Supply Dealers hold steady in a challenging market
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07-08.25
COVER STORY
The HBSDealer Top 150 Leaderboard Issue
Amid headwinds and uncertainty, the leading hardware and building supply dealers are ‘holding on.’ Numbers, analysis and highlights begin on page 18.
Listing of ‘The First 50’
From Home Depot to Koopman Lumber, here are companies ranked 1-50. For the full list of 150, visit HBSDealer.com/report.
THE EDITOR
8 Celebrating the ProDealers of the Year: Priceless
NEWS & ANALYSIS
10 California’s own big bill
10 The impact of immigration enforcement
12 Reshored and ready in Kentucky
12 Kodiak’s “Interiors” play
14 Home improvement spending in ux
MARKET INSIGHTS
28 Key housing market takeaways
TRUE VALUE REPORT
30 The iconic hardware brand looks for a new beginning with Do it Best.
TOP WOMEN PROFILE SERIES
34 Diane Latterell wears many hats at Simonson Lumber.
PRODUCTS
36 Windows, doors and more star in a celebration of fenestration.
INDEPENDENT PROFILE
42 In Knoxville, Tennessee, Tindell’s Building Materials builds on its history.
IN EVERY ISSUE
6 Here’s what’s online
12 Product knowledge
46 Regulatory update
48 People in the news
50 Quikrete Industry Dashboard
Here's What's Online
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When you connect with us, you connect with the industry @HBSDealer
Watch the Webinar Series
“The ‘I’s Have It: In ation, Interest rates and International trade.” Expert analysis from John Burns Research and Consulting is applied to far-reaching economic forces. Sign up for the free Webinar Series: Housing and Remodeling Market Update. (Coming Aug. 6). And watch the replay at HBSDealer.com/webinars.
Tech Talk Tuesday
The biweekly roundup of news, trends and developments in e-commerce, arti cial intelligence, digital innovation and all things at the intersection of technology and hardware & building supply. Sign up for free at HBSDealer.com/newsletter.
Video library
“One on One“ interviews with industry leaders; product demonstrations lmed inside an actual New Jersey garage; and highlight reels of the headlines from the Top Three Stories of the Week — all this and more are online at HBSDealer.com/video. You can also explore the video library at our YouTube channel @HBSDealer.
Bliss in the Ballroom
What’s the best part of your job?
While you’re thinking, I’ll tell you the best part of mine.
Each year, during the ProDealer Industry Summit, the editor of HBSDealer presents to two deserving lumberyard companies the ProDealer of the Year Awards, a program governed by HBSDealer and the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association.
This year, the tradition continues. At approximately 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, I will be called to the stage (possibly with a smattering of polite applause lifting my spirits) to introduce our 2025 honorees — our ProDealer of the Year, Zuern Building Products; and our Independent ProDealer of the Year, B & B Lumber
Ken Clark, Editor-in-Chief
In previous articles, our 2025 honorees have shared glimpses of their admirable qualities, their community-centricity and their team-oriented approaches.
“This award re ects the hard work and dedication of our family and team, whose passion for serving our customers and community inspires everything we do,” said Thomas Baalmann, CEO of Wichita, Kansas-based B & B Lumber.
“As we embark this year on the eve of our 50th year of being in business, we continually re ect on the lessons our founders taught us over the years and plan for our future through participating in industry sponsored roundtables, engaging in numerous dealer educational events, tradeshows and mill tours,” Thomas said.
Zuern Building Products operates 10 locations in Wisconsin.
“We are humbled and honored to be selected as the 2025 Pro Dealer of the Year,” said Tom Zuern, president. “This award is embodied in our family and team culture of connectivity. Because a connected team is a powerful team.”
The company strives to provide a trusted buying experience from design through delivery, said Zuern, adding: “We pride ourselves at doing the common, uncommonly well in serving our professional builder and remodeler customers.”
550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Ste. 225, 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
EDITOR Robby Brumberg rbrumberg@ensembleiq.com
ADVERTISING SALES & BUSINESS
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Amy Platter Grant
MIDWEST & SOUTHERN STATES (773) 294-8598 agrant@ensembleiq.com
It’s hard to describe it, but the awards ceremony invariably over ows with warmth and appreciation — both for the leadership and accomplishments of the honorees and the spirit of cooperation within the industry.
It’s truly a special event, and playing a small role in it is the best part of my job. To borrow from Wordsworth: “Bliss it is to be present in that ballroom. To be on the stage is very heaven!”
These lines offer just a taste of the good vibrations that will be unleashed during the 2025 ProDealer Industry Summit. It’s coming to Louisville, Kentucky, Oct. 8-10. Find our more at prodealer.com
And let us know the best part of your job at news@hbsdealer.com
CORPORATE OFFICERS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jennifer Litterick
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Jane Volland
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Derek Estey
CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER Ann Jadown
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Levi Smith, CEO, Franklin Building Supply
Christi Powell, Women & Minority Business Enterprise Market Manager, 84 Lumber
Neal DeLowery, Store Projects and Merchandise Manager, Aubuchon Co.
Brad McDaniel, Owner, McDaniel’s Do it Center Joe Kallen, CEO, Busy Beaver Building Centers
Tom Cost, Owner, Killingworth True Value
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
The Zuern family: (from left) Tom, Jim, Jen, Greg and David.
In California, a big win for housing
It may not have a catchy title like “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” but out in California, there was legislation passed that—from a housing industry perspective—can easily be described as gripping.
About the same time as BBB was signed into law, the Golden State rolled back the California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA, and pronounced “See-kwa.” Championed by environmentalists (and signed into law by then Gov. Ronald Reagan), the law had been vili ed by the housing and construction industry for its red tape, restrictions and added costs.
CEQA was seen as the most restrictive
measure of its kind in the nation, as builders faced the hurdles of environmental reviews and public disclosures of the potential impact of their projects. It has further been blamed for California’s acute housing shortage, affordability challenges and homelessness problem.
The rollback of CEQA consisted of two bills written by Democratic legislators and had bipartisan support. One allowed high-density projects to move forward without CEQA restrictions, so long as they were’t in sensitive areas. Another bill is designed to ease zoning restrictions and speed up reviews of projects.
“One of the biggest obstacles to
The immigration impact
According to a National Association of Home Builders analysis of Census data, immigrants compose 64 percent of plasters/ stucco masons, and 52 percent of drywall/ceiling tile installers. Non-native born workers account for 47 percent of roofers, and 48 percent of painters and paperhangers.
Of course, not all of those workers are undocumented, but according to data from the Burning Glass Institute, (as presented in a recent John Burns Research & Consulting webinar), the undocumented immigrant share of drywall/ceiling tile installers was 50 percent in the total United States, and 66 percent in southern border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Against this backdrop come reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arresting dayworkers in front of Home Depot. And a blog post by Berenson LLP, a legal rm
building new CA housing has now vanished,” reads the headline from Cal Matters.
