Page 6 - Sep-Oct 2025 REPORTER - web optimized

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

OUR METHODS ARE

CHANGING BUT THE DNA

IS CONSTANT

TREVOR SMALL
LBMAO President

sat and listened to a speaker recently who was talking about his This year has been tough on our members. New construction has
I organization and how things had changed. He recalled that the been battered by market forces that have resulted in the slowest
organization had started in the 80s. He reminisced about how things housing growth in 30 plus years in Ontario. Municipal governments’
were back then. Mixed tapes, big hair, pastel Miami Vice blazers with high development fees have slowed growth. Consumers have been
a tee shirt and of course the required Swatch watch. I look back at the challenged with housing becoming increasingly unaffordable, driven
80s with fond memories. I still listen to the “big 80s” channel on my by inflation and mortgage rate increases.
satellite radio, much to the chagrin of my kids. That is the era that I
relate best to. I went through high school and university in the 80s. I What do we do to ensure the success of the independent retail
did a lot of growing up then, but they were still my fun years. I lived at building materials industry in Ontario?
home, no real payments. No mortgage, car payments, wife or kids then. We need to take time to make sure that the customer is being
Times were good. looked after. We need to make sure that training of staff gets updated.
Things have changed a lot in the past 40 plus years. I am a husband, Training is one of the best ways to make sure that customers are
father, and grandfather. I have gone from being looked after by my getting their needs met. Increasingly, people can buy goods via the
parents to looking out for them. I no longer wear acid washed anything internet and have them sent to their homes. We need to make sure that
and my hair is a bit thinner now than it was then. But like the speaker our technology is updated and that our people know how to use it. I
who indicated that while his organization’s methods have changed spoke with a contractor recently and he described how he could text
since the 1980s, the DNA has not. This is much like the LBMAO. We one of our members and get things ordered for delivery to the site the
have a history that goes back longer than the 80s but our core values following day. He was able to do this after the store was closed. That
have not changed even though our methods have. supplier has established a special place as his #1 retailer of building
When the LBMAO was first formed, the goal was for the group materials. Amazon would have a difficult time breaking this bond.
to work together as a collective to help make sure that the members We didn’t have texting or internet shopping when the LBMAO
could compete successfully. We still have these same goals. We want began. We didn’t even have these things when I was enjoying the big
the independent lumber and building materials industry in Ontario to hair and fashion looks of the 80s. Our goal back then, as it is now, was
compete successfully. to make sure that independent retail building materials dealers and
Over the 108 years that we have been established, we have their suppliers were successful. The LBMAO is working to make sure we
changed our methods to ensure members succeeded but the goal has have updated our methods to build your success in 2025 and beyond.
never wavered. We work to make sure that members and their staff Please let me know if there are items you would like us to tackle.
are trained and equipped. We are working to grow the retail building Email me at tsmall@lbmao.on.ca
materials industry in Ontario. We work with other outside groups that
are involved in the industry to grow and expand our markets.

6 LBMAO Reporter - September-October 2025 www.lbmao.on.ca