Marking the one-year anniversary of the April 16 tornado that destroyed the retailers Sanford, N.C., store, Lowe’s today launched a “Give Back. Pay it Forward” event with American Red Cross.

From April 13-17, Lowe’s has set up collection areas in Sanford and online so people can donate to the relief organization. The American Red Cross will also host a blood drive on April 16 at the store.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky,), speaking on the floor of the U.S. Senate on tornado relief efforts last month, singled out several lumberyards and home-improvement retailers for their assistance in the aftermath of last month’s tornados. 

ProBuild Holdings, the nation’s largest pro dealer, has announced a restructuring that will eliminate several high level management positions, lay off a number of people, and institute a hiring freeze at its Denver headquarters. 

In an internal memo obtained by Home Channel News, ProBuild’s CEO Rob Marchbank outlined the new leadership and reporting structure of the Denver-based company. The executive VP operations layer of management will be eliminated, and all senior VPs of operations will report directly to Marchbank.

Building products distributor ABC Supply has promoted David Johnson to the position of director national accounts. In his new role, Johnson will lead the team that works with large national customers, partners and suppliers to provide the products and services these customers need. He has been part of the company’s national accounts department since 2008, serving as an account executive focused on storm contractors. 

How do you wrap up 2011? Here’s how: Take all the most popular stories — as measured by page views at homechannelnews.com — from each of the past 11 months and combine them in one, cream-of-the-crop editorial.

It’s an automatic, can’t-miss column, and it goes like this:

Tamko Building Products is donating seven complete asphalt roofing systems and three composite decking packages to “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

The show will build seven houses in seven days, its largest project to date. The build is part of the recovery effort in Joplin, Mo., after the tornado hit on May 22.

Tamko was founded in Joplin in 1944 and has been part of the community for 67 years. 

There have been many memorable moments for Randall Jones and Greencastle, Ind.-based Headley Hardware, from reopening after a fire in 2000 to taking his entire Do it Best rebate check and investing it in an unproven electrical department in 2009.


Lowe’s of Sanford, N.C., which was devastated by a tornado on April 16, is planning a special reopening ceremony Thursday, Sept. 8.

Joining local and corporate officials at the site will be Nascar driver Jimmie Johnson, gospel music singer and radio host Yolanda Adams and music legends Chairmen of the Board.

Also on hand will be Mike Hollowell, the store manager who was credited for his clear leadership during the disaster. 

Most hardware stores and home centers along the Eastern Seaboard ran out of D-Cell batteries early on Friday as residents prepared for the expected arrival of Hurricane Irene. Typically not a fast-turning item, the big round batteries are essential for full-sized flashlights and portable radios. 

Eastern Seaboard consumers are lining up for batteries, generators and other storm-related products as Hurricane Irene bears down on the eastern United States.

A CBS News report on the storm said Home Depot's emergency preparedness team has been working and watching the storm closely, and have already sent 500 trucks to supply East Coast stores with high-demand products. CBS quoted Steve Holmes: "Product is selling just as fast as it arrives."

A Lowe’s store destroyed by a tornado on April 16 will reopen this fall, a week ahead of schedule. The Sanford, N.C., location, which has roughly 160 employees, was expected to reopen on Sept. 15, officials said at a city meeting last week. However, company officials announced Tuesday evening that the store would instead reopen on Sept. 8.

Scott Rhodes knew that for his innovative “dumpster in a bag” product — the Bagster — to make an impact in the home channel, it was imperative to forge relationships with major dealers.


“We knew we needed a national footprint to expand our retail distribution with Home Depot and Lowe’s,” said Rhodes, co-founder of the product and now a director at Waste Management Inc., the parent company. Bagster is Waste Management’s first retail product.