The California Building Industry Association struck a hopeful tone but worried about the potential for fees. The new rules make “great strides in codifying reforms that will reduce uncertainty and streamline approvals intended to lower costs of home construction,” the CBIA stated. “Now that the measure has been signed into law, we look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature on cleanup language that will ensure that the reforms contained in this bill achieve maximum bene t for Californians.”
that provides counsel to the remodeling and home improvement industry, appears under the headline: “ICE Begins to Visit Contractor Staging Areas and Of ces.”
“We can’t comment on the various news reports that have been coming over the television regarding enforcement actions against alleged illegal immigrants,” the blog begins. “But we can tell you that we’ve been getting a number of reports in from clients that this has been actually happening.”
Against this backdrop, a recent HBSDealer poll question explored the issue of immigration enforcement.
To what extent are you seeing immigration enforcement impact the home improvement business?
In California, CEQA has been blamed for multiple ills, including the high cost of housing.
Product Knowledge
Product: XGT 16-5/16 Circular Saw
Manufacturer: Makita of Anjo, Aichi, Japan (Makita U.S.A. is based in La Mirada, Calif.)
MSRP: Retails for $999 just for the tool and $1,339 as a kit that includes a charger and a 5.0Ah battery.
Knowledge: The 40V max XGT 165/16” Circular Saw, AWS Capable, is the world’s largest cordless circular saw, according to Makita, and offers up to 30% faster cutting speeds than corded.
Described as ideal for cutting large timber, pressure treated lumber and wood logs, the GSH06 can deliver up to 75 cuts per charge in 6x12 lumber on a single charge of a 5.0Ah battery.
Fun fact: Founded in 1915 in Nagoya, Japan, by Mosaburo Makita, the company originally sold lighting equipment, motors and transformers and did not begin selling power tools until 1959. From those humble beginnings, a global tool powerhouse has emerged.
GE Appliances’ ‘Appliance Park’ facility in Louisville.
Reshored and Ready, in Ky.
Louisville, Kentucky-based GE Appliances is moving production of some of its washers and dryers from China to Kentucky.
The move is described as a $490 million investment in the company’s Louisville facilities, and part of a 10-year, $3.5 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing.
“We are bringing laundry production to our global headquarters in Louisville because manufacturing in the U.S. is fundamental to our ‘zero-distance’ business strategy to make appliances as close as possible to our customers and consumers,” said Kevin Nolan, president & CEO, GE Appliances. “This decision is our most recent product reshoring and aligns with the current economic and policy environment.”
The move will bring to Kentucky production of the GE Pro le UltraFast Combo Washer/Dryer and the GE and GE Pro le UltraFresh Front Load Washer line-up.
The new manufacturing lines will open in 2027
This investment will move production of more than 15 models of front load washers to Building 2 at Appliance Park – bringing the total area of clothes care production to the equivalent of 33 football elds. Next door, Building 1 at Appliance Park produces top load washers and front load dryers.
Building 2 will be redesigned as a model factory, showcasing the latest in automation, robotics and material-handling technologies, including AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots). The plant is vertically integrated and will include in-house manufacturing of critical parts such as stainless steel baskets and cabinets, high-precision metal stamping and forming, and injection molding and production equipment, delivering products with the quality, craftsmanship and market-leading features consumers have come to expect from products carrying GE Appliances’ brands.
GE says the move will create 800 new, full-time jobs.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear weighed in with a plug for the Bluegrass State: “This new investment strengthens one of our vital Kentucky assets and underscores our state’s reputation as America’s destination of choice for advanced manufacturing and job creation,” he said.
Kodiak makes ‘Interiors’ move
Englewood, Colorado-based Kodiak
Building Partners has a new plan for Arizona Appliance & Home, Don’s Appliances and a handful of its other kitchen-and-appliance focused brands.
They’re splitting off into the new, standalone Kodiak Interiors Group.
Kodiak’s Jeff Smith becomes the CEO at KIG, which was formed through the sale of Kodiak’s appliances and interiors portfolio.
“This decision was made for Kodiak Interiors Group to capitalize on signi cant growth opportunities in the appliances
and interiors market, enabling a more focused and specialized approach to operational excellence, customer service and local leadership,” said Smith. Steve Swinney, co-founder and CEO of KBP, will serve as executive chairman of the board for KIG. The move allows KBP to “deepen its focus” on the building materials industry.
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HIRI gives forecast a makeover
By HBSDealer Staff
The bad news: Consumer market sales growth in current dollars is expected to grow by 2.6% in 2025, revised down from a previous Home Improvement Research Institute forecast of 4.9% from March.
The good news: Professional market sales are projected to grow faster at 4.9% in 2025, which is more in line with the March forecast. Those numbers are from HIRI’s U.S. Size of the Home Improvement Products Market report, which cited “prevailing macroeconomic challenges” for its lowered expectations. The total home improvement market, which reached $574.3 billion last year, is now projected to grow by 3.4% in 2025, a reduction from the 5% growth projected in HIRI’s March outlook.
HIRI’s research highlights four key points affecting home improvement spending:
Tariffs and economic uncertainty are putting a damper on spending projections.
Rising costs and tariffs. The forecast incorporates the impact of anticipated Section 232 tariffs to hit on materials like copper and lumber (ranging from 10% to 25%), effective in late 2025. Additionally, IEEPA tariffs on imports from China (20%), Canada (25%) and Mexico (25%) are included. These factors, along with potential labor shortages, are expected to raise construction costs.
Housing market challenges. The “locked-in effect,” where homeowners with low mortgage rates are hesitant to sell and buy at current high rates, is hindering existing home sales. Builders are also cutting prices and offering incentives on new homes due to high inventory. The forecast anticipates a slow rebound in existing home sales, climbing from 4.07 million sales in 2024 to 4.28 million in 2025 and 4.78 million in 2026, but housing starts are expected to remain relatively at or dip slightly, per HIRI.
Slowing consumer spending and income growth. While consumer spending grew in Q1, wage growth is slowing and prices are rising, leading to modest growth in disposable income. In ation is also expected to spike in Q2 2025, reaching 3.9% for the year as tariff impacts arrive.
Cooling labor market. While recent job reports show resilience, the forecast anticipates a cooling labor market with monthly payroll gains stalling in the second half of 2025 and the unemployment rate projected to peak at 5% by late 2026.
“The long-term picture for the home improvement market remains one of signi cant opportunity,” says Dave King, executive director of HIRI. “Looking out over the next ve years through 2029, we anticipate a net gain in total market spend of roughly $300 billion in additional spend. While this growth is expected to be stronger toward the latter half of the period, it re ects that the underlying appetite and demand for home improvement projects are still robust.”
HIRI is anticipating better days ahead for consumer spending (though it might take a while).
Openings, closings and acquisitions
Regularly updated, the News Map draws from press releases, external media coverage and original reporting to provide the latest industry insights.
