Ozarks Profile: Ed Powell

Tell us about your company.

Herrman Lumber Co. was founded in 1917 in Appleton City by my grandfather, Jesse E. Herrman. After adding a store in Fort Scott, Kan., he moved to Springfield in 1940 and opened a store on St. Louis Street. Bill Powell, my father, joined the company in 1946. Herrman Lumber Co. now has 11 locations in three states and employs 200 people. The current Springfield location on South Glenstone Avenue was built in 1949 and serves as our headquarters, as well as a millwork division. Our core business includes single-family home builders and light commercial builders. We have an outstanding group of professional, knowledgeable employees to assist builders with their projects and help provide innovative solutions to building problems.

What is your job and what do you do?

Since joining the company in 1970, I have done just about everything from unloading boxcars to sales and purchasing. I currently oversee the daily operations and specifically work with the expansion of our business. We are opening a new store at Lake of the Ozarks next month, which has kept me busy this summer. I also look for new product lines that could be of benefit to our builders and help make their jobs run smoother.

What issues are prevalent in the lumber industry?

In a word, overproduction. Overproduction is what is behind the Canadian/U.S. lumber dispute. The countervailing duty and antidumping penalties have only muddied the waters and made buying and selling lumber unpredictable at best. With the majority of lumber imports originating in Canada, dealers are changing species and buying based on price rather than what they may have stocked in the past.

How has the local lumber market been so far this year?

Building in Springfield is strong despite uncertain economic attitudes. The mild winter helped start the year on an up note, and despite the spring rains, June and July have been very strong. Lumber prices have remained fairly steady throughout the year, and the rest of the year looks promising.

What attracted you to your career?

My dad used to bring me to the lumber company when I was a little kid. I started dusting the shelves in the store when I was 8 years old. The lumber business got in my blood, and I went to work full time after graduation from the University of Missouri. I never considered doing anything else.

What's the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is the interaction with the wide range of people I come in contact with every day. Swapping stories with customers and helping make their building projects easier is always a pleasure. I have top-notch employees who make my job easy, and many of the vendors and dealers have become personal friends. The industry is full of incredible people, and I feel privileged to be among them.

Tell us about your family.

I have a daughter, Katy, 29, in Kansas City, and a son, Kelse, 27, in Portland, Ore.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love racing sailboats. When I was younger I sailed all over the United States, but now mainly on Stockton Lake. Almost every day I run and work out at the Springfield Family Y. I also enjoy golf and working in the garden.