an all-time high.

HBSDealer turned to Tony Misura, a professional executive recruiter in our industry, for his thoughts on the CEO situation.

“Many companies are taking a blanket cost-cutting approach in the face of these high inflationary and high-interest conditions in our building products industry,” Misura said. “Some boards view cost-cutting as much more straightforward than a growth strategy, thus reducing the level of competency in CEO seats. Time will tell whether serving the short-term goals of the next quarterly report is a good business decision mid-to-long term.”

He added: “I am no CEO — but I would be more concerned about the dogged

3% unemployment number and retention of good people.”

Many in the industry agree with Misura. Staffing takes the top spot on the list of challenges facing the hardware and building supply industry, according to a recent survey of readers. And it’s growing.

In February of 2022 and February of 2023, HBSDealer asked readers to share the “number one challenge to your business.” Here’s what we saw:

Top Challenge

550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Ste. 200, Chicago, IL 60631 (773) 992-4450 Fax (773) 992-4455 www.HBSDealer.com

BRAND MANAGEMENT

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT John Kenlon (516) 650-2064 jkenlon@ensembleiq.com

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ken Clark kclark@ensembleiq.com

LBM EDITOR Andy Carlo acarlo@ensembleiq.com

Hardware Editor Tim Burke tburke@ensembleiq.com

ADVERTISING SALES & BUSINESS

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Amy Platter Grant MIDWEST & SOUTHERN STATES (773) 294-8598 agrant@ensembleiq.com

REGIONAL MANAGER Greg Cole

NORTHEAST & GREAT LAKES STATES (317) 775-2206 gcole@ensembleiq.com

DESIGN/PRODUCTION/MARKETING

SENIOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR Colette Magliaro cmagliaro@ensembleiq.com

ART DIRECTOR Bill Antkowiak bantkowiak@ensembleiq.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER Patricia Wisser pwisser@ensembleiq.com

MARKETING MANAGER Kathryn Abrahamsen kabrahamsen@ensembleiq.com

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES LIST RENTAL mbriganti@anteriad.com

SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS contact@HBSDealer.com

Staffing shortages, as a challenge, increased from 26 percent to 54 percent. Inflation increased from 21 percent to 31 percent.

Material/product procurement decreased from 43 percent to 8 percent. (Read highlights from a high-powered supply-chain panel on page 24.)

There’s no shortage of challenges. Tell us yours. Share them at news@hbsdealer.com

CORPORATE OFFICERS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jennifer Litterick

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Jane Volland

CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER Ann Jadown

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT & COMMUNICATIONS Joe Territo EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Derek Estey

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Levi Smith, CEO, Franklin Building Supply

Steve Sallah, CEO, LBM Advantage

Tom Cost, owner, Killingworth True Value Brad McDaniel, owner, McDaniel’s Do it Center

Joe Kallen, CEO, Busy Beaver Building Centers

Permissions: No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

connect with us

Ken Clark Editor in Chief

Chris Beard Director, Building Products Research John Burns Real Estate Consulting

Matthew Saunders Vice President, Building Products John Burns Real Estate Consulting

Timothy Papandreou Founder & CEO of Emerging Transport Advisors

Three big stats from Home Depot’s Q4

The world’s largest home improvement retailer released its fourth quarter results in late February. Three stats that stand out as worthy of a second look are explained below. For more, visit HBSDealer.com

$47.2 billion: That’s the amount of new business The Home Depot generated in the past three years, growing from $110.2 billion in sales to $157.4 billion. “This growth reflects factors unique to home improvement as homeowners spent more time in their homes and took on more projects as they saw their homes significantly increase in value over that period,” said CEO Ted Decker.

Negative 0.3 percent:

Depot posted its first negative comp-store sales performance since the first quarter of 2011. “In the third quarter we noted some deceleration in certain products and categories, which was more pronounced in the fourth quarter,” said Decker. “This, along with a negative impact from lumber deflation, led to fourth quarter comps that were slightly softer than anticipated.”

$1 billion:

The additional amount Home Depot said it will invest in annualized compensation for frontline, hourly associates. The new wage scale went into effect on Feb. 6. “The most important investment we can make is in our people,” Decker said.

NAHB’s chief economist quantifies a downturn

for single-family starts in 2024.”

NAHB is projecting that single-family production will fall to 744,000 units in 2023 before rebounding to a 925,000 annual pace in 2024. The 2022 and 2023 declines appear dramatic because production was running at a very solid level above a 1.1 million annualized pace through the first

quarter of 2022 before beginning a steep decline as mortgage rates rose rapidly and the housing market weakened.

The remodeling sector remains on solid ground and will do better than the single-family and multifamily markets during the housing downturn, according to the NAHB’s outlook

The National Association of Home Builders’ market forecast calls for declines of more than 20 percent for both single-family and multi-family residential construction in 2023, followed by a bounce-back year in 2024.

“With interest rates projected to normalize in the second half of 2023 as the Federal Reserve taps the brakes in its fight against inflation, the pace of single-family construction will bottom out in the first half of 2023 and begin to improve in the latter part of the year,” said Robert Dietz, NAHB chief economist, during a press briefing at the 2023 International Builders’ Show. “This forward momentum will lead to a calendar year gain

Home Depot's Ted Decker

The crowds returned en masse to the 2023 NAHB’s International Builders’ Show.

Our Truck Drivers Are the Best in the Industry!

We are excited to announce that we have just updated our truck fleet with new trucks, trailers, and graphics to reflect our company’s updated logo. Our trucks now feature a modern, sleek logo and design that will help us stand out on the road. We are confident that this new look will help us make a great impression on existing and potential customers.

Our professional group of drivers is committed to providing the highest level of service and safety for all of our customers. We understand that driving is a major responsibility; and we take it very seriously. Our drivers are experienced, courteous, and attentive to detail. Our drivers are highly-skilled professionals, and they consistently go above and beyond. We are proud to have such a fantastic team of drivers! We are dedicated to providing a safe and reliable experience for our all of our dealers.

We understand that on-time delivery is important to you, and we take pride in our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs. We strive to ensure that all orders are picked, packaged, and delivered promptly with care. If you have any issues with your order, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and we’ll do our very best to resolve them quickly. We aim to do our best with all aspects of our business to ensure dealer profitability. Thank you for trusting House-Hasson for all your hardware and supply needs!

