Meet Our Members: Tyler Sanders

After working for his dad at a small family-independent lumber yard throughout high school, Tyler Sanders found his passion in the lumber industry. After college, he started with Boise Cascade and has worked his way up to Assistant Branch Manager, where currently he is helping develop a start-up facility. In this member spotlight, Tyler shares what keeps him motivated, his best advice for new NAWLA members, and what makes the lumber industry stand out.

Tell me about yourself. What is your background and how did you get involved with wholesale lumber?

Throughout high school and college, I worked for my dad at a small family independent lumber yard. After graduating from West Virginia University, I started working for Boise Cascade as an Inside Sales Representative in Marion, Ohio, and within the first year, I was able to work my way up to Product Manager. After that, I was lucky enough to be awarded a sales territory in Southeast Ohio and West Virginia where I was an Outside Sales Rep for six years. For the past two years, I have been the Assistant Branch Manager at Boise’s brand-new facility in ‘Cincinnati’ located in Walton, KY.

What motivates you to continue on this career path and be a part of the wholesale lumber industry?

The challenge and the customers. I have always been ultra-competitive in everything I do and want to be the best. There is not a lack of competition in our market, so we have to find ways to stand out and prove to our customers why they should buy from us! Also, building relationships with the customers and getting to know them on a personal level. Some of my best friends are ones that I have met along the way.

In what ways have you seen the lumber industry evolve over the years?

The lumber industry has always been very old school, and a lot of people have been doing things the same way for a very long time. The use of online ordering, website enhancements, emailing, etc. has come a long way since I started.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far? Are there any “wow” moments that particularly stand out to you?

The position that I am in now has been the most rewarding. Not only learning the management side of things – but taking a start-up facility and developing it into what it is now has been very cool to see and be a part of.

Tell me about your involvement with NAWLA. How long have you been a member and what made you want to join?

Within my first six months at Boise Cascade, I was lucky enough to join NAWLA for a Wood Basics course in Corvallis, Oregon. It was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had, and I still carry memories from that trip and tell others about them. Since then, I have attended multiple Traders Markets where I have met a lot of great people in the trade. I was also selected as part of the Young Emerging Lumber Professional (YELP) program and participated on a panel at Traders Market in Columbus, Ohio where I answered questions from High School students about the industry.

What advice would you give to a new NAWLA member?

Participate. Take advantage of the classes and events that they offer. It is a great way to collaborate and connect with others in the industry and have a chance to meet folks that you have been talking to for years but have never met.

What’s been your favorite NAWLA moment?

Definitely the Wood basics trip as I had mentioned. Being new to the industry at the time, it really accelerated my learning and helped me grasp the whole process of the lumber industry.