Among the developments: 84 Lumber opened an Andersen Showroom (its third) in Pittsburgh; Decks & Docks made a big inland move with the acquisition of The Deck Supply, based in Kansas City, Missouri; McCoy’s Building Supply broke ground for a new store in New Caney, Texas; and Mead Lumber held a grand reopening of its location in Pratt, Kansas.
Explore the interactive News Map at HBSDealer.com/map
Project Master offers do-it-yourself hardware kits designed for both beginners and the seasoned craftsmen. Our all-in-one, carefully curated kits come with high-quality products needed for all your home projects, repairs and more.
By HBSDealer Staff
In business, we keep score with dollars. That’s the overarching idea that fuels the effort behind the HBSDealer Top 150 Leaderboard. Through research, interviews, S.E.C. lings and published reports, HBSDealer editors have tracked the leading companies in the hardware and building supply space.
The rst 50 industry leaders are presented here on the following pages, ranked by sales based on the most recently completed scal year and garnished with brief highlights for each company.
The full Top 150 list with additional data is available at HBSDealer.com/report
But numbers alone don’t tell the story of the hardware and building supply industry or a speci c hardware or building supply dealer. It takes words.
For instance, in a phrase that echoed across the industry in 2024, The Home Depot CEO Ted Decker pointed to “uncertain macroeconomic conditions in a higher interest rate environment that impacted home improvement demand.”
The Home Depot and Lowe’s returned to the top two spots on the Leaderboard in once-again dominating fashion. The combined sales of the two retail giants of $244 billion is higher than the combined sales of companies ranked 3 through 150 ($184 billion).
Other statistical highlights from the Leaderboard include the following:
GOVERNMENT DATA SHEDS LIGHT ON INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY SALES
Sales in $millions
NAICS 4441
Building material and supplies dealers
NAICS 44413
Hardware stores
Among the 150 companies tracked, 69 improved sales. From 0.2 percent for GMS (no. 14), to 33.2 percent for Lummus Supply Co. of Atlanta, Ga. (no. 115).
Twelve companies are estimated or reported to have nished at in the most recently completed scal year.
The full list shows 69 companies with declining year-over-year sales. From negative 0.2 percent for Doug Ashy Building Materials (no. 92), to negative 53.6 percent for the reborn-from-bankruptcy Lumber Liquidators (no. 36).
The average year-over-year percent change is negative 0.7 percent.
The median change (an equal number above and below): 0.0 percent.
While this year’s Leaderboard re ects an industry holding on amid business headwinds and uncertainties, year-over-year performances showed a marked improvement from last year, when nearly four out of ve companies showed sales declines.
Continued on page 24
While the government’s monthly sales data and its North American Industry Classi cation System (NAICS) fail to perfectly re ect the hardware and building supply industry, it remains an important barometer.
For building material and supplies dealers (code 4441), the numbers re ect virus-lockdown-related spending gains in 2020 and 2021, and massive lumber de ation in 2023.
Hardware stores (code 44413, a subset of 4441) saw an even larger 2020 spike – 20.6 percent. And hardware stores were insulated from lumber price de ation – up 4.9 percent the same year building material and supplies dealers were down 4.1 percent.
Through the rst ve months of 2025, NAICS 4441 sales are down 0.7 percent.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery and Build.com will now operate under one name: Ferguson Home, a single destination for all things kitchen, bath, lighting and home improvement.
giant.
of
FirstSource. BFS CEO Peter Jackson was attracted to Alpine’s “pro table growth in highly attractive markets” in Colorado and northern New Mexico.
a
stream of
including its rst ever in South Dakota.
Jason Plummer recently joined board of the LBM Advantage co-op.
A June 3 headline reads: “Lumber Liquidators hits the comeback trail.” A new store opening in June marked the rst since the
Moreover, in last year’s Leaderboard, which revealed the impact of massive lumber price de ation, 69 companies listed showed double-digit sales declines. This year, only 12 achieved that dubious distinction.
THE TOP TEN
The same 10 operations appear at the top of the list. But there’s a new name at number nine—QXO, and it’s one of the more interesting new entries to hit building supply in many years.
Founded by billionaire entrepreneur Brad Jacobs, QXO (no. 9) successfully acquired Beacon Roo ng Supply (last year’s no. 9) in an $11 billion deal reached after initial resistance from Beacon’s management. The company says the Beacon deal is just the beginning of its acquisition streak. QXO has made clear its ambition to be a $50 billion player in what it describes as the $800 billion building-products-distribution space.
“Roo ng is a steady, predictable vertical, bolstered by strong long-term trends,” said Jacobs during an investor’s conference in May. “Everyone has a roof—and roofs require upkeep.”
Another super move at the top of the list is at the very top. Last year, the big story was Home Depot’s acquisition of Dallas-based SRS Distribution. This year, the company compounded that growth with a deal for SRS to acquire Gypsum Management & Supply (no. 14). That $5.5 billion deal—described as a platform for growth—is expected to close in early 2026.
“Together, we’ll create a network of more than 1,200 locations and a eet of more than 8,000 trucks capable of making tens of thousands of jobsite deliveries per day,” said Dan Tinker, CEO of SRS.
THE SECOND 10
TopBuild (no. 15) the Daytona Beach, Floridabased specialty distributor, brings to the Leaderboard a combination of the themes already discussed. It also likes the prospects for roo ng — as evidenced by the $810 million acquisition of Progressive Roo ng in July. And like Home Depot, it sees its acquisition as a “growth platform.”
“In addition to increasing our revenue exposure to non-discretionary demand drivers, we anticipate that this acquisition will serve as a signi cant growth platform, both organically as well as through future M&A,” said Robert Buck, TopBuild CEO.
At Kodiak Building Partners (no. 18), the plan is addition by subtraction, spinning off its appliances and interiors portfolio into a standalone business. The new entity will operate independently, which the company says will enable a more focused strategy in the appliances and interiors market while supporting long-term growth for both organizations. (See story p. 12.)
COMEBACK STORY
National ooring retailer Lumber Liquidators (no. 36) is back in business and back on the list. It took a successful rescue of LL Flooring Flooring, which had planned on liquidating.
In May, the company opened a new store in Franklin, Tenn., which is its rst expansion since transitioning from LL Flooring back to the original Lumber Liquidators moniker. LL Flooring declared bankruptcy in 2024 and was purchased by Miami-based F9 Investments,
With its acquisition of Beacon, QXO made a dramatic entrance to the Top Ten of the Leaderboard.
With the bankruptcy of LL Flooring, new investors are bringing back the Lumber Liquidators brand.
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opening the door to a potential resurgence. F9 Investments is led by Thomas Sullivan, the founder of Lumber Liquidators.
“This new store opening is proof positive that Lumber Liquidators is back and better than ever,” said CEO Jason Delves.
