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Throwback Thursday: Show time with John Walker

3/5/2018
The March 22, 1976, issue of National Home Center News, the forerunner of HBSDealer, included coverage of the first-ever Home Center Show, which took place in Chicago.

NHCN photographers captured this shot of John A. Walker (left), Lowe’s executive VP of sales and profits, conversing with J. Roger Friedman, president of Lebhar-Friedman, the parent company of HBSDealer.

The topic of conversation is long forgotten, but Walker’s reputation as an outstanding salesman remains intact, more than 40 years since the publication of the photo.

Walker enjoyed a long career at Lowe’s. He also was an active alumnus and fundraiser for Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., where the Walker College of Business is named in his honor. Walker died in 1984.

The Home Center Show eventually closed as consolidation of home centers depleted its core audience.

Friedman continues to contribute to HBSDealer on a daily basis from his office at the company headquarters in New York City.
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