Pictured: Sloan’s Hardware employees and our driver.

Randy’s Hardware reopens

AFTER A DEVASTATING FIRE, A SHENANDOAH VALLEY HARDWARE STORE, AND COMMUNITY, OVERCOMES ALL.

By Tim Burke

One year ago — February 26, 2022, to be exact — the nightmare of every small business retailer happened.

An overnight fire took out a hardware store in the Shenandoah Valley. It had stood for 70 years.

The combination of a hardware store’s own strong team along with a determined community brought it right back in three months.

“We re-opened last June,” said Christian Herrick, CEO and co-owner with owner Randy Andes, of Randy’s Do it Best Hardware in Mt. Jackson, Virginia. “It was a fantastic feeling to be back.”

Recently, Randy’s hosted an event at their new location in town, to show appreciation to the community for their continued support of the store.

Several hundred people came out to be part of the celebration.

Being back in business again gave pause to reflect.

“Coming back feels like a different type of accomplishment,” said Herrick. “We’re resilient. And we’re proud of our community, our Do it Best team, and our colleagues and team members.”

The fire had taken away a business — but then brought people together.

After confirming that everyone was safe on that fateful night, the leadership team immediately began making plans to rebuild, committing their time and effort to maintaining the store’s legacy.

Loyal customers informed Randy’s team about a local grocery store that was closing, and the team transformed the former grocery store into a bigger hardware store than the one they lost.

“This store is bigger than the old location,” said the co-owner. “It’s in a better spot too. And we have more transactions now.”

The store team has been bringing in new items too.

“We’ve added Knipex pliers; they are becoming popular,” said Herrick. “We’ve also added the Milwaukee Tool Packout modular storage system for holding power tools and accessories. It’s wildly successful.”

Besides the bigger, better feeling of the new store, the CEO is most proud of the supportive nature of the community, and that also includes other retailers. “Fellow business owners lent us warehouse space,” he said, during their transition.

“The hardware store is part of the heart of the community,” he said. “And that’s very special.”

Community support helped the hardware store re-open bigger and better than before.

Owners and team members at Randy’s Do it Best Hardware come together at the grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Golden Hammer returns to Las Vegas

EVENT PUTS A MUCH-DESERVED SPOTLIGHT ON ‘GOLDEN HEARTS’ OF THE INDUSTRY.

LAS VEGAS — After a multiple-year hiatus, the Golden Hammer Awards roared back to life at the sparkling Resorts World Las Vegas, bringing live, in-person recognition to golden achievers in the hardware and building supply industry.

The event, hosted by Hardware & Building Supply Dealer, continued its streak of honoring the best of the best of home improvement products. And the Golden Hammer struck a new chord in 2023, honoring retailers, dealers and others for the support they provide to communities, charities, children, hospitals and veterans.

The 2023 Golden Hammer Products & Purpose Awards event drew from the wide industry, many of whom were in town for the trio of major industry trade shows at various halls of the nearby Las Vegas Convention Center: The International Builders’ Show, KBIS and the National Hardware Show.

“The Golden Hammer Awards have a long tradition of

recognizing industry excellence,” said Amy Grant, associate publisher of Hardware & Building Supply Dealer. “And this year, we are proud to recognize not only new and innovative products, but also recognize those companies that are doing great things in their communities.”

HBSDealer Editor in Chief Ken Clark pointed to some of the leading figures of home improvement who in past years have accepted awards at Golden Hammer events. These include Arthur Blank of Home Depot (2004); Joe Orgill of Orgill Inc. (2004); Robert Strickland of Lowe’s (2007); and Bob Taylor of Do it Best Corp. (2012), to name a few.

Prior to the 2023 event, the Golden Hammer was last held live in 2014, during which time Joe Scarlett, CEO emeritus of Tractor Supply Co., accepted a Golden Hammer/Home Channel Hall of Fame award.

In 2023, the Golden Hammer Products were selected from a pool of new products nominated by the industry in an open call. Products were judged on innovation, value and shelf-appeal.

Accepting Golden Hammer “Product” awards in Las Vegas were representatives from Evolve Stone; Siligun, ToughBuilt, Tropical Forest Products, Masonite, AZEK, Rinnai, Trex, Quality Craft, DaVinci Roofscapes, Daich Coatings, OMG/FastenMaster and OLFA. [For more on the award winners, visit HBSDealer.com .]

Turning to the “golden hearts of the industry,” HBSDealer editor Ken Clark said: “So many companies in this business contribute in so many meaningful ways to their communities, we feel compelled and honored to recognize them here with the first ever Golden Hammer Purpose Awards.” Anchor Peabody, provider of banking services to the industry, sponsored the awards. Golden Hammer Purpose Award winners in Las Vegas included Carr Hardware; A Few Cool Hardware Stores; 84 Lumber; Westlake Ace Hardware; LP Building Solutions, Aubuchon Company, Kabat’s Ace Hardware, Builders FirstSource, Tractor Supply and US LBM.

Aubuchon Company and its customers raised tens of thousands for cancer research last year. Accepting a Golden Hammer, from left: Jonathan Bilski, Dwayne Ball, Ken Moore, Neal DeLowery and Mike Cannon.

The 2023 Golden Hammer event returned to Vegas to recognize noteworthy products and purpose.

Jon Skelly, center, president of AZEK Company, posed with Grant (left) and Ken Clark.

From left: Brett Millard, of event sponsor Anchor Peabody; Westlake Ace Hardware’s Leigh Shaner and Amanda Young; and Clark.

PRODUCTS ON A MISSION: PROBLEMS SOLVED

The building industry’s biggest show was full of problem solvers. Here are some of them.

By HBSDealer Staff

In one corner of the Las Vegas Convention Center parking lot during the 2023 International Builders’ Show, a boxy, two-story house rose above the pavement. It was a shining symbol of a potential solution to a major industry and societal problem.

“That is how we solve the national housing crisis,” Palo Tiramani, CEO of Las Vegas-based Boxabl, told the local Fox 5 news crew shooting on location from the Builders’ show.