M&A ACTION
Consolidation remains a major story and trend throughout the industry. The HBSDealer News Map, which tracks openings, closings and acquisitions, counted 68 acquisitions of hardware and building supply dealers in 2024. (Specialty distribution companies and roo ng companies omitted.)
Builders FirstSource (no. 4), Nation’s Best (no. 39), US LBM (no. 10) and Kodiak (no. 18) were the most active acquirers, followed closely by R.P. Lumber (no. 35) and Aubuchon Company (no. 43)
The pace of acquisitions seems to have slowed slightly. In the rst half of the 2025, the News Map has listed 26 acquisitions.
TECHNOLOGY
A recent survey of HBSDealer readers found that 41 percent of respondents believe the hardware and building supply industry is slightly behind other retail sectors in terms of tech. That’s not bad.
But another 41 percent felt this industry is “signicantly” behind. And zero respondents described this industry as “ahead of the curve.”
That’s changing. Everywhere you look, the industry is ramping up its tech. QXO (no. 9) has aggressively promoted its technology prowess and vowed to be an industry leader. Builders FirstSource (no. 4), already a tech-forward powerhouse and digital tools leader, recently brought on Gayatri Narayan in the newly created role of president, technology and digital solutions. Her background includes Microsoft (responsible for enterprise digital solutions in communications and conversational AI) and Amazon.
And it’s not just the giants emphasizing technology. Major e-commerce efforts are underway across the spectrum, including at Nebraska-based Mead Lumber (no. 30), which is investing more in tech, and exploring ways to leverage tools and use arti cial intelligence.
“We want the experience to be like Amazon,” CEO Dave Anderson says. “Right now, many of our invoices are still
paper, and a majority of payments come via mailed checks. We’re working toward a modern, mobile- rst platform.”
HOLDING ON
While industry leaders often describe a cloud of uncertainty over the short-term prospects of the home improvement industry, so, too, do they often describe strong fundamentals and long-term strength for the home improvement industry.
Few leaders have hammered that drum longer or more frequently than Marvin Ellison, CEO of Lowe’s (no. 2)
“The three core drivers of our business remain strong,” said Ellison, returning to the topic in a recent quarterly earnings call. “Home prices continue to appreciate, which is sustaining historically high levels of home equity and disposable personal income, and the aging housing stock means people will need to make repairs and improvements in their homes.”
It’s matter of holding on.
ABOUT THE LIST
The 2025 Top 150 Industry Leaderboard tracks hardware and building supply dealers by sales in their most recently completed scal year.
To be included, the majority of a company’s sales must be in the home improvement or building supply space, selling to homeowners or builders/contractors.
Information is gathered from multiple sources: corporate statements, original research and published reports.
Like most of the hardware and building supply industry, Mead Lumber is investing in tech and e-commerce.
Lowe’s likes the long-term prospects for homeimprovement spending.
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5 Timely Housing Market Takeaways
By HBSDealer Staff
The
U.S. housing market is offering little indication that record-high levels of unaffordability will ease anytime soon. High home prices and interest rates have pushed sales to their lowest level in 30 years, according to The State of the Nation’s Housing 2025, a report recently released from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. Where do we go from here? Harvard’s report offers the following key takeaways.
1
Rising costs hamper homeowners, as insurance and property taxes continue to increase.
In 2023, the number of cost-burdened homeowners rose by 646,000 to 20.3 million, representing 24 percent of all homeowner households. The rising costs are partially explained by steep increases in insurance premiums and property taxes. Home insurance premiums jumped 57 percent from 2019 to 2024, with the sharpest increases in areas with the greatest risk of a climate-related disaster.
The scale and frequency of climate disasters has prompted private insurers not only to raise premiums, but in some cases to reduce coverage or pull out of markets entirely, as in California, Florida, and Louisiana. Property taxes also increased an average of 12 percent between 2021 and 2023.
2
As home prices grow, sales drop to a 30-year low.
As of early 2025, home prices are up 60 percent nationwide since 2019 and still rising at a rate of 3.9 percent year over year.
Consequently, the median existing single-family home price hit a new high of $412,500 in 2024.
As prices rose, existing home sales dropped to a 30-year low.
3
Builders respond with smaller homes and mortgage rate buydowns.
New home sales, however, increased by 3 percent last year. Contending with
Spiraling costs are putting the American Dream of home ownership farther out of reach.
the same affordability pressures as existing home sellers, many builders responded by producing homes that were smaller or had fewer amenities.
The median size of a new single-family home declined for the third consecutive year in 2024, and many builders cut prices or offered mortgage rate buydowns to facilitate sales.
4
U.S. homeownership rate falls as barriers to homeownership rise.
Last year, monthly mortgage payments on the median-priced home rose to $2,570, under terms typical to rst-time homebuyers (30-year loan with a 3.5 percent downpayment). This record-breaking mortgage payment is 40 percent higher than it was in 1990, and a buyer would need an annual income of at least $126,700 to afford it and the associated taxes and insurance costs.
5
Tariffs, reduced immigration and diminished federal support create an uncertain future.
The outlook for housing is inextricably linked to that of the economy and federal policy. As such, much of its future is uncertain. Homebuilders estimate that the newly imposed tariffs on construction materials will increase new home prices by $10,900 apiece, and reduced immigration could shrink the already-thin labor pool.
Roughly a third of construction workers are foreign-born, about twice the rate of the overall labor force. Additionally, reductions in federal staff and funding threaten to exacerbate an already-unprecedented housing crisis.
“There must be a concerted effort to do more to address the affordability and supply crises,” says Chris Herbert, Managing Director of the Center. “The potential consequences of inaction are simply too harmful to the macroeconomy and the millions of households striving for a safe, affordable place to call home.”
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True Value looks ahead
HERE’S WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BRAND.
Big name acquisitions, mergers and integrations are lling the wires and reshaping the industry. Home Depot and SRS, QXO and Beacon, Lowe’s and Artisan Design Group.
But arguably, the integration with the biggest impact on the most businesses—and the most complicated of them all—is the one taking place in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as Do it Best manages its acquisition of assets of the True Value Company.
The latest report from the Fort Wayne headquarters of Do it Best Group is that the mission-critical task of reviving the moribund True Value distribution network has been achieved, and ll rates are back to respectable levels in the mid 90 percent range. (In the dark days of the True Value bankruptcy, the rate had been a meager 30 percent.)
Stabilizing and lling the pipeline were top objectives from day one, said Do it Best Group CEO Dan Starr. “Those are massive moves to try to get your arms around,” he said. “And they’ve been done better than I would have expected.”
But the integration and optimization process is still in the early innings. And Starr expects the process to take a couple years.
“I don’t mind taking time,” Starr said. “That’s the bene t of being a private company—it doesn’t need to happen at the next quarterly earnings report. We’ll take our time with that, and we’ll do it in a way that respects operations.”
