M A R K E T INN S I G H T S Here are 14 passionate professionals whose stories reflect the successes and the strategies of the 2016 hardware and building supply industry. J imm L e h hree r, r Past chairman, Do it Best Jim Lehrer stepped down as the chairman of the board of the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Do it Best Corp., but he remains an active board member. And more importantly, according to the co-op’s CEO Dan Starr, Lehrer re- mains “a lifelong cheerleader for our industry and a committed supporter of independent businesses.” As the owner and operator of Brownsboro Hardware & Paint in Lou- isville, Kentucky, Lehrer has piled up the local and national awards -- from Best of Kentuckiana from the local television station to Hardware All Star from HBSDealer. And he’s a big believer in the co-op model. His message to fellow dealers: “Simply put, you own this co-op and the more you support it, the more you will gain from rebates and industry- leading programs.” E ricc Z i e dr icc h, President, Healdsburg Lumber 24 A lot of deal- ers are involved in their commu- nity. But not all run for mayor, and win. Twice. Healdsburg Lumber presi- dent Eric Zied- rich is a two-time mayor of Healds- burg, Calif., and serves on the city council, as well as president of the North Coast Builders Exchange. He’s also found the time to lead a lumberyard to HBSDealer Indepen- dent Pro Dealer of the Year status, owing largely to the dealer’s excep- tional community involvement in Sonoma County. “I formally joined this industry over 33 years ago, though it has been part of my gene pool for my entire life,” he said. “A significant number of our staff have been part of the Healds- burg Lumber family for a quarter-cen- tury and longer. To be selected as the recipient of this award, representing an industry that so many of us have dedicated our lives to, makes it all the more precious.” J o na at h a an n K e n n e d y,y, CEO, T.H. Rogers Lumber Co. The T.H. Rogers Lumber Company CEO is a big believer in supporting those on the front lines. Edmond, Oklahoma-based T.H. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER Rogers, which just received the honor of 2016 Pro Dealer of the Year from HBSDealer, makes a point to place the emphasis on its people with an Employee Stock Ownership plan. The employees own roughly 40% of the company, creating an atmosphere of motivation and teamwork. “Our company’s success is directly and solely tied to the hard work and commitment of our employees,” Ken- nedy said. “Anyone who has been in our industry for any length of time knows that any sustained success is tied directly to hard work. It is truly in- spiring to be able to work with people who bring an unmatched work ethic to our company each and every day.” The sense of shared responsibility doesn’t end there for Kennedy. Also high on his list: being a good corpo- rate citizen and community member. “The majority of store members and employees were born and raised in their store’s communities, so we really do have a hometown feel to our operations,” he said. S c ototottt Y a t e s , President, Denver Lumber Company This October, Scott Yates handed the gavel over to George Lester after completing his year as chair of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association. He left his imprint on the NLBMDA with a combination of friendly sales- HBSDealer.com