Highlights from the LBM CEO Summit
From industrialized construction to the U.S.-Canada lumber trade dispute; and from digital commerce to mergers and acquisitions, the inaugural LBM CEO Summit took on many of the major topics—both challenges and opportunities—facing industry leaders.
The wide range of talking points at the event—hosted jointly by HBSDealer and the Misura Group, the executive recruiting firm—were matched by a wide range of attendees. The list included the chief executives of Builders’ FirstSource, US LBM and Kodiak Building Partners, as well as leaders representing independent dealers from the East Coast and beyond the Mississippi River.
The historic New York Athletic Club overlooking Central Park set the stage for the summit.
“We are thrilled with the quality of the engagement and the discussion at this year’s summit," said John Kenlon, publisher of HBSDealer. "The LBM industry is at a pivotal moment, and providing leaders across the industry with the right information to make informed decisions and the right connections to make them happen—that’s what the event set out to achieve."
In addition to detailed financial reports, forecasts and analytics, the event included the human side of growth—including a presentation from Will Aubuchon, fourth generation CEO of The Aubuchon Company.
A marquee presentation, moderated by industry consultant Ruth Kellick-Grubbs, brought together the insights of L.T. Gibson, Peter Jackson and Steve Swinney, the respective chiefs of US LBM, Builders FirstSource and Kodiak Building Partners.
To kick off the event, widely respected housing industry analyst Ivy Zelman shared insights from her firm’s proprietary research. Industry leaders from Zonda, Pennsylvania Lumbermen’s Mutual, and Toolbx also participated in the fast-paced event.
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Ivy Zelman kicked off the event on opening night.
Tony Misura, CEO of the Misura Group, led a discussion with Russ Kathrein, VP of lumber and building products at Do it Best. The session, the Anatomy of Vendor Negotiations, “was packed with valuable strategies for leveling the playing field,” said Misura. “It was great to be part of such an engaging conversation."
As for the Summit in its entirety, Misura added: "It was amazing to see the CEOs of our industry collaborating with incredible openness and generosity sharing strategic perspectives with each other. It’s a great honor to be a part of industry with thoughtful, brilliant and engaging leaders.”
