ENYLDA Annual Meeting & Tradeshow

Rich Keating was born in Harrisburg, Pa., and moved with his family to Scotia, N.Y., when he was 3 years old. The son of Robert and Mary Lorma Keating and the youngest of three children, he has fond memories of going to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown with his dad, his dad teaching him how to play basketball and golf, and weekend trips to NYC to visit his maternal grandparents. Rich is married to Bev. They recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary. They have three children: son Michael, daughter-in-law Jude, and granddaughter Grace; son Shawn, daughter-in-law Stephanie, and grandsons Jaksen, Liam, and Declan; daughter Ashley, son-in-law Justin, and grandson Jackson; and granddaughter Sophia.

Rich Keating got his start in the lumber and building material industry working for a friend’s father as a carpenter’s apprentice. After that, he went on to work with a contractor in Amsterdam, N.Y. This was in the early 1980s, and market conditions weren’t the best, so work was spotty. Looking for better financial stability and health insurance, he responded to an ad in the newspaper for employment at H. Greenberg and Son in Colonie, N.Y. He was offered a position in inside sales in the lumber department, eventually working his way up to assistant store manager.

From there, Rich moved to Friends Lumber in Schenectady, N.Y., working for the late Jerry Peters and his family. “The Peters family was wonderful to me and my family,” says Rich. “I learned a tremendous amount from them.” He started out on the counter in sales, then went to outside sales, and eventually became the store manager.

After working at Friends Lumber for 10 years, he was presented with an opportunity to get into wholesale distribution at Dorsey Millwork in Albany as a business development rep. The position was a bit of a new concept, as the distributor rep worked with the independent retailers, calling on builders, remodelers, and architects, but it was a tremendous growth opportunity. Once again, I was lucky to work for a great family like the Dorsey’s.

After his time with Dorsey Millwork, he went to work for Brockway-Smith Company (BROSCO) in Coxsackie, N.Y., when Andersen’s channel strategy moved to sole distribution. He was hired as a business development rep and eventually became a district sales manager, covering New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Western Mass., and parts of New Hampshire. The opportunities presented to me by Charlie Smith and the BROSCO team were incredible. I learned so much about professional development throughout my 10 years with BROSCO,” says Rich.

Once sole distribution changed in 2011, Rich was offered a sales position as a business development rep with Andersen Corporation. The job was a natural fit based on his time with Dorsey and BROSCO. “My time at Andersen allowed me to get exposed to the manufacturing side of our industry.”

Jon Halgren, the former senior V.P. of Curtis Lumber, approached Rich after decades of work in the retail, distribution, and manufacturing sectors. Jon was aware that Rich and Bev recently built a new home, only minutes away from the Ballston Spa store. Jon’s plan was to retire in two years (after 46 years with Curtis Lumber). Jon was tasked with finding his replacement(s). Jon and Jay’s plan to hire Rich and promote Doug Ford came to fruition in 2015. Rich and Doug had a two-year period to learn from Jon and become V.P.’s of Sales, Marketing, and Purchasing. “I will be forever indebted to Jay and Jon for believing in Doug and me.” “I also want to say thank you to Doug for encouraging me to come to Curtis Lumber, welcoming me, and always being there for me.” “I cannot think of a better way to have spent the last nine years of my career than working at Curtis Lumber.” Jay, Kendra, Kylie, and Christopher welcomed Bev and I, and our family, into the Curtis family. “We have a great recipe for success: incredible owners and amazing employees!”

With 40+ years in the industry, Rich has deep roots. He has been involved with the NRLA since his early days at Friends Lumber, attended many educational seminars, dinner meetings, and Expos, and has served on the ENYLDA board for 18 years. He is a past president of the ENYLDA. He won the Howard C. Smith Award while at BROSCO and received the NYLE Redwood Award in 2011. Rich was also presented the Andersen Windows and Doors National Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. Also in 2013, Rich was awarded the Eastern New York Lumber Dealers Association’s (ENYLDA) Lumber Person of the Year. Rich has been an active member of his local home builder associations, such as the former Albany HBA, the current Capital Region Builders and Remodelers Association, and the Saratoga Builders Association.

In his spare time, Rich enjoys spending time with Bev, their three children, and their six grandchildren. Maine continues to be Rich and Bev’s favorite vacation place. He believes in enjoying family, friends, and life, as they are precious to him. Lastly, “as we all continue to embrace and utilize technology, we should never forget it won’t replace the people-to-people relationship side of business and life.” “The life-long relationships I have enjoyed through my association with the NRLA are immeasurable.”