Solving problems was a common practice throughout the combined IBS and KBIS (also known as Design & Construction Week), which celebrated their 10th year of co-location while attracting nearly 110,000 attendees, and nearly 2,000 exhibitors.

Simultaneously, the National Hardware Show had a strong showing in the South Hall, where an estimated 17,000 industry attendees connected, demonstrated and experienced what’s new in home improvement.

Back out in the parking lot, the Boxabl prototype home featured 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, a sun deck, and a price tag

of a mere $150,000. Plus, the steel, concrete and EPS foam dwelling, can be built in a few days. The company’s 375-sq.ft. Casita model — described as an ‘accessory dwelling unit’— is even faster and cheaper. It’s factory-made, delivered to the site and unpacks in an hour.

Whether or not Boxabl succeeds in disrupting the building industry (who remembers Katerra?), its ambition and innovation are to be commended. Around the Lass Vegas Convention Center, the vast majority of the booths and exhibits were tackling what might be considered more realistic and specific problems faced by homebuilders and homeowners.

One of the chief challenges is the labor shortage — an issue addressed by the show hosts, the National Association of Home Builders, throughout the event in Las Vegas.

During a press conference that anticipated a 25 percent decline in single housing starts in 2023, NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz alluded to a massive shortage of construction workers. “Getting American high school students to come into the industry is the challenge,” he said.

Manufacturers are rallying. The race is on to build products that require less time on the job site, or fewer hands to execute. Durability and versatility are common attributes of new products. And suppliers have never been more important.

“After supply chain issues and pricing/ inflation have taken a lot of focus and attention in the past year or two, we can see a return to focusing on product mix and inventory right-sizing,” said Eric Rohrschneider, VP of marketing for Midwest Fastener. “We partner with our customers in developing comprehensive and complete category solutions to offer the right mix at the appropriate inventory position.”

That’s one solution. Here on the following pages are several others gathered from around the busy convention center.

Out in the parking lot, Boxabl unpacked ambitious plans.

4

4

Problem: Random drywall damage

Solution: Eclipse Rapid Wall Repair Patches

Tired of repairing holes in drywall and having to wait hours, or even days, to complete the job? It’s such a hassle, oftentimes homeowners simply rearrange home décor items to hide drywall damage due to the time and mess required to complete the project. Whether the damage is small from a picture frame nail or anchor or as large as doorknob damage, DAP’s new innovative Eclipse Rapid Wall Repair Patches make completing repairs so easy and fast, anyone can repair drywall damage in minutes.

Developed to solve the most frequent drywall repair frustrations faced by professionals and do-it-yourselfers, Eclipse is a specially formulated all-in-one drywall repair solution that requires no spackling, sanding or additional tools for a completely mess-free repair — simply patch the damage and it’s ready to paint immediately. Dap.com

Problem: ‘Fishmouths’ and the ‘reverse overlap’ problem.

Solution: Benjamin Obdyke’s HydroTape DS Sealing Tape

This new product is an acrylic-based double-sided sealing tape for use with mechanically fastened housewrap. Opting to use a double-sided tape for housewrap seams helps eliminate many of the issues and failure points of conventional seam tapes. In standard applications, traditional seam tapes that adhere to the surface of housewrap or to sheathing with integrated weather barriers can create a reverse overlap; in these cases, if the tape wrinkles or lacks sealing pressure, it can impede water drainage and create “fishmouths” that trap moisture.

This new double-sided tape installs between the housewrap layers, adhering to the undersides of each layer where they overlap. The result is a tape that helps prevent blow-off during installation yet doesn’t interrupt moisture drainage. The tape’s acrylic adhesive is vapor permeable, ensuring any trapped moisture dries to the exterior. The adhesive also seals around fasteners to reduce air infiltration at penetration points. BenjaminObdyke.com

4

Problems: Heavy materials; fire, hail and hurricanes

Solution: Westlake Royal Building Products’ Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing

Energy efficiency and a class-A fire rating are among the benefits of Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing (formerly known as Boral Steel), which offers a lightweight retrofit roofing solution. The structural strength of steel provides durability, performance and weather resistance. The stone coated roofing line weighs in at an ultra-lightweight 1.5 pounds-per-square-foot.

The line offers five distinct profiles, emulating the look of traditional shingle, clay tile, cedar shake or slate, to enhance the curb appeal and value of any home.

When paired with Above Sheathing Ventilation (ASV), Unified Steel provides enhanced energy efficiency performance, ultimately lowering long-term energy bills.

All Unified Steel products are Class 4 rated for Hail Impact Resistance, offer a Class A Fire Rating and are Hurricane Performance Rated with Miami- Dade County HVHZ Approval — the most stringent hurricane resistance standard in the country.

WestlakeRoyalBuildingProducts.com

ENGINEERED PERFORMANCE NOW FOR CONCRETE AND MASONRY.

A true craftsman never settles for good enough; they strive for perfection. Don’t limit yourself or your projects with inferior screws. Match your fixture and finish with the new building code approved Power Pro Concrete Screw Anchors.

Available in multiple colors

COVER FEATURE

Problem: Drought, water conservation, brown lawns Solution: The HydroLogic Digital Water Timer

This smart-watering solution from Melnor offers home owners flexibility and control over their lawn maintenance schedule. The timer insures that watering is regular, and it also prevents wasting water with a handy rain-delay feature, which easily allows for suspension of watering for a day or two (or even a week) when precipitation is in the forecast.

Other features: A Manual mode allows homeowners to turn on the water whenever they need it. Set up to four individual start times to schedule watering exactly when you want. Water on specific days of the week or every few days.

Easy-to-read large LCD displays information clearly. Simple to use Manual Option lets you easily access the faucet whenever you need to wash the car or spray off the deck.

Melnor, founded in 1946, backs the product with a seven-year limited warranty. Melnor.com

4Problem: Code compliance, vapor infiltration Solution: Huber Engineered Woods ZIP System Rainscreen

Here’s the newest product option in the ever-evolving ZIP System Building Enclosures portfolio of products. Available where ZIP System products are sold, the Rainscreen (the black barrier photographed here) helps builders streamline their approaches to high-performance water, air, vapor and thermal management.

