News from National Lumber

Read about what's been happening with the National Lumber Family of Companies.

Steven Kaitz, Margie Kaitz, and Manny Pina of National Lumber

Builders FirstSource Acquires National Lumber

January 5, 2022

We’re excited to announce that Builders FirstSource (BFS) has officially acquired National Lumber and now, for the first time, we are committed to servicing all of New England.

BFS is the largest U.S. supplier of building materials, prefabricated components and value-added services to the professional market segment for residential new construction and repair and remodel. We combine national reach with local expertise and, with the acquisition of National Lumber, operate a leading network of approximately 580 distribution and manufacturing locations with a presence in 42 states.

Like National Lumber, we at BFS are committed to providing exceptional customer service and operating safely in the communities we serve. We will maintain the high standards you have come to expect and work hard every day to earn your business. As such, we expect all current employees to remain with the company following the transaction.

We want to assure you that BFS highly values the local experts you depend on to support your business. Furthermore, National Lumber President Manny Pina will continue to manage the day-to-day operations of the business. The business will continue to operate under the National Lumber name and branding for the foreseeable future. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your current point of contact at National Lumber with any questions or concerns.

We have no plans to change the computer system or any business processes in the near future. We ask that you please continue to send orders and remit payments directly to National Lumber. As the industry’s top supplier of building materials, Builders FirstSource has the ability and resources to help you grow your business. We look forward to a strong continued partnership between our two companies.


Official Press Release

Please visit their website at www.bldr.com to learn more.

Mike McCrobie
Sr. Vice President, Northeast Region
(724) 344-3213 (cell)

Kevin Costa of National Lumber is President of MRLDA effective October 29, 2021

New MRLDA President Announced

Kevin Costa was installed as President of the Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association (MRLDA) on October 29, 2021 at their annual meeting. He has served on the Board for a number of years.

He has worked for the National Lumber Family of Companies since 2002, currently as the company's Business Analyst. Kevin has been instrumental in National Lumber's successful transition to using BisTrack and is currently developing our online store.

When asked about his plans leading the MRLDA, Kevin is enthusiastic about the association's mission to Represent, Unite, Educate, and Support Massachusetts Lumber and Building Materials dealers. One of the main focuses he plans during his tenure is to help guide the Board in continuing to broaden membership beyond the traditional lumberyards to other building material retailers. He points out, "The more members we can have in our organization the louder our voice will be and the stronger our organization will become."

Kevin goes on to say, "Another goal of mine is to communicate to the public at large, and especially young people, the opportunities and important role that our industry plays in not just providing jobs, but paths to careers. Our industry has so many stories of individuals working their way up to be successful members of our communities. I want us to share those stories and excite people to join our vital industry."

David Pelletier promoted to Executive Vice President of National Lumber

Promotion Announced

Effective January 1, 2021 – Continuing a tradition of promoting from within the company, National Lumber has proudly announced the promotion of David Pelletier to Executive Vice President, with oversight of overall operations of the company as well as the inside sales support team. He will report directly to company President Manny Pina.

David Pelletier started with National Lumber as the Vice President of the Installed Sales and Drywall Divisions after the company acquired his operation, Pelletier’s Building Supply, in 2009. Over the first few years, Pelletier also developed sales in the North Central Region of Massachusetts and managed their Gardner and Berlin locations.

In 2015, his role expanded as he was promoted to Vice President of Operations overseeing the operations of all lumberyard locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

In 2018, Pelletier was promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations and spearheaded the company’s ERP conversion to BisTrack™ in the same year.


Official Press Release

Todd Groman promoted to Director of Operations for National Lumber

Promotion Announced

Effective January 1, 2021 – Todd Groman has been promoted to Director of Operations, reporting to David Pelletier, Executive Vice President.

Groman is a thirty-year veteran of the building materials industry. With National Lumber since 2015 in a variety of management roles, Groman has overseen National Millwork, Benjamin Moore Paint, and Operations.

His vast experience comes from having spent half of his career in manufacturing / distribution / wholesale and the other half in retail throughout the Eastern Seaboard, the South, and Midwest. Groman has started distribution centers, sales territories, and new lumberyards in several capacities as General and Regional Manager, entrepreneur, and broker. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northeastern University and an MBA from University of New Hampshire in 2002.


Official Press Release

Dean Wagar promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales for National Lumber

Promotion Announced

Effective January 1, 2021 – Continuing a tradition of promoting from within the company, National Lumber has proudly announced the promotion of Dean Wagar to Senior Vice President of Sales, overseeing all aspects of sales for the company; reporting directly to company President Manny Pina.

Dean Wagar joined National Lumber in 2001 as Sales Manager and for the past 15 years he has held the position of Vice President of Sales responsible for the north territory. His focus has been to build a knowledgeable sales force with a team concept that focuses on the many building solutions the National Lumber Family of Companies offers to its customers. Wagar began his career in the building materials supply industry in 1986 as a manager trainee at Grossman’s, learning the business from the ground up, becoming a store manager in 1990, and going on to manage several locations throughout the Northeast. He then became General Manager for an independent lumberyard in Vermont; and moved to Illinois when he joined Wickes Lumber in 1998 as General Manager.


Official Press Release

William Conkey promoted to Full Line Sales Manager for National Lumber

Promotion Announced

Effective January 1, 2021 – William Conkey has been promoted to Full Line Sales Manager and will report directly to Dean Wagar, Senior Vice President of Sales.

