THINKING AHEAD

By Dave Destiche

Kicking up service during the pandemic

Iwas making my way back from the NAWLA Leadership Summit 2020 in March of last year when the COVID-19 pandemic got real, at least for me. Ironically, many of us at the event were downplaying the virus, not realizing the magnitude and gravity it would take on. I was in for a rude awakening, though, which came courtesy of a phone call from Amerhart’s director of HR. A passenger who tested positive had traveled through our small airport a day earlier, she informed me, adding that I would have to quarantine for the next two weeks. I’ve been working from home ever since.

The fallout from the health crisis came fast and furious after that, with Amerhart forced to adapt alongside its peers and the rest of the world. We experienced many of the same setbacks and challenges as everyone else; but, all in all, we’re getting through it effectively and with mini-

About NAWLA

North American Wholesale Lumber Association is the association that delivers unparalleled access to relationships and resources that improve business strategy and performance through sales growth, cost savings, and operational efficiencies for wholesalers and manufacturers of forest products and other building materials that conduct business in North America. Learn how NAWLA can help your business at nawla.org. mal disruption. Indeed, we expect to come out stronger than ever on the other side. A huge part of the reason for our success thus far is our COVID response team, which has spent countless hours sifting tirelessly through piles of information and filtering the accurate and pertinent details to employees.

At the same time, a lot of other “chips” have fallen into place. For instance, because one pillar of our strategic plan is technology investment, our teams were well-positioned for the transition to telework. Perhaps one of the biggest factors, however, was customer buy-in to Amerhart’s first-rate online platform that debuted in early 2019. As it turns out, the system would help us further improve our already impeccable service despite the unfortunate circumstances. Bending Over Backwards for the Customer

The e-commerce site lets customers access any information they need, around the clock and without having to speak to their assigned sales rep. They are able to retrieve product specifications, place orders, review invoices, and reconcile billing questions, among other capabilities. The system was intended to make doing business with Amerhart easier; but this is a people-based industry, where face-to-face interaction is preferred, so some resistance was to be expected. As the pandemic deepened and workplace restrictions took effect, acceptance of and appreciation for the platform took off. It subsequently evolved into the invaluable resource

A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association

we intended it to be and granted us, through the sheer knowledge and accessibility of our company through the platform, the opportunity to better serve the customer base.

With the ability to be in front of the customer a thing of the past, at least for the time being, Amerhart salespeople are going above and beyond to see that the needs of those customers are met. It is not a company edict—but more of a personal mandate—that has encouraged many of our salespeople and employees to adopt a “response rule.” They only give themselves a limited amount of time, maybe five or 10 minutes, to reply to a customer’s phone call, voice mail, or email and get them the information they have requested.

Stepping up service has also meant doing double-duty as a consultant to customers that are facing adversity during this unprecedented crisis. Our salespeople understand the capacity of their customers and what they manufacture and, therefore, are in a position to advise them on other prospective opportunities.

We might, for example, steer a manufacturer that is sidelined from its primary business at the moment to subcontract with other customers. The company that is in trouble could then use its existing machinery and equipment to make a product that may not be part of their regular lineup but that is in demand.

As another example, Amerhart now offers a product that has an anti-microbial surface, which more than ever

NAWLA Virtual Summit Spotlights Insight from Leading Women

From the latest industry updates to networking with lumber professionals, the 2021 NAWLA Leadership Summit: The Virtual Experience will be the place to be (virtually, of course) this spring. Join us online to learn valuable leadership lessons from experts in the field.

That includes a special keynote panel discussion with female leaders in the industry on March 17. They will provide insight into their experiences, both as women and as leaders within the wholesale lumber industry. Through their stories, you’ll learn how they navigated their unique career paths, the challenges they face in the current business climate and opportunities they identify for growth.

Featured will be Ashlee Cribb, senior VP/CCO, Roseburg Forest Products; 2021 NAWLA Chair Bethany Doss, business manager, Capital Lumber; Darcy Mercer, training & development manager, Olympic Industries; and Donna Whitaker, VP-SYP sales & marketing, Interfor Corp.

In total, the Leadership Summit will present more than five hours of thought-provoking and motivational education sessions, and leave you with actionable ideas and business strategies to boost your business in 2021.

Find more info at www.nawla.org. is invaluable to sectors of our industry such as hospitality, medical, educational, and gaming. It’s the same material the customer always uses to build cabinets and work surfaces, but with added peace of mind—a selling point to show that the customer is taking steps to combat the spread of the virus.

The more helpful you are in easing a customer’s pain, the more valuable you are to them. There’s no more truth to it than now, during this pandemic, when customers are arguably feeling more pain than they have ever before. If you can help them get through it, you become way more relevant to them and the relationship you share only strengthens.