Engineered to help meet new code-required 3/16” air gap requirements in stucco and adhered stone assemblies, ZIP System Rainscreen consists of a rigid drainage mat covered by a heavy-duty fabric that has been approved as a secondary water-resistive barrier, which is also required for “absorptive” or “reservoir” cladding assemblies.

Combining the high compression strength of the 1/4” drainage mat with the 5-7-perm WRB layer strikes an excellent balance of durability and effective moisture management for various cladding systems.  Huberwood.com

4Problem: Indoor air quality control

Solution: Overture Automated Indoor Air Quality System by Broan-NuTone

Indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside. For this, the engineers at Broan-NuTone have created Overture, described as the only fully-integrated indoor air quality system that links the home’s ventilation system by using three simple modules: a room sensor, wall control and a smart plug, all three working together.

With the system, a ‘Best Indoor Product” award-winner at IBS, home owners can monitor, measure and manage their indoor air quality. Sophisticated sensor technology provides live detection of air pollutants and a cloud-based system automatically turns on your connected home ventilation system to clear the pollution and provide fresh, clean air to the home. There’s No external hub or additional equipment are needed to get Overture up and running with the Broan-NuTone ventilation systems in the home. Broan-nutone.com

FASTER WOODWORK. BETTER BUILDS. ULTRAPRO ™ .

A solid build starts with solid materials. Materials that let you work faster and build better – like Grabber UltraPro™ wood screws. Each screw is outfitted with a trademarked LOX ® Recess precision fit to ensure faster drives with no cam-outs. Two sets of thread ensure a tighter bond and an extra-sharp point eliminates the need for pre-drilling. A patented spiral head self-countersinks and you’ll find you can drill one-handed and off-angle more easily than ever. There’s an UltraPro option in any size you need, indoor or outdoor. You deserve UltraPro in your next project. You’ll notice your drill times drop and your build quality improve. Contact your local Grabber dealer or visit GrabberPro.com/UltraPro to get started.

Speed and ease of use

Elevation Cable Rail by Barrette Outdoor Living

RDI Elevation Rail comes in pre-assembled kits that can install 38% faster than the leading competition. The RDI Elevation Rail requires no special tools or fasteners and is unlike any other cable railing system on the market, the company says. The system features a patent pending “OneTen” built-in centralized system that eliminates the need to tension each cable individually. There’s also a decreased need for seasonal adjustments.

Offering a modern, industrial design and a continuous top rail for both level and stair applications, this horizontal cable railing offers unobstructed views and can be used indoors or outdoors.

The railing won the “Most Innovative Building Materials” category in this year’s Best of IBS Awards. BarrettOutdoorLiving.com

Kebony Click-in Cladding System

This Click-in system combines Kebony’s long-lasting wood cladding with the Grad Mini Rail for a faster cladding install without the hassle and uncertainty of traditional hidden fastening methods. Click-in Cladding is a new rainscreen system that utilizes a special cladding profile, expressly designed for the Grad Mini Rail system, which precisely locks the Kebony Cladding Board into place quickly and easily. US.Kebony.com

Door Stud

This product from Door Stud LLC took home “Best in Show” in the National Association of Home Builders Best of IBS awards. It works with all doors, and easily allowing one person to roll it into a door, (including prehung product) into rough openings, and level them into position.

At IBS, judges liked the simplicity, cost, durability and ease of use of the product. Plus it speeds up the door installation task considerably, while reducing man hours at the job site. TheDoorStud.com

FastenMaster, a division of OMG, Inc., introduced VersaLOK , a heavy-duty structural wood screw for use on a wide range of interior and exterior wood-towood applications including angle bracing, retaining walls, and carrying beam connections.

The versatile VersaLOK, the latest addition to the company’s LOK line of structural wood fasteners, provides the strength of a ½-inch lag bolt, with the installation ease and speed of a LOK. The new fastener is designed with a flat head for flush installation and features a TORX ttap drive system for wobble-free installation.

In addition, heavy-duty VersaLOK fasteners are engineered to deliver maximum strength and provide an aggressive three-inch thread design for greater holding power. The result is a fastener with higher shear strength than ½-inch lag bolts and, as with all LOK line fasteners, installs quickly without pre-drilling.

VersaLOK fasteners are available in 6-, 8- and 10-inch lengths and are IBC/IRC code compliant (ICC-ES ESR1078), ACQ approved, and offer FastenMaster’s exclusive ProjectLife coating guaranteed for the life of the project.

“VersaLOK is the latest addition to our category-creating LOK Line of structural fasteners,” said Nikki Long, structural business unit director. “VersaLOK’s ProjectLife coating is guaranteed for the life of the project and speaks to the quality of

Hillman Bore-Fast Screw & Anchor In One Bore-Fast is the best one-piece anchor for fastening into drywall and masonry materials. The sharp point quickly drives through drywall and easily penetrates both wood and metal studs. The wide aggressive thread pattern ensures a strong hold in drywall and creates stronger shear and pullout strength in multiple materials such as masonry and concrete.

Fastening into concrete, brick, block, and plaster requires a pre-drilled 3/16” hole. Each package includes a #2 bit and 3/16” drill bit. Bore-Fast anchors meet or exceed drywall load values versus most competing drywall anchors. They are rated to hold up to 50 lbs. in drywall and 200lbs. in concrete.

“Moving away from the single product for a single application means that we are able to provide multiple solutions with a single product for pros and DIYers alike,” said Tim Ferguson, VP of product management for Hillman Solutions. HillmanGroup.com

Builders and contractors now have a new fastening solution with the launch of SPAX composite deck screws, a new addition to the family of SPAX Engineered Fasteners and the SPAX Deck Solution Center category of products.

“We know deck and outdoor living spaces continue to be a priority for our customers and end-users,” said Robert Yates, SPAX associate product manager. “Whether using traditional wood or low-maintenance composite decking, builders now have more SPAX fastener options — and colors to get the job done right.” SPAX composite deck screws are engineered with an undercut head to prevent mushrooming and provide a clean finish into PVC, capstock, and composite deck boards. They come in seven colors to match common composite deck board shades. A color-matching tool on the SPAX website allows users to match the SPAX composite deck screw to the color of their deck.