William Conkey brings extensive experience to his new position as Full Line Sales Manager. He has been in the building materials industry his entire life, starting with his parents' retail lumberyard in Belchertown, which included a sawmill for their own pine boards and timbers.

In addition to working from 8-4 at Conkey Lumber over summers during high school and college, he worked part-time, second shift 5-10 at Universal Forest Products (UFP) loading trucks, unloading cars, building trusses, and treating lumber. He also became an EMT for the on-call town ambulance and served as EMT for campus events.

Conkey graduated in 1994 from the Building Materials Management and Technology program at UMass. Universal Forest Products, now known as UFP Industries, hired him as a trainee where he quickly progressed as a Production Manager in NC, to inside sales in PA, to outside sales in MA, and finally Plant Manager in MA for over 5 years. Conkey then worked for Russin Lumber for about 7 years starting in wholesale outside sales across New England, then changed to outside sales for a wide variety of specialty products. He spent the next 7 years with Koopman Lumber as Inside Sales Manager.

Since 2016, Conkey has been with National Lumber as Specialty Sales Manager overseeing the millwork and component sales teams.

Official Press Release

Mike McDole is retiring from National Lumber as of March 31, 2021

McDole Retirement Announced

Mansfield, MA – February 11, 2021 – National Lumber, announces the retirement of Michael McDole, Senior Vice President of Sales, effective March 31, 2021, after nearly 20 years with the company. Until then, he is helping with the transition. McDole joined National Lumber in 2001 as Sales Manager responsible for the territory of southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He was promoted to VP of Sales in 2007, responsible for outside sales eastern and southern coast region.

McDole was a driving force behind National’s expansion into Rhode Island, with the 2010 opening of the location in Warwick. McDole lives in Narragansett, Rhode Island and has been in the building materials business since 1983. He initially worked for 84 Lumber, and then moved to JT’s Lumber in RI where he worked his way up to Vice President/General Manager. He left JT’s in 2000 to start up the Building Supply Channel, Inc. with industry veteran, Greg Brooks. National Lumber uses BSCi Pro as part of their very extensive employee training.

Official Press Release

HBSDealer 2020 ProDealer of the Year National Lumber

2020 HBSDEALER

October 2020 — Mansfield, Mass. — Steven Kaitz of National Lumber, remembers a time in the 1990s when he saw a lumberyard competitor unload a Moffett at a job site somewhere in Massachusetts. His team recognized immediately the efficiencies and the benefits delivered by the portable forklifts that ride piggyback on trucks. And it didn’t take long to jump on the bandwagon in a big way.

“We went out and bought two, and then bought ten more right away,” said Co-CEO Kaitz. “They had one, we had 12. And we even got involved in helping Moffett design their first four-way machines.”

Dipping toes in the water is for other companies. National Lumber dives right in. That’s the mindset that has helped propel National Lumber to its status as a New England powerhouse with 14 retail locations, and a family of related businesses — component manufacturing, millwork, paint stores and kitchen remodeling showrooms among them. Click here or below for full article.


HBSDEALER 2020 ProDealer article (PDF)

National Building Products sign in East Hartford, CT

East Hartford Grand Opening

Mansfield, MA – June 7, 2019 – The National Lumber Family of Companies is pleased to announce the Grand Opening celebration for the public June 21-22 at our newest location, National Building Products in East Hartford, CT.

Everyone Welcome! There will be special sales offerings with free coffee and donuts being served. There will be kitchen designers available to answer questions as people browse through the new showroom.

The location is overseen by General Manager Mark Lefsyk, and many of the employees have worked at this location under other owners in the past. Their experience with providing building materials in the area is helping us make a smoother transition into this new location.

In addition to an array of improvements to the full-service lumberyard, with expanded products offerings in both the lumberyard and hardware store, the renovated East Hartford location also contains a Kitchen Views design showroom that also contains millwork products.

East Hartford store web page

Official Press Release

National Lumber home page screenshot

New Responsive Website

Mansfield, MA – March 7, 2019 – National Lumber is pleased to invite everyone to explore our new responsive website, which is mobile-friendly. Whether you prefer to use a desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone, the website will respond to the page size of the device used.

Navigation has been streamlined to accommodate mobile devices, and the new layout has thumbnail sections that are three across on a desktop or laptop screen. When seen on a smartphone, the thumbnail sections stack for easy scrolling down the page.

Any website is never really finished, and more depth will be added to various sections over the next few weeks. So you are invited to take a look now, and then check back in a few weeks to see what has been added.

Questions or feedback on the new design can be sent using our Contact Form.

Thank you for your interest in the National Lumber Family of Companies.

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Reliable Truss sign in Branford, CT

Expanding in Connecticut

The National Lumber Family of Companies is proud to announce that we are expanding our manufacturing facilities into Connecticut. Reliable Truss and Components now has a truss and wall panel manufacturing facility in Branford, CT. This will allow us to deliver more quickly across Connecticut and beyond.

Contact Tim Collins at Reliable Truss 1-888-80-TRUSS for more information.

New Retail Location

A new lumberyard also opened in January 2019. National Building Products in East Hartford, CT is at the site previously occupied by Builders First Source on Route 5, between I-291 to the north and I-84 to the south.

We've been busy restocking the lumberyard and store with the quality brands we trust to meet your needs. We're also adding a Kitchen Views showroom staffed by an experienced cabinetry specialist.

 

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