The process of rightsizing the combined collection of distribution centers has already begun. DCs were closed in Cleveland, Ohio; Denver, Colo.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Mankato, Minn. Closing a DC was a new experience for Do it Best. The
company isn’t nished working out its supply chain optimization. “But we’re sort of done for now,” said True Value President Dent Johnson. “And closing those four buildings is going to make a huge step in the right direction.”
Do it Best’s acquisition of True Value created a group that services more than 8,000 retail locations— more than double the previous number—in more than 60 countries. And it boosted the buying power to about $6 billion.
Do it Best says there has been no signi cant loss of customers through the complicated process— even as many stores clamored for product and competing distributors ramped up their recruiting efforts.
“Aggressive campaigns by competitors were expected during the transition,” Starr said. “But as ll rates improved, order ow has shifted back to True Value. Only a few relationships were fully severed, and the majority of retailers have resumed regular ordering.”
Johnson said the messages he received from True Value retailers at the company’s market in Orlando included a mixture of gratitude for the effort to rescue True Value, and questions about how the new True Value will operate. Still to be decided across the enterprise are issues that involve rationalizing SKUs, optimizing the distribution center network, and integrating IT systems. The group created an executive position to address these and other issues around
Continued on page 32
True Value nation can expect an invigorated True Value brand, according to executives in Fort Wayne and Chicago.
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True Value Report
the integration. Marianne Thompson, a former Home Hardware executive, will lead it. Her title is executive VP of transformation & integration.
While questions remain, Johnson said it’s certain that the True Value brand will receive support and investment. He hinted at a program to revitalize the True Value brand, details of which will be revealed at the Do it Best Group fall market. Also on display at the fall market will be a new store design for True Value.
“We were concerned about the brand being tarnished based on everything that’s happened,” said Johnson. “And we’re not seeing that at the consumer level. So we believe if we put the fuel behind this, it’s going to take off, and it’s going to really serve our retailers very well.”
Executives in Fort Wayne describe a multi-brand vision that allows Do it Best members and True Value retailers to select how they want to structure their business — as a co-op member or as a retail customer — and how they want to go to market, choosing their own brand, the Do it Best brand, True Value brand or even Hardware Hank.
Johnson added that relationship building with thousands of vendors — with only handful requiring a “few things to button up” — leaves True Value in a much improved position. “We have the products, we have the price, we have quality of service greater than what the True Value retailers have experienced in a long time,” he said.
And while working out the details of supply chain optimization presents challenges, the cultural uni cation of the two big brands won’t be as dif cult, according to Starr.
“The underlying culture at True Value that had existed for decades was built by John Cotter,” he said. “The underlying culture at Do it Best was built by Don Wolf, primarily. Those two gentlemen were very similar in their philosophy, in their outlook. And to me, that is a tremendous advantage.”
Painting a Brighter Future
True Value has awarded 171 grants to stores across the U.S. and abroad through the True Value Foundation to support local stores creating and refreshing community spaces for kids and teens.
Each year, the company (through its foundation) awards paint and paint sundries to local True Value retailers partnering with schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, and youth-focused nonpro ts as part of its Painting a Brighter Future program.
“This is an investment in the next generation, neighborhood by neighborhood,”
Do it Best President Nick Talarico elaborated on the branding prowess of the combined company.
“We’ve always supported a member-branded approach,” he said. “We had our own brand if members wanted it. And now, with True Value, we have a national brand as well. So we’ll have three options for our members.”
He continued: “As we look to the future, that’s one of the things that I found most intriguing about the True Value acquisition. We didn’t buy True Value for inventory. We could have added distribution space, I suppose, if we wanted it. But getting a brand and access to that brand, with very high brand awareness, is very important.”
Overall, the branding is one part of a bigger story. “We’re going to be one company and one culture,” he said. “And that’s what we’re working towards.”
said president of True Value Dent Johnson. “Painting a Brighter Future is an exceptional program we’re proud to continue offering to our stores. It allows them to strengthen their role as community leaders and address local needs, which is what True Value is all about.”
The 171 stores participating this year received 3,420 gallons of paint, which will cover 1.4 million square feet of refreshed spaces.
“These schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, and youth-focused nonpro ts are all places to grow and educate our youth.
Just like we want our homes to re ect us, it’s critical for these spaces to demonstrate clear commitment and support,” said John Vanderpool, SVP of True Value Manufacturing and head of True Value Foundation. “True Value is always so proud of our stores as the heartbeat of their communities, and these grants prove it,” he added.
True Value President Dent Johnson.
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Meet Diane Latterell of Simonson Lumber
Simonson Lumber has a message to its Minnesota customers: “Local experts. Local service. Shop Simonson.”
One team member that supports all three of those two-word sentences is Controller Diane Latterell, a Top Women Business Excellence Honoree. She shared her background with HBSDealer:
How did you come to the hardware and building supply industry?
“I believe it was destiny.
“I had reached the point in my life where my children were all in school, and I was ready to work full-time outside our home and begin my ‘career’ in accounting while keeping my family as my focal point.
“I wasn’t sure where I wanted to land, so I went through our local Accountemps of ce, did their battery of tests, and scored well. I landed an interview at Simonson Lumber’s corporate of ce and started as a data entry person, as they were adding an acquired company and needed someone to key all their customer information into their system. This led to processing check runs on our DOT matrix printer for 10 companies – one at a time.
(Those were the good ol’ days.)
“Part of this check run process was creating a listing of all the checks over $10,000. I am more of an out-of-the-box thinker, and I felt manually typing this list was ridiculous. So I set to work nding a way to export the check register from DocMan, sort by amount, and create the list in minutes.
“Fast forward ve years, and we are ghting our way through the housing crash. We closed stores, shrunk our staff to the essential members, and I became one of the team members left to
pick up the pieces and resume our growth plan. I have been in the controller position for 14 years and have grown with the company as we crawled out of those very dif cult times. We did two more acquisitions before we were acquired in 2024 by Kodiak Building Products.”
Who were the mentors along the way?
“The former owner of Simonson Lumber, Richard Hobbs, has been my biggest mentor and supporter along the way. His ability to lead by example, with grace and humility, has been my guide for more than 20 years. The culture of his business is people rst and foremost. That means being a servant leader. Supporting people by giving them the tools necessary to do their job and encouraging them to do their best.”
What has been a key to your success?
“Having a positive and can-do attitude has been the key to my success. I bring mine to work every day. Life is what you make of it—if you are unsatis ed in life or work, you are the only one that can make it better. I have a very supportive family at home and also support from my work family. Also, my ability to multitask and wear many hats during my time at Simonson Lumber has been very helpful in many ways.”
What advice do you have for others entering or hoping to grow their career in the industry?
“My advice to others would be that just being in the ‘chair’ does not create credibility. You need to show those around you that you have the skillset to help them when they need it. To work with them and for them. To be the listener when they are having an off day. To be the person they reach out to rst. I earned my ‘chair’ through building relationships with many people in our company. From the top all the way to the bottom of the pay scale. I have a great job, working with many co-workers that I call friends, and am grateful every day for the opportunity to work for such a great company.”