SPAX composite deck screws also include reverse upper thread that clears away excess material; a T20 T-star drive for positive bit engagement; and HCR coating that is IRC/IBC code compliant for use in treated lumber and exterior exposure condition 3 (general construction). SPAX composite deck screws are available in 75-ct, 350-ct, and 1750-ct quantities. SPAX.US

Known for delivering innovative tools and fasteners for deck builders, National Nail’s CAMO brand takes its product innovation to a new level with a new line of high-performance structural screws. Certified IRC/IBC code compliant and rigorously third-party tested and certified by DrJ Engineering, CAMO Structural Screw applications include the deck substructure, internal framing, ledger and general construction. Engineered to start fast without pre-drilling, drive smooth, and hold strong, CAMO’s screw designs create the best structural fastener available. All structural screws feature CAMO’s proprietary PROTECH ULTRA 4 coating, a four-layer system for industry-leading corrosion resistance and tested two times longer than industry standards. The Ledger, Multi-ply and Truss screws also do double-duty, requiring fewer fasteners per job and less SKUs for dealers. Unlike most structural screws, all CAMO structural screws can be used for interior and exterior projects. Camofasteners.com

The Grip-Rite  Ninja Hidden Deck Fastener brings strength, stability and speed to grooved deck board installations. A patent-pending design features Compression Fit levers that hold the clip in place for faster installation, while the serrated teeth hold boards in place after installation.

Also, Grip-Rite Structural Screws offer reliable solutions for decks, fences, pergolas, and other exterior projects With a range of coatings and warranties lasting from 10 years to the life of the project, Grip-Rite exterior screws come in multiple colors and package sizes to accommodate projects large and small. A 3-digit, ICC recognized code is stamped into the head for easy spec reference and a load value chart is conveniently located on every package. A great replacement for lag screws, Grip-Rite Structural Screws are approved for use in treated lumber in exterior wood structural application. Type 17-point course thread allows easy, quick penetration into wood — no pre-drilling required. The premium PrimeGuard Plus coating ensures screws will last throughout a project’s lifetime. Grip-Rite.com

Market Instights

State of the Supply Chain, a panel discussion

INDUSTRY EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT’S IN STORE. By Ken Clark

The supply chain, the reliability and efficiency of which has been much-maligned over the past two years, is improving. Says who?

Five industry professionals representing billions of dollars in home improvement sales say so.

Speaking during the Crystal Vision Award Breakfast event in Las Vegas in a panel called the “Strategies to Excel in This Challenging Environment” were:

Jeff Curler, executive vice president of purchasing for Orgill;

Zach Elkin, president, Beko Home Appliances U.S.;

Joe Barnes, executive vice president of sourcing and supply chain, Builders FirstSource;

Shawn Oldenhoff, president, Kohler, Kitchen & Bath North America; and

Jeff Kinnaird, executive vice president of merchandising, The Home Depot

The panel was moderated by Jim Inglis, a former high-ranking Home Depot executive and president of Inglis Retailing. The group described an industry rebounding from supply chain challenges, but this is no time to celebrate or prepare for smooth sailing—the operative word for the panel’s title is “challenging.”

Some of the highlights on various topics covered during the event, in the words of the participants, are presented here:

On the current supply chain reality

Joe Barnes, Builders First Source: For the most part, supply is improved signifi-

cantly. I tend to stay focused on how we keep our customers and our suppliers successful. And one of the things we’ve been doing more of is the sharing of information. It's transparency.

Jeff Curler, Orgill: Our recovery in 2022 went from what was just under 75% as we went into 2022 to just over 85% in terms of fill rate lines as we came out. So that’s a big 10 or 11 point jump, but it happens slowly. And the majority of that recovery has come in the second half of the year. So we’re now operating in the mid-eighties, about 85%. And we’re getting our highest fill rates on our own private label brand. We continue to diversify, particularly in commodity products where we don’t want to have all our eggs in one basket. I’ve said we’ll get to 95 [percent fill rates] by the end of the year, but any sooner than that would be a huge bonus. So that’s where we are today. We’re optimistic about 2023, getting all the way back in terms of recovery.

Jeff Kinnaird Home Depot: from a supply chain perspective, we’re just thrilled that we’re not chartering [cargo ships] anymore. What I think is happening is we’re seeing a return to the more normalized supply chain, a more normalized product flow, and in a much larger volume. That whole just-in-time mentality so that our supply chains can function at a higher level and obviously be more and more productive in our business.

Looking back

Jeff Kinnaird , Home Depot: We grew our business at Home Depot by just over $40 billion in two years. And that is just staggering growth that nobody had planned for.

Zach Elkin, Beko: What happened in 2021 is we doubled the business. We had over a hundred percent growth and clearly we hadn’t planned on a program for a hundred percent growth.

From left at the Crystal Vision event: Kinnaird, Oldenhoff, Barnes, Elkin, Curler and moderator Jim Inglis.

We didn’t know that appliances were going to be the hottest COVID purchase that you could make. So it was very good for us.

But even with the best planning, we couldn’t control the supply chain, we couldn’t control the ports. So we did stumble in 2022, from a supply chain perspective.

Shawn Oldenhoff, Kohler: In the past three years I’ve experienced a 30-year career.

Jeff Curler, Orgill: This has been at the same time, the most challenging and rewarding three years that I’ve ever experienced in my career.

Pain Points

Joe Barnes, Builders FirstSource: There’s cost pressure across the entire chain: builder, distributor, manufacturer, etc. Labor costs, energy costs, those things haven’t necessarily come down. So people are still wrestling with those things.

Zach Elkin, Beko: What really caught me by surprise was parts—not finished goods, but parts is the place where we definitely struggled in 2022. As a result of that, we’ve quadrupled our parts inventory. And we brought

on executive talent from the industry who knows that business inside and out.

Jeff Curler, Orgill: We still have some challenges. The three main factors are climbing prices on raw materials — that still exists, though it has certainly improved. Transportation, which has improved as well. And the third factor is labor.

On investing through the challenges

Jeff Kinnaird, Home Depot: We’ve also invested throughout the pandemic and throughout the challenge. We’ve opened, or will open, close to 150 supply chain facilities—that really is part of managing our delivery account. We’ll accomplish that with some additional work taking place in 2023 and 2024.