Showing customers how much they matter has been crucial, but demonstrating care and concern for workers has been equally important. Amerhart has gone to great lengths to do that as well, from allowing staff to take sick days without using their paid leave, to expanding employee benefits to include consultation services for well-being, to investing in specialty disinfection services at company headquarters. Even in the most uncertain of business environments, we firmly believe that the safety and well-being of our coworkers is top priority! If you don’t have your people, then you don’t have a business. Use Your Core

All of the steps we took, whether aimed at customers or targeted to employees, align directly with Amerhart’s corporate values. They fall under four groupings: Together, Inspire, Community, Build. The subcategories under the Together heading—teamwork, integrity, positive attitude, and alignment—especially speak to what we’re going through today, in too many ways to name here. But teamwork, in particular, is essential. You must trust in your team to do their jobs, from wherever they are, and to the best of their abilities. Alignment is also key at this time, given the fractured office environment. With so many employees working remotely, ensuring that everybody is on the same page—and communicating accordingly—has never been more imperative.

If your business does not have corporate values, create them! They are so much more than just nice words on the home page of your website. If you do have them already, make sure they remain relevant and in the forefront of your coworkers’ and customers’ minds. Bring attention to colleagues’ actions that reflect these values, in or out of the workplace. This is the foundation in creating your company’s experience and culture. With these, not only will you survive these trying times, but you will come out of this and other hardships stronger than before.

– Dave Destiche is vice president of marketing/sales for Amerhart, Green Bay, Wi. (www.amerhart.com).

Tami Kessler, executive director, Southern Forest Products

Association, Metairie, La., will retire on April 2 after nearly 45 years with SFPA. Eric Gee stepped into the role as executive director on Feb. 1. Bethany Cypher has been promoted to VP of real estate & development for 84 Lumber, Eighty-Four, Pa. Michael McDole, senior vice president of sales, National

Lumber, Mansfield, Ma., is retiring March 31 after nearly 20 years with the chain. Dean Wagar will succeed him as senior VP of sales. David Pelletier is now executive VP. Taylor Richardson has been promoted to the sales team at

United Treating & Distribution, Muscle Shoals, Al. He is the eldest son of VP of sales Darren Richardson. Shawn Surprenant, L&W Supply, has been promoted to branch mgr. in Hampton, Va. Harry Wood is now branch mgr. in Trenton, N.J. Ryan McInerney has joined the executive team at Weston

Forest, Mississauga, Ont., and has been promoted to

VP-industrial sales. Chris Dooley, ex-Trex, has joined Vista Railing Systems,

Maple Ridge, B.C., as VP-business development of its commercial multifamily division, VistaPro Architectural

Railing Solutions. Tom Killy is new as VP-corporate finance. Allen Prough has been promoted to president of Kodiak

Building Partners’ seven-unit Factory Builder Stores division, Houston, Tx. Gary DuBoff, president, Arrow Fastener, Saddle Brook,

N.J., has been promoted to group president, CEO for parent GreatStar Tools USA. Colton Nye is exiting the construction trade and taking over as mgr. of the family business, Nye Lumber, Onida, S.D. Lytia Watson, ex-AZEK, has joined Deceuninck North

America, Monroe, Oh., as VP of human resources.

Brian Haigis is the new VP of finance & accounting, succeeding Logan Arumugam, who is retiring after 30 years with the company. Celeste Wegener has been appointed VP of product & brand management for ODL, Inc., Zeeland, Mi. John Brinker has joined Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne,

In., as a lumber sales support coordinator. Also new are

Tiffany Cooper, order support specialist; Jim Scalfani, merchandise mgr.-outdoor living; and Ben Skoog, director of brand integration. Newly promoted are Sara

Kitzmiller, sales support coordinator; Angela Powe, consumer marketing coordinator; and Maggie Radyn, associate merchandise mgr.-hardware. Michael Doss, president and CEO, Graphic Packaging

International, has been elected board chair of the

American Forest & Paper Association, succeeding Mark

Sutton, International Paper. He will be joined by 1st vice chair Christian Fischer, Georgia-Pacific, and 2nd vice chair Brian McPheely, Pratt Industries. Ken Barnum has joined Dur-A-Flex, East Hartford, Ct., as

VP of marketing. Patrick O’Connell is the new director of operations, quality & continuous improvement. Mike Willey, store mgr., 84 Lumber, Annapolis, Md., was named one of the 2020 Faces of the Chesapeake by

What’s Up? Media. Brock Lee is now serving vegan options at the company cafeteria at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

3D PRINTED homes from Mighty Buildings range from the 350-sq. ft. Mighty Mod studio (upper), which starts at $186,750, to one- or two-bedroom Mighty Houses (lower), which range from 864 to 1,440 sq. ft. and start at $304,000.

Will the Homes of the Future Be Built Using 3D Printers?

Although various international companies are using 3D printers to produce an assortment of construction materials, an Oakland, Ca.-based startup is determined to “print” an entire modular house out of plastic polymer and minerals.

Backed by $30 million in venture capital funding, Mighty Buildings vows to construct houses quicker, cheaper and greener. Currently, about 30% of their studios and tiny one- and two-bedroom homes are 3D printed. The company claims buildings printed later this year will be 60% to 80% 3D printed.

It says that cost savings will come with volume production, but the ecological advantages are here already: the process reportedly cuts construction waste by 99%, because only what is needed is printed. The resultant “light stone material” is reportedly the fi rst 3D-printed product to be UL-certifi ed for home construction.

So far, they have installed six small “accessory dwelling units,” which the homeowners intend to use as secondary homes or rental units. Mighty Buildings has the capacity to crank out 20 structures a month. That capacity should increase to about 80 by year’s end.