A unified Meek’s names a new CEO
Meek’s has long operated as a tale of two companies – one division in California, and one in Missouri. But with Charlie Meek promoted to the role of Meek’s CEO, the $325 million lumber and building material dealer is essentially unified, and looking to benefit from the synergies of combined operations.
The Springfield, Missouri-based company with a second office in Sacramento, California, announced Friday morning that Charlie Meek will take over as CEO immediately. This move marks the culmination of a plan to unify management of both divisions under one national CEO. Carrie Meek, also a 4th generation family member who had led the West Coast division, will take on a new role as Chairwoman of the Board. The board also includes Corporate CFO Michael Meek (4th generation) and 3rd generation family leaders Bill and Terry Meek.
The dealer operates in four states—Arkansas, Missouri, California and Nevada—and includes 46 full-service lumberyards and nearly a dozen ancillary locations including distribution centers, installed service outlets and more.
Driving the decision to consolidate are retiring family members, obvious synergies, and the opportunity to take advantage of Meek’s size and geographic footprint. The company had previously operated under two divisions with separate, decentralized management teams because of distinct geographic footprints and family business dynamics.
“I am very excited for Meek’s; this is an excellent management team, with complementary strengths. There is no doubt in my mind that the opportunity for this blended executive team to work closely with each other is going to produce outsized results. Collectively, we have worked very deliberately to develop and begin implementing a comprehensive strategy which will allow Meek’s to continue its growth as a leading building products supplier” said CEO Charlie Meek.
Carrie Meek added, “Combining our two divisions allows us to leverage opportunities as one company. I am thrilled we will have Charlie’s passion and extensive experience leading the charge. He has a great team who will share best practices from both divisions and the unanimous support of the board.”
In addition to Charlie and Carrie Meek, other key executives are:
• Mike Meek – CFO
• Matt Blair – President of West Coast Operations
• Eric Sachse – General Manager of Retail Operations, Midwest
• Tom Buckner – General Manager of Special Operations, Midwest
The company will reach its 100th anniversary in 2019.
Meek’s originated in Lockwood, Missouri, where Charles C. Meek opened the company’s first lumberyard in 1919; but it wasn’t until the early 1930s that Charles C. Meek, Jr. relocated the business to its current headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, and in 1947 opened the first Meek’s yard on the West Coast, in Northern California.
In 2014, the company was recognized as the Home Channel News Pro Dealer of the Year during the ProDealer Industry Summit, hosted by the National Lumber and Building Material Dealer Association and Home Channel News, the forerunner of HBSDealer.
The move to consolidate and operate as a more unified Meek's has been on the drawing board for a while. "We've always talked about the opportunity of doing something like this," said Sachse. "The Meek family began discussing it seriously earlier this year and decided it was time."