“Having a positive and can-do attitude has been the key to my success. I bring mine to work every day. Life is what you make of it—if you are unsatisfied in life or work, you are the only one that can make it better.”
—Diane Latterell
A fenestration celebration
Safety rst — but don’t forget style.
That’s one of the concepts that HBSDealer editors have been tracking in the category of windows, doors and related products. From hurricane-rated doors to smart skylights and motorized pergolas, today’s building product innovations combine performance with modern living.
Manufacturers are responding to growing homeowner demands for durability, energy ef ciency, seamless indoor-outdoor transitions, and smarter home systems.
Whether it’s caulk that ows without a gun, patio doors that elevate style, or corner windows that capture more light, these new products re ect the latest in design and engineering. For dealers, remodelers and builders, staying ahead means staying informed—and these launches offer fresh opportunities to meet customer needs while navigating the evolving landscape of home improvement and construction.
To keep up to date with the latest products on the market, subscribe to HBSDealer’s daily newsletter, featuring our Product Central.
Let the light in Velux is introducing the Velux Skylight System, which features a pre-installed, remote-controlled, solar-powered shade. The Skylight System, according to Velux, creates a new business opportunity for builders, contractors, roofers and installers looking to offer cutting-edge home upgrades.
Each system’s white shade blends into any interior.
(Alternative shade colors are available by custom order.) The solar-powered remote operation charges on ambient light for sustainability and convenience and includes easy optional smart home integration. Built-in rain sensors on venting skylights ensure they close automatically.
Lock you like a hurricane ODL, Inc. is expanding its protective product offering with the introduction of High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) approved entry doors. Combined with ODL’s impact-rated doorglass and frame solutions, the offering now delivers more than 1,000 tested and approved congurations to help dealers, remodelers, and builders meet stringent coastal code requirements. The expanded offering includes ush glazed doors.
Caulk you like a hurricane
Flex Seal is expanding its Flex Caulk line to include a 100% silicone offering. Flex Caulk Silicone is an easy-to-use solution for durable, waterproof sealing in both home improvement and professional applications.
Flex Caulk Silicone comes in a pressurized can that features a Trigger Flow Nozzle, allowing users to adjust the ow of caulk while eliminating the need for a caulking gun.
Intelligent water management. An integrated drainage system channels rainwater ef ciently through structural beams, preventing ice dams and pooling.
A 28 lbs/ft² snow load capacity, always prepared for heavy snowfall and frosty conditions.
POWER+ features a plug-and-play electrical system, with all wiring discreetly routed through the aluminum framework.
For evenings, the pergola’s integrated LED lighting sets the scene with seven color options and twenty levels of brightness. For daytime gatherings, the built-in power outlets make it easy to plug in any appliances.
Corner the market on visibility
Marvin’s Modern Corner window integrates seamlessly with the existing Modern design system to provide expansive views and light. The window is made with high-density berglass and a single-piece frame design to ensure excellent thermal performance, durability and stability.
The window features factory glazing for durability and various glass options for enhanced energy ef ciency.
New patio, window frames
Westlake Royal Building Products has unveiled two new window and door solutions, which it says are designed to meet today’s top builder and homeowner demands: modern aesthetics, enhanced durability, energy-ef cient performance and seamless indoor-outdoor living.
Slide and glide from inside or outside
Pella Corporation has redesigned its wood sliding patio doors, available in two product lines Pella Reserve and Pella Lifestyle Series. The company says its new products are designed for enhanced durability and made to align with in-demand home design trends like health and wellness, sustainability, and seamless indoor-outdoor living.
The redesigned Pella Reserve and Pella Lifestyle Series Sliding Patio Doors are now available nationwide through Pella retail stores and Lowe’s stores.
Legacy Collection’s 250 Series. Now in Black. With darker window frames topping the trend lists for contemporary home designs, the Legacy Collection has expanded to offer a sleek black frame option for its energy-ef cient and durable 250 Series.
Series 800 Patio Door. Expanding Spaces for Indoor-Outdoor Living. Engineered for resilience and optimal thermal performance, the new Series 800 Patio Door is available in multi-panel models up to 12’ wide and 8’ high, supporting the growing demand for seamless indoor-outdoor living. Available in white, almond, clay and black-exterior/white-interior frames, the system is designed for both high style and high performance.
Real-time riders of the storm
GP APPLIES SMART LABELS FOR SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY
As hurricane season looms, Georgia-Paci c (GP) and Trackonomy have partnered to ensure that vital building materials arrive exactly when and where they’re needed most.
Through this partnership, GP is equipping plywood shipments with Trackonomy’s real-time tracking technology to provide precise arrival visibility to retailers.
When a hurricane is projected to make landfall, homeowners often have just a few days to secure their homes. That means demand for plywood spikes nearly overnight, especially in Gulf Coast regions where storm activity is expected to be intense this year. Retailers must respond immediately, often staging materials in advance and moving inventory rapidly from distribution centers to local stores.
With Trackonomy’s SmartTape technology integrated into hurricane-season plywood shipments, retailers now receive real-time updates on the location and ETA of their deliveries. This allows stores to begin unloading and selling plywood directly off arriving trucks, accelerating product availability during peak demand periods.
“Every minute counts when preparing for a hurricane,” said Zack Steffen, General Manager of Industrials at Trackonomy. “By using our SmartTape, we’re helping to close gaps between GP and their retail partners to keep an open line of communication from plant to customer, when it matters most.”
According to GP, the partnership is designed to deliver the “Amazon effect” to the lumber supply chain: minimizing idle time, cutting guesswork, and meeting customer expectations for real-time
For Woodgrain, a Paradigm shift
Idaho-based Woodgrain has selected Paradigm Omni as its enterprise-wide con guration, pricing and quoting (CPQ) solution for the door and window business.
“The Paradigm Omni CPQ platform is built speci cally for our industry, empowering con guration, pricing and quoting on-line, in-home, in-store and through dealer networks,” said Eric Halbur, Woodgrain CIO.
The Woodgrain Distribution Division will migrate from multiple legacy platforms to Paradigm’s purpose-built solution. The Woodgrain Doors Division and Windsor Windows & Doors will upgrade to the Paradigm Omni platform.
Todd Dame, who will become Woodgrain CEO in September, added: “The expanded partnership with Paradigm supports our commitment to being easy to do business with.”
responsiveness.
“This partnership shows how real-time visibility isn’t just about ef ciency, it’s about resilience,” said Matt Wood, Sr Business Logistic Manager at GeorgiaPaci c. “When storms are on the horizon, knowing exactly when materials will arrive can make all the difference for our retail partners and more importantly, for the families and communities they serve.”
