Sallie Keene Denton is a Business Development Representative at Wilson Lumber in Huntsville, Alabama. Holding a degree in Interior Design from Auburn University, she practiced for 10 years before moving to the LBM side of construction. In 2022, she saw an opportunity to better utilize her Interior Design background to introduce the Wilson Lumber brand, products, and experience earlier in the building process to designers and architects making key decisions and specifications before construction. Her efforts are helping to close the gap between designer, builder, and supplier all while providing the design community with solutions for building materials. Sallie was named a member of the 2023 class of LBM 40 under 40. In her free time, Sallie enjoys exploring Huntsville with her husband and daughter.
2023
Having served at Walker Lumber & Supply for 30 years, Russ Vantrease brings a wealth of knowledge to the LBM world. He has been on the front line as the industry has evolved, and he remains a thought leader and valuable resource as Walker Lumber & Supply’s store manager and member of its executive leadership team.
As one of the first graduates of Walker Lumber & Supply’s “Second Chance Program,” David Blair has since excelled in every position in which he has served at Walker Lumber & Supply. He now leads the company’s Second Chance Program, as well as serving as its yard manager and member of its executive leadership team.
Jonathan (Jon) Newbury owns and operates Newbury Homes Inc., a fine homebuilding company serving Northern Michigan. Jon started his career in the mid–1980s building homes while he was also a nationally ranked athlete, competing in cross-country ski and cycling races. From there, he established a high-end staircase and cabinet company and eventually expanded into building custom homes. With over 40 years of experience, Jon is passionate about every detail of the building process and is constantly evolving his methods and techniques while working to create a positive organizational culture. When not on the jobsite, Jon enjoys spending time with his wife, daughters, and grandchildren, and you can often find him cycling the rolling hills north of Harbor Springs or relaxing on his antique Chris-Craft boat.
Wendy is the President of Stine Lumber, a family-owned chain of home improvement stores and the largest building materials supplier in Louisiana. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from McNeese State University. Throughout her 30-plus years at Stine, she has held several positions including Store manager, Corporate Purchasing Buyer and Director of Merchandising. Wendy has also managed special projects for the company such as Hurricane Maria US Virgin Islands Rebuild Program and the Stine Home Builder & Pro Expo. She is active in community efforts serving on the Board of Directors for Chamber SWLA and the Southwest Louisiana Better Business Bureau.
As Kodiak Building Partners’ VP of HR, Jenny has 16+ years of LBM industry expertise and manages HR functions and leads initiatives, including M&A HR diligence and integration for 25+ acquisitions and optimizing payroll and tracking systems. Progressing from HR Manager at the Latin American Youth Center and HR Generalist at TW Perry, Jenny ascended to Senior Director and VP roles at Kodiak, fueling departmental growth. She is also honored as an LBM Journal 40 Under 40 and featured in Hispanic Executive Magazine for leadership. Beyond her role, Jenny actively contributes to non-profits and mentors at the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation.
Rachel serves as president and majority owner of Preston Feather Building Centers, a 108-year-old supplier to homebuilders in Northwest Michigan. Rachel earned an economics and management degree from Albion College. After graduating, she obtained her CPA, and as an assurance manager she led audit and advisory engagements for manufacturing, engineering, and construction clients across the country. In 2015 the Jabara family acquired Preston Feather Building Centers, and a year later Rachel moved home to northern Michigan to lead the company’s operations, finance, technology, and human resources. She purchased the majority of the business in 2021 and is grateful to be the steward of Preston Feather’s legacy, pursuing a vision to provide faster build cycles for the community and making the lives of everyone impacted by Preston Feather better.
CJ Young is from Jay, N.Y.; a small-town of 2,000 folks where the largest employer is Ward Lumber. As a child, they learned how to build Adirondack Chairs from pine purchased at Ward lumber but never worked there until recently. Hired in 2020, CJ quickly moved into the Yard & Shipping Manager position before being promoted to Operations Manager in 2022. Since starting, Ward Lumber became an Employee Owned Cooperative and CJ is now a Worker Owner. Due to the nature of her current position, CJ is able to work remotely and lives in Rutland, Vermont with their partner.
John Perna is the president, CEO and co-owner of Hamilton Building Supply, a 2021 LBM Journal Dealer of the Year. Hamilton serves custom home builders and remodelers throughout New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. John built his career in LBM, working in construction, sales, operations, and management capacities. Prior to joining Hamilton Building Supply as president, John held executive roles with other LBM organizations, as a director of operational effectiveness and national sales manager. John holds an MBA from the Villanova School of Business and has been recognized for both the ProSales 4 Under 40 and LBM Journal 40 Under 40.
In his seven years in the LBM industry, David has become a well-respected manager and someone his team can count on for leadership and honest feedback. He gives his team a voice and a sense of ownership, which in turn helps engagement. David serves on the board of directors for the Home Builders Association for Marion and Polk counties as well as the state of Oregon HBA. In addition, he serves on the Salem Keizer School District Career Technical Education Center (CTEC) advisory board, as well as the Linfield University Executive Leadership Advisory Board.