Lumber dealers in the Ivy League

The syllabus included strategic decision making and business analysis, and the setting was one of the nation’s revered business schools.

Those are two big reasons why participation was high — 50 LMC dealers from around the country — at the third-annual LMC Advancing Business Acumen course.

The week-long program at the renowned Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is in high demand since its original development for LMC’s Aspiring Leaders group. This year’s attendees included managerial staff of all ages and positions from LMC Dealers. 

Led by Wharton professors, the Jan. 15 to 20 event in Philadelphia covered everything from financial accounting to strategic management.

“This course is all about ‘stretch-thinking,’ process-driven problem solving, and recognizing that our most valuable resource is within collaboration, communication and leadership,” said attendee Larry Huot of Lavalley Building Supply in New Hampshire. “Wharton's distinguished history combined with LMC's commitment to dealers is addressing the future head-on.”

Attendees are confronted with a real-life case study that analyzes a lumberyard from a high-level perspective and then challenges the participants to work together in groups and make strategic decisions.

Seth Donohue of Consolidated Lumber Company in Minnesota added: “It was a first-class experience. The professors are high energy and phenomenal. The content and networking with fellow LMC Dealers is so relative to what we do that the entire course gives you a lot to take back and implement.”