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Las Vegas -- During the BMC National Meeting here at the M Resort, the Boise, Idaho-based pro dealer stressed team building and education.

BMC also identified outstanding individual performances. The 88-unit pro dealer recognized Christopher Cysensky as Platinum Salesman of the Year. Cysensky is the outside sales representative for the Pacific Northwest, working in the company's Tacoma, Wash., location. The performance-based award was given Tuesday night during the Sales Awards Ceremony and Dinner.

Ace Hardware Corp.’s paint program is going through a major makeover with Valspar stepping up as a supplier and taking over the co-op’s paint manufacturing facilities. 

Ace and Valspar announced a long-term deal, under which Valspar will manufacture and supply Ace-branded paint products to Ace dealers. The companies also announced that Valspar has acquired Ace Hardware’s paint manufacturing assets, including two manufacturing facilities located near Chicago.

Denis Abrams, CEO of paint maker Benjamin Moore, was fired from his job over a  dinner cruise to Bermuda that was charged to the company’s tab, according to an article in the New York Post. A group of officials from parent company Berkshire Hathaway, owned by billionaire Warren Buffet, showed up at the paint company’s Montvale, N.J., office two weeks ago and escorted Abrams from the building, the Post reported. 

Stanley introduced a new carbide utility blade that it says lasts more than five times longer than competing blades.

The key to the product is Carbide Blade Technology, which provides increased blade life, maintains first-cut sharpness and offers snap resistance.

Tim-Br Marts has appointed John Steen as CFO. A senior financial executive, Steen has operational experience across a range of sectors, primarily in agribusiness/retail, manufacturing, oil and gas, and energy.

Steen, who will be based out of the company’s Calgary, AB office, will report directly to president and CEO Tim Urquhart.

He has held executive roles at a number of organizations, including UFA Co-operative Limited, Ontario Power Authority, and in South Africa at Teves Group. 

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Driving a Chevrolet sponsored by the home center chain founded by his father, Nascar driver Paul Menard won his first race. 

John Menard, founder of Eau Claire, Wis.-based Menards, celebrated the upset victory at the Brickyard 400 with his son at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The win was the first for Paul Menard, after 167 races.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels appointed Do it Best CEO Bob Taylor to the Indiana Economic Development Corp.'s board of directors.

The announcement was made earlier this month during an IEDC board meeting. 

The IEDC describes its mission as growing and retaining Indiana businesses, while attracting new investments to the state. It consists of 12 members appointed by the governor. 

When Larry Fennell, House-Hasson's retiring information systems director, came to the Knoxville, Tenn.-based distributor 26 years ago, there were five computer terminals in the entire business. "Today we have 85 hand-held computers just in the warehouse," he said. "Technology drives every facet of the business."

Lowe’s chairman emeritus Robert Strickland was inducted into the Home Channel Hall of Fame four years ago. As he approached the podium, he seemed as relaxed as you or I might be approaching the office microwave at lunchtime.


“I would like tonight to talk about A, B, C,” he began. And with those three first initials, he launched into a discourse that summed up the lessons learned from a career of successful retailing — or as close a summation as three words can get to a 41-year career.


Mike Yazwinski of Russin Lumber is incoming president of the Northeastern Young Lumber Execs -- elected during the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association's 2011 LBM Expo.

Drive into any Home Depot parking lot and you’ll find a collection of rag-tag pick-up and utility trucks parked near the store’s pro entrance. The owners of the vehicles represent almost one-third of Home Depot’s $66.2 billion in annual sales. Yet they only spend, on average, $5,000 a year apiece. 


Home Depot is where they stop if they run short of something or to grab a few items on their way to a job.