Shawn Oldenhoff, Kohler: We made sure we didn’t stop investing. I think that was a critical part as you’ll see us continuing our new product development, what we’re launching and what we’re excited to launch. You need to continue to build that vitality in your portfolio for the future.

Zach Elkin, Beko: We tripled our space at our main distribution center in

Chicago. We’ve added distribution centers in Florida. We’ve added distribution centers in Texas. And we expanded our New Jersey distribution center.

On what’s next

Shawn Oldenhoff, Kohler: We’re a global company. We pride ourselves in being global. We will continue to work with my global counterparts around the world, fulfilling the needs we have here in North America. But I have to keep investing in North America, because I need that shorter lead time. I need to have that stability in the marketplace. We’ll continue to invest in several plants here in North America for some of our highest volume products and some of our specialty products as well.

Joe Barnes: I’m a big fan of getting the right people in the right seats, so we tend to focus there as well. I spend probably 50% of my time just on people, and coaching and getting people on board.

Zach Elkin, Beko: we feel that healthy living is only possible on a healthy planet. So we are 100% focused on manufacturing in that particular manner.

Jim Inglis, moderator: I’ll throw my two cents in. The future is omni channel not Amazon.

Jeff Kinnaird, Home Depot: There is just an enormous opportunity we have in this industry for more growth.

Frattallone’s brush with organized labor

A UNION EFFORT RISES AND FALLS IN A CIRCLE PINES, MINN., HARDWARE STORE.

Frattallone’s Hardware & Garden in Circle Pines, Minn., as described by Mike Frattallone, was always an attractive store, with cheerful staff and several long-tenured employees.

And then one day, out of the blue, a letter arrived with some alarming language:

“Enclosed is a copy of a petition that Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board, Workers United/SEIU filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent certain of your employees.” And on it went.

In other words, a union organization effort was in the works — and not across the entire Frattallone Hardware & Garden chain of 22 stores serving the Twin Cities region. It was happening only in Circle Pines.

Spoiler alert: Ultimately, the petition was withdrawn before a certification vote even took place.

But the anxiety over the possibility of a unionized shop in Circle Pines led the retailer’s management — Frattallone and Central Network Retail Group, which acquired the chain in late 2021 — to examine what it could have done and what it can continue to do in order to improve worker relations, thus heading off union incursions before they begin.

Lessons from the experience and best practices from experts were shared during a presentation titled “Look for the Union Label” in a recent Orgill Spring Dealer Market in New Orleans. During the presentation, John Sieggreen, CNRG president, set the stage with some labor-relations history.

Union communication guidance

Across the U.S. workforce, he said, recent figures place union participation at about 10 percent, with most of that in the public sector workforce (teachers and police, for instance). Union participation peaked at about 33 percent in the 1940s.

Despite that historic decline in participation, there are signs of union momentum — and not just the current president’s campaign pledge to be “the most pro-union president.” Unions have successfully organized over 300 Starbucks locations around the country, with significant media exposure. Union efforts at Amazon, Walmart and Trader Joe’s (and recently an unsuccessful attempt at Home Depot) have also made headlines.

A fateful phone call

The brush with organized labor in Circle Pines began when a worker placed a phone call to Workers United, the same union that represents baristas at Starbucks. Once the call was made, and the wheels set in motion — “you’re caught in the tornado from the moment it happens,” said Sieggreen.

Frattallone’s Hardware received its initial notice from the NLRB on Jan. 3, 2022. And Mike Frattallone, who took on the role of senior VP of operations after the sale to CNRG, remembers clearly his initial reaction to

CNRG’s John Sieggreen led simple, but effective, basement meetings with the staff.

the letter — ”I need some help,” he said.

It came partly in the form of Richard Reinhardt, who consults businesses on labor relations.

It can be a “gut-wrenching blow,” Reinhardt said, for a business to receive a call that the employees are organizing, or even taking the first steps toward organizing.

For Frattallone’s Hardware & Garden, he quickly provided basic “Union Communication Guidance” in the form of two acronyms: TIPS and FOE.

Under laws that govern labor relations, management cannot share: Threats, Interrogation Promises, or Surveillance (TIPS).

Violations of these rules could result in the de facto estab lishment of union certification, regardless of the outcome of an election, Reinhardt said.

Particularly dicey, said Frattallone, is observance of that last point — surveillance. It runs contrary to a business owner’s human nature. There’s a natural desire to simply monitor the situation in the store, and keep an eye out for which way the employee base is leaning in regards to a union certification vote. But surveillance is off-limits.

Meanwhile, management is allowed to share: Facts, Opinions, Examples (FOE).

Following the NLRB notice, Sieggreen stepped in to lead what were termed “basement meetings” with the staff in Circle Pines. In these meetings, he introduced the staff to CNRG and the people behind it, while trying to keep things simple, authentic and from the heart. CNRG’s over-arching message was described as “Give us a chance.”

There were no power point presentations or fancy graphics. The message was delivered on an old-school paper flip chart. One hand-written message read: “I believe it would be better for us both if we could still talk to each other.” That message shared a flip-board page with a simple drawing of the employees and Frattallone’s separated by the words: “Union lawyer in Chicago.”

One of the factors that added to the anxiety for management was the fact that the vote was scheduled to be conducted through the mail, a result of Covid-mitigation and social-distancing. That meant employees (some still in their teens) would be dealing with the U.S. Postal System, two envelopes (one for the secret ballot, one for a return envelope) and a page of complicated instructions.

“It was a highly convoluted system, with instruction after instruction.” Frattallone said. A scribble in the margin could have invalidated a ballot, and a vote of a simple 1-0 could have decided the outcome.

Labor lessons learned

In the end, the petition to organize was rescinded and the vote cancelled.

“It was kind of like we were training for a boxing match and the opponent never showed up.” said Sieggreen.

The stores management’s efforts were a success, “but it didn’t feel like a win,” said Frattallone. “It was sad that it had to get to that point.”

Since the drama, Frattallone’s Hardware & Garden has stepped up communication of its benefits and pay policies, confusion over which was probably the impetus of the drama, he said. A matrix-based pay system now provides clarity to the employees about what they can earn at various stages of their career, training and skill levels.