The initial rollout of this initiative will focus on hurricane-related shipments of plywood to Home Depot and Lowe’s. However, GP and Trackonomy are already exploring expansion into additional materials, including resin shipments, and broader shipment categories throughout the year.
This system is now fully operational and already supporting plywood shipments during this year’s hurricane season, per GP.
GP’s new tech arrives just in time for storm season.
Woodgrain has a new CPQ platform.
Tindell’s eyes bigger and better
TENNESSEE-BASED PRODEALER BUILDS ON A 133-YEAR LEGACY
Knoxville, Tennesse-based Tindell’s Building Materials has a lot going for it. It operates in strong rst- and second-home markets. Its employee retention stands head and shoulders above the average. Its executives have utmost con dence in their ability to maintain an IT advantage.
And near the top of the list, if not at the top: Tindell’s has 130-plus years of experience serving its communities.
It’s the job of the current team to build on the tradition. And walking around Tindell’s Knoxville headquarters facilities, you can see it happening.
The location is undergoing an earth-moving project to expand its installation-services space from 12,000 to 34,000 square feet. The most obvious sign of growth is a massive retaining wall added near the back of the facility.
“Installed sales are expanding rapidly,” says CEO Johan van Tilburg. “And we’ve outgrown our current facilities.”
Tindell’s VP of Operations David Hunt is looking forward to the new space, as it will allow for expansion of the showroom. “Guys who know how to sell it and talk about it will be right there with the displays, and everything will be all together,” Hunt said.
Beyond the headquarters facility, Tindell’s owns yards in Morristown, Sevierville, Cleveland, and Maryville; a truss plant at Karns; as well as a distribution center at the Forks of the River Industrial Park in Knoxville. The prodealer operates on a huband-spoke system, with the DC in Forks of the River serving as the central origin point—an outbound-only shipping facility—for all the large framing packages to go out on tractor-trailers. The outlying locations generally provide backup and ll-in orders.
That system has worked since long before Van Tilburg acquired the business from Carl Tindell, chairman emeritus and van Tilburg’s father-in-law, keeping the business in the family.
Van Tilburg, who plays the role of “strategy and vision guy” of Tindell’s, shared his management philosophy: “Let the people who know what they’re doing, run the day-to-day operations.” It’s a concept that van Tilburg says was in uenced by Robb Wilson, of Wilson Lumber in Huntsville, Alabama.
Employee incentives play a big role in some important areas. The Installed sales workforce is paid on production in a system that can earn them around $40 per hour. It’s also a system that fosters loyalty and stability, the CEO said.
Overall, the company enjoys a strong retention among its 275 employees. The average job tenure in the U.S. is 3.9 years. At Tindell’s, it’s more than twice that, said Lori Ridings , VP of HR Safety and Culture.
Continued on page 44
Tindell’s existing showroom in Knoxville. There’s more to come.
Johan van Tilburg, CEO, leads a visitor around developments in Tindell’s Knoxville yard.
Manufacturers & Services Directory
Inside-Outside History Lesson
The hallways and of ces in Tindell’s main building in Knoxville feature dozens of old photos and artifacts collected across more than a century of operations.
One of those artifacts is a little black book that contains the rst recorded transaction for Tindell’s — dated June 21, 1892. On the walls are Tindell family photos, old devices to measure the board feet of a log, and paintings and images of the company during its formative phase as a mobile sawmill.
At Tindell’s, C.L. Gray is the company’s legendary pioneer of outside sales, and a trade magazine article mounted and displayed as a framed plaque describes Gray as the ”Iron Man” for his work ethic.
Gray died in June, but his impact on Tindell’s continues.
Carl Tindell, the grandson of founder Fate Tindell, has seen a number of changes in his lumber career. But none he says were more important than the introduction of the outsides sales force. “That’s where the business has evolved,” he said. “They’re your storefronts today. It changed the game.”
“We have employees who have been here 50 years,” Ridings said. “Fifteen percent of our employees have been here 15 years or longer. That’s a testament, for sure, to the employees, and also to the company—because they’re here for a reason.”
Tindell’s also promotes local trades development through Ride and Decide and other high school programs.
TECHNO ADVANTAGE
The company’s tech experience goes way back. Van Tilburg and Vice President of IT Shawn Tindell were at one time at the helm of Tindell Software. “We sold some of the dashboard solutions that everybody went to later on,” van Tilburg said. “We kind of invented that.”
(A large tech company offered to buy the business, but no deal was reached.)
Van Tilburg shared that takeoff software and estimating software are two areas where tech will play an increasingly important role. “That is where I think we’re going to go see light years of improvements,” van Tilburg said.
Tindell’s promotes its heritage—“since 1892”—while looking to the future.
But technology for technology’s sake isn’t a winning combination, he added. He also suggested that we all tap the brakes a little bit on expectations for arti cial intelligence. “A builder is not going to change what he puts on the roof of a house because of arti cial inteligence,” he said.
The CEO said the company’s is focused on controlling what it can control. Happily, Knoxville is a hot spot for the right kind of customers.
“They’re moving in here with suitcases of money from California and New York, driving the prices up,” van Tilburg said. “It’s ridiculous.”
And Tindell’s is built to take advantage of it.
In the hallway of Tindell’s home of ce, Carl Tindell, points to a photo of his grandmother when she was a child.
Zuern Building Products & Design Center Arnold Lumber Co.
Chad Finnigan Kodiak Building Partners Spahn & Rose Lumber Co.
Tom Ford
The NLBMDA studies the law
A LUMBER-CENTRIC VIEW OF THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT.
By HBSDealer Staff
The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association has been closely following the progress of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law on July 4. It passed in the Senate by a vote of 51-50. It passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 218-214. The NLBMDA provided the following overview:
All Republicans voted in favor of the bill with the exceptions of Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), who sided in opposition with Democrats.
A highly controversial bill, OBBBA has drawn criticism for its measures that reduce funding for Medicaid, social programs and green energy incentives.
While NLBMDA has not taken an endorsement position on the entirety of the divisive legislation, the reconciliation bill served as a legislative vehicle to deliver a series of historic victories for NLBMDA
on behalf of the industry. The sweeping reconciliation package includes several provisions that NLBMDA fought hard to include during the legislative drafting process. NLBMDA’s advocacy work on the tax bill began immediately following the 2024 election and in April, NLBMDA members met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill during our annual legislative y-in to coalesce support for NLBMDA-supported provisions.
NLBMDA victories include:
Full Expensing (100% Bonus Depreciation): OBBBA retroactively reinstates 100% bonus depreciation for quali ed property placed in service after January 19, 2025. The Senate strengthened this provision by making it permanent tax policy, a change NLBMDA strongly advocated for.
Section 199A: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) created the Section 199A deduction to ensure pass-through
businesses received tax treatment comparable to the newly lowered corporate rate. OBBBA makes this deduction permanent for pass-through entities.
