TIMBER MART has promoted their current national procurement manager, Kurt Norlen to the position of director of forest products trading
In his new role, Mr. Norlen will be responsible for the management of the lumber trading arm of the group which operates across Canada to serve the lumber and lumber-product procurement needs of TIMBER MART members. In light of the group’s vice-president of distribution and trading, John Morrissey, departing from the company in 2025, Mr. Norlen will work closely with Mr. Morrissey to ensure a smooth transition and continue to work with the procurement team until the transition is complete.
“In the 12 years Kurt has been with us, he has held various purchasing roles where he’s developed valuable vendor relationships and competitive buying programs for our members,” says Bernie Owens, president and CEO of TIMBER MART. “I’m confident that with Kurt’s knowledge of our members’ procurement needs, leadership ability and progressive experience within the industry, he will lead our trading team to accomplish great feats in the name of our members’ business success.”
Kurt has over 30 years of experience in management and building material sales within our industry, which he’s gained by working for companies such as Nelson Lumber, Moulding and Millwork (now, Metrie) and Gunther’s Building Centre. In 2013, he joined TIMBER MART and since then has held a variety of roles within the company, including Building Materials Manager for Western Canada, Hardware Procurement Manager and Building Materials Trader for Ontario and Western Canada. In his new role, he will report directly to TIMBER MART’s president and CEO, Bernie Owens, and continue to be based out of TIMBER MART’s office in Calgary, Alberta.
Regional Director of Member Services for Western Canada, Phil Temple Promoted to Director of Member Services
“Phil has over 35 years of experience in management as well as building material sales, retail operations and purchasing within our industry, much of which he’s gained by being on the TIMBER MART team, and in that time has dedicated his career to the success of the independent dealer,” says Jon Irwin, TIMBER MART’s vice-president of Member Services. “I’m confident that with Phil’s deep knowledge of our members’ businesses, leadership ability and experience within the building material industry, he will serve our members’ business and marketing needs well in his new role.”
Mr. Temple has over 35 years of experience in management as well as sales, retail operations and purchasing within the building material industry, of which he’s gained by working for a variety of vendor companies and retailers. Since he joined TIMBER MART in 2007, he’s held various roles, including building materials buyer, category manager and Prairie sales manager. In this new role, Mr. Temple will continue to be based out of TIMBER MART’s Calgary office and report directly to TIMBER MART’s vice-president of Member Services, Jon Irwin.
National Advertising Manager, Geoff Fleming to Retire By The End of Year and Pass The Torch to Sims Advertising’s Carolanne Olivier
TIMBER MART has appointed Sims Advertising’s bilingual account manager, Carolanne Olivier to the position of national advertising manager, effective immediately. Geoff Fleming who currently holds the title will be retiring and vacating the role by the end of the year.
“Throughout the 20 years Geoff has been with TIMBER MART, he has built solid relationships with our marketing agencies, dealers and vendors in order to develop many of the comprehensive marketing programs and assets available to our members today,” says Jon Irwin, TIMBER MART’s vice-president of Member Services. “We thank Geoff for his passion and dedication towards our members’ marketing efforts over the years and wish him well in his retirement. With Geoff passing the torch to Carolanne, a very capable and experienced marketing professional will be taking up the helm of our dealer programs and thus, I’m confident that our members’ marketing needs will be served well going forward.”
Ms. Olivier has been on the TIMBER MART account at Sims Advertising for the last seven years and in so doing, has formed solid relationships with many TIMBER MART members and vendors while helping to enhance a number of the group’s marketing programs. In her new role, Ms. Olivier will be responsible for the management of TIMBER MART’s corporate advertising and marketing programs at the dealer level and will report directly to the company’s vice-president of Member Services, Jon Irwin.
Damien Sohm Promoted to National Procurement Manager
TIMBER MART has promoted their LBM procurement manager for Québec, Damien Sohm, to the position of national procurement manager. In his new role, Mr. Sohm will be responsible for all of TIMBER MART’s roofing and rigid-insulation program categories on a national basis in addition to managing all the group’s relationships with Québec and Atlantic-Canada-based vendors.
“Damien has been on the TIMBER MART team for over a decade and in that time has developed solid relationships with many building material vendors in Québec which have allowed us to expand our offerings from our St-Nicolas distribution centre and provide more buying programs for our members,” says Randy Martin, TIMBER MART’s vice-president of procurement. “I’m confident that with Damien’s deep knowledge of our members’ businesses, strong vendor relationships and progressive experience within our organization, he’ll serve our members’ procurement needs well within his new national role.”
Mr. Sohm has over 20 years of experience in building material procurement within our industry, most of which he’s gained by working at TIMBER MART and Chalifour where he’s built strong relationships with building material vendors in Québec and helped to expand the product assortments offered by TIMBER MART’s St-Nicolas distribution centre as well as the building material buying programs offered by the group.
Mr. Sohm will continue to be based out of the TIMBER MART’s LBM distribution centre in St-Nicolas, Que. and report directly to group’s vice-president of procurement, Randy Martin.
Shawn Ettinger Promoted to Senior National Procurement Manager
TIMBER MART has promoted their national hardware procurement manager, Shawn Ettinger to the position of senior national procurement manager where he will be responsible for all of the group’s hardlines buying programs and vendor relationships, including TIMBER MART’s relationship with Canadian hardlines buying group, Spancan. In tandem with this promotion, Mr. Ettinger will also be appointed to the Spancan board of directors where he will be directly involved in the oversight of the buying group and its program negotiations.
“Throughout the five years Shawn has been on our team, he has built many mutually beneficial vendor relationships and introduced a variety of unique and advantageous buying opportunities to our members,” says Randy Martin, TIMBER MART’s vice-president of procurement. “I’m confident that with Shawn’s strong vendor relationships, vast knowledge of our members’ businesses and progressive experience within the industry at large, he’ll serve our membership’s procurement needs well within this new role.”
Mr. Ettinger has over 30 years of experience in hardlines procurement within our industry which he’s gained by working for a diverse range of organizations, including big box stores, buying groups and vendor companies alike. In 2019, he joined TIMBER MART and since then has built solid relationships with TIMBER MART’s hardlines vendors and introduced a number of successful buying opportunities to TIMBER MART members.
Mr. Ettinger will continue to be based out of TIMBER MART’s office in Vaughan, Ont. and report directly to group’s vice-president of procurement, Randy Martin.
Contact:
Alexandra Kazan, Corporate Communications ManagerDirect: 289-843-3050Cell: 416-577-5811 Email: alexandra.kazan@timbrmart.com
About TIMBER MART
Founded in 1967, TIMBER MART is the largest national member-owned buying group in Canada for the true independent entrepreneur. With hundreds of members, including independent building-material and hardware retailers, commercial dealers and manufacturers located in every province across the country, TIMBER MART provides its extensive dealer network with a menu of competitive buying programs, comprehensive marketing services and personalized support to drive independent business success. For more information, visit www.timbermart.ca and www.timbermartmember.ca.