“Everyone knows where they stand,” Frattallone said. “There’s fairness and equity and logic to it. And it really helped our team. Are we perfect? No. But just to clearly delineate what we offer, and what they can expect, it makes a huge difference.”

The approach has been employed beyond Circle Pines and into the wider CNRG family.

Frattallone believes the business and employee relations are both on the right path.

“We had a beautiful store, strong managers, great staff but I missed the signals that something just wasn’t right,” Frattallone said. He added: “It was me that was the problem. I was listening to the staff but I just wasn’t ‘hearing’ them. I didn’t take timely action so the staff felt like they needed to get me attention. This can happen to anyone.”

4 Keys to a positive work environment

Regardless of union activity, Reinhardt recommends the following four elements which will create a positive work environment resulting in a more successful business.

1. Effective management — A team that cares, listens and responds to concerns

2. Sound policies and pay plan — fair and applied consistently.

3. Hire and retain employees — hire carefully, train, establish high expectations and terminate incompetents

4. Communicate – including regular and effective meetings; periodic confidential opinion surveys.

A flip-board message spelled out management’s positions.

E-commerce trend: Pricing is the new availability

Las Vegas—“Customers are using all your channels, online and in-store. That consistency across all your channels is key today,” said National Hardware Show keynote speaker Grant Farnsworth, president of business consulting firm The Farnsworth Group.

A full crowd of attendees at the Innovation Stage in the Las Vegas convention hall south were paying attention to his words, cell phones out, some even writing notes with pens.

Farnsworth identified some important behaviors from consumers and what drives those behaviors.

“The new brand drivers of today are availability and price,” he said.

Farnsworth pointed out two trends

to watch.

“First, young pros are buying more online. This is a fact. And it’s not going away. They discover the convenience,” he said.

“Why drive 40 miles for a product that may or may not be in stock? When you can check online, order online and go pick it up or have it delivered. It’s become all about these online efficiencies,” said Farnsworth.

The second trend, he said, was that contractors are trying

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“The new brand drivers of today are availability and price.”

—Grant Farnsworth, The Farnsworth Group

out new suppliers based now on pricing first, not availability first, in 2023.

“Pricing,” he said, “is the new availability.”

He also framed for the crowd some key issues affecting hardware and building supply industry. First up: There is the ongoing labor shortage.

“We need to find warm bodies,” he said. “We have to get new people coming into the market.”

On supply, he said, there is high demand for homes. “We need 17 million homes in the next decade,” he said.

On the demand side, he said, mortgage interest rates are up, weakening the pool of home buyers.

But the look-ahead is good from owners who serve both DIY and pros, he said. “Half or more hardware and home improvement business owners are positive about this year.”

Supply chain leaders take the high-tech road

A recent study by Descartes of 1,000 supply chain and logistics executives in North America and Europe identified that the challenges of the past several years caused more (57%)companies to accelerate their innovation initiatives with an even greater amount (65%) planning to invest more in supply chain and logistics innovation initiatives in the next two years.

Other findings:

87 percent face obstacles to innovation.

37 percent listed “lowering costs/ improving reliability” (tie) as top reasons for innovation

41 percent listed order fulfillment as their top digitization initiative.

The study is titled “Supply Chain and Logistics Innovation Accelerates, But Has Long Way to Go.”

“The recent past has highlighted that supply chain performance can make or break companies and the need to innovate supply chain and logistics operations has moved to the forefront of many C-suite agendas,” said Chris Jones, EVP, Industry and Services at Descartes. “The study shows that, while efforts in supply chain and logistics innovation are accelerating, many companies are relatively early in their innovation journey in areas such as digitization and especially in the use of advanced computing technologies such as machine learning.

NLBMDA backs trucking labor legislation

THE SHIP IT ACT LOOKS TO RECRUIT NEW TRUCK DRIVERS THROUGH TEMPORARY TAX CREDITS.

By Andy Carlo

Agroup of bipartisan House lawmakers have introduced the Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking (SHIP IT) Act (H.R.471)

The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) said the legislation addresses truck labor shortages and supply chain issues for delivering freight by increasing shipping capacity, lessening burdens on truck drivers, and providing incentives to recruit and retain new drivers.  Disruptions in the trucking supply chain

continue to drive up costs and create uncertainty for American businesses, the NLBMDA noted.

“We need to recruit, train and retain truck drivers to keep our supply chain moving, while also updating best practices to improve trucking to fit our modern economy,” the NLBMDA said.

The SHIP IT Act provides commonsense trucking reforms that: Allows states to issue special permits for overweight vehicles and loads during supply chain emergencies.

Allows truck drivers to apply for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act grants.

Recruits new truck drivers to enter the workforce through targeted and temporary tax credits.

Streamlines the CDL process, making it easier for states and third parties to administer CDL tests. Expands access to truck parking and rest facilities for commercial drivers.

The NLBMDA is also supporting the Root & Stem Project Authorization Act of 2023 (H.R.674/S.188).

The legislation provides the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management with a new statutory tool to treat our forests more efficiently and empower collaborative processes through “Root & Stem” projects.  The bipartisan legislation accelerates forest management projects to restore federal forests and codifies the authority of the

secretaries of the Agriculture and Interior departments to conduct forest restoration projects alongside private landowners and companies, the NLBMDA said.

While companies and state agencies have worked with federal officials before on forest management projects, there is currently no requirement that federal agencies cooperate with their state-level counterparts. The Root and Stem Act codifies these types of collaborations to

address the 80 million acre forest-restoration backlog.

Both the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management need to accomplish more hazardous fuels reduction work in order to reduce the risk or catastrophic wildfires and promote wildlife habitat, according to the NLBMDA.

Expanding collaboration and including the preparation of environmental analysis in the collaborative process will help ensure

the agencies are able to expand capacity and get more work done on the ground.

The Root & Stem Project Authorization Act is modeled off a collaboratively developed, forest restoration project piloted in the Colville National Forest. The approach taken in Colville allowed for project design and development that reflected the desires of the community and allowed for the more timely and efficient treatment of 54,000 acres.

The bill takes lessons learned from this project to codify and affirm the agency’s ability to enter into stewardship contracts of this nature to address the 80 million-acre forest-restoration backlog, according to the NLBMDA

The NLBMDA is asking members to contact their elected officials and ask them to cosponsor both pieces of legislation.

