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Succeeding in Many Ways
Celebrating their 100th anniversary, Big C Lumber, a fourth-generation family-owned business, serves do-it-yourselfers/homeowners, professional homebuilders and remodelers, and commercial contractors. They have 15 retail lumberyards located throughout Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Their Granger office is the corporate headquarters, while the Roseland location—one of their original retail stores—recently underwent renovations and is a spectacular design and selection showroom.
Big C isn’t simply the place to buy lumber. It’s that and so much more. Whether you’re a professional or not, looking for kitchen/bathroom cabinets, flooring, moulding, hardware, siding, roofing, trusses/panels, insulation, doors, windows, decks—and, oh yeah, lumber—Big C has just about everything.
It all began when William Hass, in partnership with George Bales, purchased a lumberyard in North Liberty, with acquisition of additional lumberyards following. Circa 1935, Hass acquired his partner’s interests. The period from 1935 to 1945 was one of diversification during which time Hass Wholesale, Hass Concrete and Portage Realty were founded. Shortly thereafter a long process of consolidation began, lasting through 1981, involving the liquidation, sale, or divesting of interest in most of the lumberyards and other various holdings.
Following the death of Hass in 1956, sons Ralph and Paul, daughter Gladys, and her husband William Foley took over the ownership and management control of the businesses. This lasted until 1968 when the businesses were spun off into three separate organizations with Ralph Hass taking over Hass Wholesale and Hass Concrete, Paul Hass taking over Portage Realty, and the Foleys taking over the Big C yards. Shortly thereafter Roger and Tom Foley, sons of William and Gladys, joined the Big C organization. In 1982, Roger Foley took over the management and controlling interest, and in 1984, Big C Lumber, Inc. became the official corporate name.
Current Indiana locations include: Roseland, Granger, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Cromwell, LaPorte, Shipshewana, Kendallville and Fort Wayne; Michigan locations are Three Oaks, Eau Claire, Schoolcraft, Coloma and Adrian; and since 2012, the company expanded to Ohio with a lumberyard in Edgerton. They also operate three manufacturing facilities; a structural building components facility which designs and manufactures floor trusses, wall panels and roof trusses; a full-service custom millwork and cabinet shop; and a window and door facility. The Granger facility, which houses the administrative offices, focuses on professional contractors but also welcomes do-it-yourselfers. This operation also serves as a distribution center for the other lumberyards.
Bill Wallace serves as Big C’s president and CEO. Roger Foley is chairman emeritus. In honor of Big C Lumber’s 100th anniversary, Big C partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation by funding the planting of 50 trees for
every year the company has been in business. By our calculation, that’s 5,000 trees!
Sound decision-making, quality products and outstanding customer service are hallmarks to the company’s success. Adding to their success is their philosophy in constant career development, even implementing a program of senior leaders mentoring emerging management team members to ensure a continuum of strong leadership as the company moves forward. They, like so many other companies, are challenged in the search for a skilled labor force. But instead of complaining about it, Big C is actively involved with their president speaking to building trades programs in the schools and colleges, even participating in the Chamber’s BLDG Trades Week program.
“Many years ago, someone sold me the dream that, if I worked hard, there was an opportunity for me in this business. That fact is truer today than ever before,” said Wallace. “One of the first questions I ask when speaking to the class is ‘raise your hand if you know what you want to be when you grow up?’ Usually, a very small percentage do. That is my chance to explain the opportunity that exists in our industry. I start by explaining why there is a shortage of skilled labor, how many jobs are available today and what is predicted for the future in each of the trades. In the end, I urge them to pick a trade that interests them, find a reputable and honest company to work for, work hard and learn all you can. One day you may want to branch out on your own, and the competition will be far less than even what it is today. With that comes the opportunity to provide well for your future without necessarily taking on the debt of further education,” said Wallace.
Thank you Big C Lumber for 100 years in the South Bend region and beyond.