Looking back on a hardware career
Indianapolis -- Jay Brown says he's been lucky during his career in hardware.
"I've been really fortunate to be in this industry," he said. "When my feet hit the floor in the morning, I always say 'I get to go to work today.'"
Not that there hasn't been challenges -- and pressures -- to respond to the demands of customers, shareholders and members at various times in his career.
Brown, who is retiring at the end of the year, has spent his entire career serving the home improvement industry. Early on, he worked for Associated Lumber Marts in Minnesota, a 3-store chain affiliated with Our Own Hardware (who merged with Hardware Wholesalers, Inc. in 1998 to form Do it Best Corp.). Prior to joining the Do it Best team, Brown spent 20 years at the Valspar Corporation in numerous leadership roles, including national sales and marketing manager and senior general manager.
During the co-op's Fall Market here, Brown spoke to a small group of media on a variety of topics.
On economic predictions for 2017:
"We use a lot of outside resources to help us forecast, and everything we hear suggests that 2017 is going to be a very very robust year, particularly on the front half. Some are predicting growth in the low double digits. If it gets anywhere close to that, things will be exciting."
On investment in growth:
"Do it Best Corp. is heavily investing in programs to help members grow, remodel or add a location, we retooled that entire program about a year ago so the incentives are as strong as they've ever been. Not only on product pricing, but we are making available loans at prime less one percent. That has been a very, very well received program."
On the growth of LBM sales:
"The building materials side of the business is improving significantly. Even though lumber and panel pricing has been very distressed, we saw tremendous growth in board footage last year. We have sold tens of millions more board feet last year than the prior year, and we expect that growth to continue. We know we gained market share. And this year, we're seeing pricing improvements, too."
On retail adoption of co-op programs:
"We've always been dedicated to menus not mandates. We have 163 different programs to take out to members. Our members are running hard and working hard, and they can only take on so much at one time. One program that's really starting to go is Best Rewards. We worked on that a long time to get that where we want it to be, and it's gaining traction."
On the next generation:
"I think succession planning is a big challenge. We have 10,000 people a day turning 65 in this country. On the positive side are programs like our Leadership Development Institute. When you see that group, it gives you great hope for the future of the industry."
Brown joined Do it Best Corp. in 2004 as VP of merchandising before becoming VP of sales and business development three years later. In that time, he’s been instrumental in the development and implementation of numerous strategic, member-focused programs and other retail-performance enhancements designed to help current members grow their businesses while also attracting new members to the co-op.
In addition to leading the co-op’s team of professional sales consultants, Brown oversees the Do it Best Corp. Retail Performance and INCOM Distributor Supply teams, as well as its International division and member services department, helping the co-op grow sales annually while maintaining its consistently high member rebates. Do it Best Corp. sales surpassed $3 billion for its fiscal year ending June 25, 2016.
The co-op expects to name a successor this fall.
"Jay has truly embodied what it means to be a servant leader each and every day, and our members and staff are better as a result of it,” said Do it Best Corp. President & CEO Dan Starr, in a statement announcement his retirement. “We are grateful to Jay for his years of service and commitment to making this co-op and his community a better place.”