Throwback Thursday: Two decades of Pro Dealers
As the 2022 ProDealer Industry Summit moves closer to welcoming the industry to Washington, D.C., this week's Throwback Thursday segment looks back to the 2003 event.
The October 2003 issue of Home Channel News, the forerunner of HBSDealer, led with event coverage on the front page.
One of the topics addressed was the impact of the big boxes on the building supply channel.
Paul Hylbert, then the CEO of Lanoga and currently the chairman of Kodiak Building Partners, offered this advice: "My guess is that initiatives on the part of all three big boxes [Home Depot, Lowe's and Menards] could be more successful on the pro side. The last thing we should think is that we have them at bay, because of their financial resources."
Those financial resources have compounded significantly in the last 20 years.
The event also included ProDealer of the Year awards. Accepting the national award was 84 Lumber, which at the time had just crossed the $2 billion-in-sales milestone.
Accepting the Independent Pro Dealer of the Year Award was Truitt & White of Berkley, Calif. On hand to accept were Dan and Patty White, who by coincidence were also celebrating their wedding anniversary. A cake was served, along with the award.
"This is a great industry," said Dan White, CEO. "We provide the housing and shelter for people and that's something very special."
