HBSDaily

New Orleans -- As far as dealer markets go, Orgill's approach is different than other wholesale distributors in the industry. At the very least, there's no official general session where the executives get on stage to deliver carefully prepared statements about the company’s new initiatives.

Jerry Howard, CEO the National Association of Home Builders, will speak at the Spring Meeting & Legislative Conference. He will join Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) at the Washington Briefing Breakfast April 1.

Howard has worked as a legislative analyst at the National Association of Realtors, the chief lobbyist for the National Council of State Housing Agencies, and tax counsel  for the NAHB. He was promoted to NAHB's executive VP and CEO in February 2001. 

The 2017 class of Stihl Hardware All Stars come from all 50 states — and they each bring something unique to the table. Of course, there are common traits among the honorees — community service, perseverance and patience are among them.

The following three All-Star honorees reflect the variety of retail styles in the Class of 2017, and they also reflect the basic core of a Hardware All Star.

Central Garden & Pet Company might have posted a widened loss in the fourth quarter, but the bigger picture of its fiscal 2015 performance told a very different story.

Sales increased 3% to $1.65 billion for the year, and net income soared to $32.0 million from just $8.8 million last year.

Gross profit also got a nice bump of 7.5%, and operating income was up 63% to $91.4 million.

If there’s one stereotype Sue Shaw, owner of Shaw Hardware in Plattsmouth, Neb., is in a position to disqualify, it’s that husbands are equally or more involved than their wives in running a hardware store.

“My husband said it was cheaper to buy me a store than let me keep shopping in them,” said Shaw. “So I took over the store and I run it by myself pretty much.”

Stanley Black & Decker, the world’s largest tool manufacturer, has formed a strategic partnership with Sunflower Labs, a San Francisco-based startup focused on home security products. The move provides Stanley Black & Decker an entry into the surveillance drone market.

Under terms of the partnership, Stanley Black & Decker and Sunflower Labs will work together on new and innovative security solutions, the companies said in a press release.

Central Garden & Pet Company has named two new independent directors to its board, effective immediately.

Joining the company's existing seven directors are George Roeth and Thomas Colligan.

Roeth is a former exec at The Clorox Company, where he worked for 27 years. His most recent role was as COO and executive VP, during which time he led the execution of the strategic plan and delivered progress in sales, customer satisfaction and cost-cutting.

Central Garden & Pet Company has acquired K&H Manufacturing, a producer of pet supplies and heated pet products.

K&H sells branded pet products under the K&H and K&H Pets brands, which span dog and cat, small animal, and farm and ranch.

K&H has been in business for 20 years, and its patented heating products, as well as products with cooling and other thermal properties, are a strong strategic fit with Central’s existing pet portfolio.