An LBM Travel Blog – Final Entry
Austin Tillotson
- Yesler
- September 7, 2022
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Austin went rogue – but he’s back to give you one last update on his LBM road trip! It’s been great seeing someone so young be this passionate about what he does. The future of this industry is in great hands. If you’d like to tell us your experience meeting Austin, share your story with us here!
Here’s Austin
Hey everybody, our recent journey to the East Coast has just wrapped up, and most recently, in Missouri and Mississippi, meeting and learning from a few different lumber companies.
Our first stop was Herrman Lumber, based out of Joplin, Missouri – founded in 1917! Herrman supplies the region with its building materials needs as a comprehensive materials supplier with 6 locations in the area. I was able to meet with Purchasing Assistant, Sam Short. Sam was thoughtful, although I wasn’t able to meet with the Head Purchaser. Sam gave me some good information and taught me a lot about what they do. Along with dimensional lumber, Herrman also carries a wide array of engineered lumber and other building materials.
The next place we visited was Miller Lumber, in Richland, Mississippi, just outside of the capital, Jackson. Miller Lumber specializes in cedar, cypress and pine lumber. I was able to meet with Alan Walters, the Head Purchaser there. He gave me valuable insights into their business operations and how they find success more generally. He let me walk the entire facility after we had completed our discussion, which was nice.
Lastly, I was also able to see one of our loyal customers on this latest leg of our trip. We spoke for a while, catching up and discussing our businesses. We took his golf cart around his facility and just enjoyed time together. I can’t express how great it was to see him, as he has been a real mentor for me in this industry. Shoutout to Michael!
To date, these are all the states my wife and I have visited. I’m so grateful for the journey we’ve taken and all of the things I learned along the way. Thanks all for following along:
Colorado • New Mexico • Arizona • California • Oregon • Washington • Idaho • Utah • Wyoming • Nebraska • Kansas • Iowa • Missouri • Illinois • Kentucky • Indiana • West Virginia • Virginia • North Carolina • South Carolina • Georgia • Florida
