Dealer Profile

While lumber dealers across the country face challenges brought on by a shortage of staff members, Alex McGehee of Anchor Lumber in Silvis, Illinois has an interesting perspective.

Jeff Pardini, third-generation owner of Hills Flat Lumber Co., knew since he was a young boy that he wanted to run the family’s lumberyard.

There was a time about five years ago when Randy Kemp was about to lock the doors at Eskridge Lumber for good.

Like his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather before him, Ryan Ringer says it’s Gold Beach’s connection to the communities it serves that has allowed the company to prosper.

The two Ivey’s Building Materials locations are fairly different, which has helped the company remain diversified regardless of any fluctuations in the building or remodeling markets.

Krempp Lumber has positioned itself for growth throughout the years through what the ownership team refers to as an “unconventional approach” to doing business.

When John Perna returned to Hamilton Building Supply in 2019 with an MBA and deepened industry experience, he set course to implement best practices from companies that he felt were at the top of their game.

Since the third generation took over, the company has rebranded as Zuern Building Products and Design Center, opened a new 70,000 square-foot facility in Slinger, Wisconsin, and purchased a two-location window design center that has introduced the company to the Madison, Wisconsin market.

Located in the unincorporated town of Charm, Ohio, in the heart of one of the country’s largest Amish populations, Keim has adapted to the modern challenges of serving a market that includes cities such as Pittsburgh, and Cleveland with a more traditional employee base made up of 70% Old Order Amish. The results are a $150 million company that is both grounded and growing.

Clearly, a company doesn’t get to a half a billion in sales without knowing what it’s doing, and for CEO Peter Ganahl, it really comes down to three things.