The SHIP IT Act is expected to recruit new truck drivers to the workforce while easing the CDL process.

A rising star strives to make a difference

JAILYNNE JONES, ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE AT METRIE, HITS THE GROUND RUNNING

By Ken Clark

Jailynne Jones took an unusual route into the hardware and building supply industry, where she works today as an account executive for Metrie, North America’s largest supplier of moulding and millwork, in its Sumner, Wash., office.

A graduate of Langston University, an Historically Black College and University in Oklahoma, Jones was working in a Texas rental car agency when Covid-19 hit. She returned to her home state of Washington, posted her resume on Indeed, and got a call the same day. The call came from Metrie, where she’s been for the past two and half years.

In addition to taking a role as moulding ambassador, she’s also playing a role as change agent for diversity.

“I knew coming into my current company that I was going to do more than just do my job and go home,” said Jones, who was recognized among the 2022 class of HBSDealer Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply as a Rising Star in the industry. “I know that there’s a lot more that needs to be done, and especially within my own community.”

Jones has already made concrete contributions to the cause, among them the formation of a black employees resource group.

Jones explained how it all fell into place:

“I was able to reach out to someone who works in the people and culture committee to express how I felt about being the only person of my race in the whole entire establishment that I work at in my facility,” she said. “And they basically told me, ‘Be the change. Be what you would like to see.’ And from that moment on, I just hit the ground running. Started off our first Juneteenth celebration [in 2022]. And that had a really big turn out. I also started a black employee resource group as well for us to come together and find our voice, and just feel welcome, and feel like we belong in any room.”

At Metrie, colleagues explain that she has made a difference already and has proved her worth in the short time that she’s been with the company.

“She has shown tremendous growth in her role, and would often voice want ing more,” said Kayla Johnson, sales operations manager, US West for Metrie. “And as she has been given more, she tackles it head on.”

One example of that head-on approach is the effort that she puts into diversity efforts within the company.  A recent meeting of the black employees resource group expanded to include warehouse employees, office employees and employees who work on the frontlines in customer-facing roles.

Bringing all of those roles into one room and sharing experiences opened her eyes.

“With all of those people coming to the meeting, I just got a completely different perspective,” she said. “What [the frontline employees] experience on a daily basis versus what I experience on a daily basis showed to me my own privilege within the company. So, I was able to take a step back and say: there’s a lot of work to be done, not only where I am, but for others as well.”

Above it all, Jones feels grateful for her team that supports her role in the industry and her role as a mother of a young child. She’s also grateful for the somewhat accidental introduction to the hardware and building supply industry — “It fell into my lap at the right time,” she said.

Her advice to others in the industry:

“If you’re able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes when you have the opportunity, you need to do so.”

Jones shared her experiences during a “Rising Stars” panel in 2022. The Top Women event will return to Chicago Nov. 15-16, 2023.

“I knew coming into my current company that I was going to do more than just do my job and go home. I know that there’s a lot more that needs to be done, and especially within my own community.”

—Jailynne Jones, Account Representative, Metrie

People In The News

United Hardware announced that Chad Ruth has been named interim president and CEO. Doug Audette, the former president and CEO has stepped down to pursue other opportunities. As interim president and CEO, Ruth will be responsible for overseeing the overall strategy and operations of the company. Ruth served as United Hardware vice president of merchandising and retail operations for the past two years.

Cindy Howley, director of Kohler Stewardship, the company’s worldwide corporate social responsibility program, received the Robert P. Atkins Lifetime Achievement Award during the recent Crystal Vision Awards Breakfast in Las Vegas. During her career, Howley facilitated the investment of more than $80 million in Kohler communities in the U.S. and abroad.

Bliffert Lumber & Hardware manager Chris Hegeman  has accepted a twoyear term as chairman of the board of the Wisconsin Retail Lumber Association (WRLA) , part of the Northwestern Lumber Association (NLA). In the post, Hegeman replaces Jake Buswell , operations manager of  All American Do It Center  in Tomah, Wisconsin.

Kodiak Building Partners and Ricci Lumber promoted Pat Moretti to president of Ricci Lumber. Moretti joined Ricci in 1977 in the hardware department stocking and merchandising and has been with the company for the past 45 years. In 1991, Moretti was promoted to general manager where he remained for 31 years until his recent promotion to president.

The Toro Company (TTC) announced that Angela C. Drake, who currently serves as TTC’s vice president, finance will succeed the retiring Renee J. Peterson as vice president and chief financial officer, effective March 10, 2023. Drake was appointed vice president, finance in 2022 after previously serving as vice president, construction from 2020.

Do it Best has named Allison Flatjord as the company’s vice president of e-commerce. She replaces Nick Talarico, who was recently promoted to executive vice president of sales and marketing. Flatjord joined Do it Best in 2022 as the company’s director of e-commerce.

Stanley Black & Decker appointed  John T. Lucas  to senior vice president, chief human resources officer (CHRO). He will join the executive team and report to  Donald Allan, Jr. , president and CEO of Stanley Black & Decker. Lucas will be responsible for the company’s global human resources strategy and operations; talent management, including recruitment and leadership development; and compensation and benefits.

Roofing and building products distributor Beacon announced that Racquel Harris Mason has been appointed to the company’s board of directors, effective March 16. Mason currently serves as a member of the board of directors of NeilsenIQ, the consumer intelligence company.

Ruth

Howley Hegeman

Moretti Drake

Flatjord

Lucas

Harris Mason

Residential Construction/Sales

Monthly Retail Sales, not adjusted

months of housing starts and existing-home sales home centers and pro dealers (NAICS 444) and hardware stores (NAICS 44413) NAICS 444 (sales in $ billions) NAICS 44413 (sales in $ billions)

HBSDealer Stock Roundup

the percent-change performance of stocks based on Feb. 23 prices

BECN (BEACON); BLDR (BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE); BMCH (BMC STOCK HOLDINGS); MAS (MASCO CORP.); HD (HOME DEPOT); LOW (LOWE’S); SHW (SHERWIN-WILLIAMS); SWK (STANLEY); TSCO (TRACTOR SUPPLY); WY (WEYERHAEUSER);

Consumer Watch

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