Kodiak Interiors Group makes leadership moves
Kodiak Building Partners announced today the transition of its Interiors Group President Doug Rapier, into an advisory role and the promotions of Greg Ulvedal and Kirk Dryden to co-presidents of the Interiors Group.
Rapier and his father started Factory Builders Stores (FBS), based in Houston, in 1988. Over time, it became the largest appliance contract distributor in Texas, with seven locations.
In 2014, Rapier sold FBS to Kodiak and he remained a president.
The Interiors Group continued to grow with the acquisitions of Denver, Colo.-based Specialty Appliance and Arizona Appliance and Home, Rapier became the president of this segment.
Allen Prough became the President at FBS in 2019, as Rapier’s Interiors Group responsibilities grew.
After the sale of FBS, Kodiak said that Rapier expected to only work full-time for a couple more years. He found Kodiak to be full of great people and that the work was fun and fulfilling and therefore stayed longer than originally planned. He recognized, though, that every man dies, not every man lives. So, he elected to step back into a position that utilizes the valuable relationships that he has cultivated through his career while allowing the freedom to travel and enjoy life with his wife.
Rapier said he is confident that the new co-presidents of the Interiors Group, Ulvedal and Dryden, will flourish in their new roles. Ulvedal and Dryden are currently the co-presidents of Specialty Appliance.
Ulvedal and Dryden started Specialty Appliance (SA) in 1998 and were acquired by Kodiak in 2018. Kodiak said their skillsets perfectly complement one another, along with their philosophy of high touch service, which carries customers from the sale all the way through installation and service, will continue to benefit the companies under their direction.
These high-energy entrepreneurs already oversee Arizona Appliance and Home, and due to Kodiak’s collaborative culture, they already have a working relationship with the leaders and managers at Factory Builder Stores, according to Kodiak. As Greg and Kirk’s responsibilities grow and the Interiors Group adds new companies, they will eventually name a successor at SA but plan on remaining its co-presidents at this time.
“These gentlemen absolutely know this business, it is time for them to lead,” Rapier said. “They deserve it and are ready to go!”.
Steve Swinney, CEO of Kodiak said, “Doug has been a great friend and partner in leading Kodiak since he joined us in 2014. He established our Interiors group, built a great business at FBS, and was instrumental in our acquisitions of Specialty Appliance and Arizona Wholesale Supply. He leaves a great team in the capable hands of Greg and Kirk, who I know will continue the legacy of success that Doug established for the Kodiak Interiors Group.”
Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Kodiak Building Partners, through its 92 locations, serves general contractors, home builders, subcontractors, remodelers, and consumers with its operations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.