San Diego - The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) elected its new leadership team yesterday installed at the ProDealer Industry Summit in San Diego, California. At the association's annual meeting, the NLBMDA Board of Directors elected J.D. Saunders as the new chair of the association. JD is vice president of Economy Lumber in Campbell, California and is replacing outgoing chair Chris Yenrick, president of Smith Phillips Building Supply in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

"I am excited by all that NLBMDA has to offer dealers and LBM suppliers by being the industry's voice in Washington, the eyes and ears on regulation, and the teacher of federal compliance. Thousands of people know the important impact NLBMDA has had on daily operations through accomplishments like the crane rule exemption, putting pressure on groups like the EPA on the Lead Rule, seeking protections for innocent sellers, and preparing dealers to operate under the latest federal regulations," said Saunders. "Now I call on our thousands of members to reach out to others in the industry to join us and further advance the interests of the lumber and building material industry."

Since 1936, the Economy Lumber Company has been providing building materials and services to the developers of the Santa Clara Valley with about 95 percent of sales coming from pro-contractors. The Saunders family has co-owned the company since the late 1940's. Saunders is in the third generation of his family helping to run the business.

"J.D. is a great example of a lumber dealer that realized the impact they could have on the industry and their own business by participating in NLBMDA, and now I am very happy to work with him as the chair of our association for the next year," said NLBMDA President & CEO Jonathan Paine. "I also want to thank Chris Yenrick for his time, his effort, and the great association advances we've made over the last year to give the association and our member companies a better foundation as we build on the improving economy around the United States."

In addition to Chris, the other members of the 2014-2015 NLBMDA Executive Committee are:

-- Chair-Elect: Scott Yates, Denver Lumber, Denver, CO

-- First Vice Chair: Davis Boland, Boland Maloney Lumber, Louisville, KY

-- Second Vice Chair: Michael Cassidy, TW Perry Enterprises, Gaithersburg, MD

-- Treasurer: Scott Engquist, Engquist Lumber, Harcourt, IA

-- Manufacturers & Services Council Chair: Gary Nackers, Do it Best Corp, Ft. Wayne, IN

-- Federated Association Executives Chair: David Garrett, Eastern Building Material Dealers Association, Lancaster, PA

-- Immediate Past Chair: Chris Yenrick, Smith Phillips Building Supply, Winston-Salem, N.C.

-- President & CEO: Jonathan Paine, NLBMDA, Washington, D.C.