In New Jersey, LBM dealer earns small-business award
Her story was recognized in the pages of HBSDealer, and celebrated at the 2021 Top Women in Hardware and Building Supply Awards ceremony.
Now, Lita Abele, president and CEO of U.S. Lumber Inc. of Woodbury, New Jersey, has been honored as the 2024 Small Business Person of the Year for New Jersey.
The U.S. Small Business Administration recently unveiled the roster of the 2024 Small Business Persons of the Year, representing every state, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.
"It is a great honor to be recognized alongside the nation’s most successful and inspired small business owners,” said Abele. ”In every challenge lies an opportunity to grow stronger and more resilient. My journey was not an easy one, but it was fueled by the belief that through hard work and determination, anything is possible. I hope my story serves as a beacon of inspiration for others to pursue their dreams with unwavering passion and perseverance."
Isabelita “Lita” Abele, who originally hailed from the Philippines and relocated to the United States in 1981, personifies the quintessential American Dream. Rising from humble beginnings to the helm of U.S. Lumber, Inc., Lita's tenure has transformed the enterprise into a leading luminary within the tri-state area's lumber supply chain over the past five decades.
In an early 2022 profile article, HBSDealer wrote: “Hers is the kind of story that audiences love to cheer: the rise of the goal-oriented, highly determined outsider and the triumph of the construction-industry underdog.”
Her relentless commitment to community service has established her legacy beyond the business world. Lita has been appointed as Commissioner on the New Jersey Asian-American Commission, facilitating pivotal dialogues between the Asian-American community and state governance. Lita's energetic involvement extends to organizations like the New Jersey Development Authority for Small Business, Minorities, and Women Enterprise, the Philippine Nurses Association of Southern NJ and PA, Inc., and Rowan University, showcasing her dedication to multi-faceted leadership.
In 2024, Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) established the Lita Marcelo Abele (LMA) Women’s Institute for Business Studies to develop leadership skills, foster empowerment, and provide professional growth for women and minority women students at RCSJ whose goals are to enter and advance their careers in the field of business.