Housing Tax Credit: The Tax package proposes a new 12.0 percent Housing Credit allocation increase that would be permanent. OBBBA lowers the private activity bond test threshold from 50% to 25%. Economic forecasters have estimated that this provision will lead to the creation and restoration of over 1 million affordable homes over the next decade.
State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction: The SALT deduction is capped at $10,000. OBBBA raises the cap to $40,000 starting in 2025, with phaseouts beginning for individuals earning more than $500,000. Additionally, OBBBA strengthens the deduction for passthrough businesses by removing a House provision that would have limited their ability to fully utilize the deduction.
Workforce Development: OBBBA includes language from the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, legislation supported by NLBMDA. This provision expands the exibility of Section 529 savings plans to cover more workforce training and credentialing opportunities in the skilled trades.
Estate “Death” Tax: OBBBA locks in permanent death tax relief along with many other positive tax provisions for America’s family businesses.
OBBBA increases the uni ed estate, gift, and GST exemptions to $15 million per individual and $30 million per couple, indexed for in ation. Importantly, this change is made permanent, which means we will no longer face a scal cliff where the exemption is scheduled to automatically snap back. We have made great progress over the past two decades on the death tax (in 2001, the exemption was $675,000 and the rate was 55%) and this latest change ushers in the least-burdensome death tax policy since we constituted the Family Business Coalition.
Central Network Retail Group named Craig Cowart as company president. Cowart had been serving as chief operating of cer for CNRG since January 2024. Cowart replaces John Sieggreen as CNRG president. Sieggreen, Orgill’s EVP - Retail, will retire from Orgill during the second quarter of 2026. Cowart brings decades of leadership experience across the home improvement industry to his new role. He has held senior positions at Marvin’s, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, and most recently as CEO of Fulcrum Building Group.
Jason Plummer, President of R.P. Lumber Co., Inc., joined the board of directors of LBM Advantage, the New Windsor, N.Y.-based lumber co-op. A second-generation leader in the building materials industry, Plummer brings a wealth of experience and insight to the cooperative. Plummer has also been an active advocate for the industry through his long-standing service on the Illinois Lumber and Material Dealers Association Board of Directors, including a term as president.
Kirk Blanchette succeeded Brian Carlson as president of Huber Engineered Woods. Blanchette brings more than 25 years of experience in nance, corporate strategy and leadership to the role. Previously he was CFO and VP of strategy. Prior to joining HEW in 2012, Blanchette held numerous roles in the venture capital and private equity industries, most recently as a Partner at Seguin Partners, a middle-market-focused fund. Carlson retired July 1.
Stanley Black & Decker named Christopher Nelson as the company’s next president and CEO, effective October 1, 2025. Nelson joined Stanley Black & Decker from Carrier in 2023 and currently serves as Stanley Black & Decker’s COO and executive vice president and president of the tools & outdoor business. He will succeed Donald Allan, Jr., who has served as CEO since July 2022. Nelson will join the Board of Directors upon assuming the CEO role.
Leadership team expands at Kuiken Brothers
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Fair Lawn, New Jerseybased Kuiken Brothers has appointed three regional managers to oversee the company’s nine locations throughout New Jersey and New York: Matt Berger, Michael Kuiken and Jeff Wood.
The move is part of an overhauled leadership structure to support the company’s continued growth.
In tandem with these appointments, Kuiken Brothers has named Jose Silva as Senior Operations Strategy Manager, a newly created role focused on accelerating organizational ef ciency and innovation. Silva will lead strategic process improvements, data analysis and the implementation of technology-based solutions that drive companywide performance gains.
This evolution follows the successful formation of the Architectural Millwork Services Department, led by Brian San Giacomo.
“Our reputation is built on more than a century of integrity, craftsmanship and relationships,” said Doug Kuiken, President of Kuiken Brothers. “These leadership enhancements reinforce that foundation and position us for a future of continued innovation, collaboration, and unmatched service for building professionals and their homeowner clients.”
Kuiken Brothers was founded in 1912. In 2017, the company was named the ProDealer of the Year by HBSDealer and the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association.
Left to right: Matt Berger, Michael Kuiken, Jeff Wood
Cowart
Blanchette
Nelson
Plummer
BlueLinx Holdings Inc. appointed Mark Mason as vice president, product management. Mason joins BlueLinx from Stanley Black & Decker and brings 15 years of leadership experience across product management, category management and commercialization. He will lead the company’s product management strategy, overseeing roadmap development, portfolio optimization and cross-functional execution.
Builders FirstSource appointed Gayatri Narayan to the newly created role of president, technology and digital solutions, reporting to CEO Peter Jackson. Her extensive background includes technology-focused leadership roles at PepsiCo, Microsoft and Amazon. At BFS, Narayan will be responsible for the continued development and delivery of innovative digital products and launching digitally enabled business models. She will also lead the company’s Paradigm subsidiary, which provides digital solutions and services for the building products industry.
STIHL appointed Ricky Cacchiotti as vice president of product management and after sales. In this executive role, Cacchiotti will report directly to STIHL President and CEO Chris Keffer, and will oversee the company’s U.S. product management and aftermarket strategy, as well as R&D efforts. Cacchiotti is a 20-year industry veteran, most recently serving at Stanley Black & Decker as director of product development.
Fruitland, Idaho-based Woodgrain has named Todd Dame as its next chief executive of cer, and he’ll assume the role by September 2025. He succeeds Kelly Dame, who served 16 years as CEO. Todd Dame brings over 18 years of experience in the door, millwork, and building products industry—most recently as president of the Woodgrain Distribution Division. Kelly Dame will remain as chairman of the board. Woodgrain operates over 60 manufacturing and warehouse facilities across the United States and South America.
Do it Best , the Fort Wayne, Indiana-based co-op, created new member care team designed to streamline member support across the company and serve as a strategic partner to Do it Best members. Jared Hufford will lead the new team with the title of director of member care. “Jared’s leadership and understanding of our business, and our members’ businesses make him the ideal person to lead this important effort,” said Do it Best President Nick Talarico.
TRUSTED PERFORMANCE
Mason
Narayan
Cacchiotti
Dame
Hufford
Residential
Monthly Retail Sales, not adjusted
HBSDealer Stock Roundup
NOV 10-11, 2025 Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk
Successful coach, executive, and CEO of the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC).
Successful coach, executive, and CEO of the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC).
Don’t miss Odessa’s session on Breaking Ceilings, Building Legacies: The Blueprint for Women Who Lead
Don’t miss Odessa’s session on Breaking Ceilings, Building Legacies: The Blueprint for Women Who Lead ODESSA JENKINS
Since 1982, RESCUE!® has made home pest control cleaner, simpler, and smarter. More than 40 years later, our flagship fly traps continue that tradition. Each one is designed, tested, and made right here in the U.S.A. So when it’s RESCUE!®, you can rest easy knowing you’re using the very best: America’s Fly Trap™.
