On Wednesday, September 13th, the Shaheen Family, the owners and operators of Builders’ General Supply (BGS), a Lumber & Building Materials (LBM) Supplier, had much to celebrate. They hosted their 39th annual “Main Event” of the year, as they began their 92nd anniversary in business. This year’s Trade Show, supported in partnership by over 60 of their core vendors displaying the latest building materials, products, and services, had 900 registered building professionals gather in historic Fort Monmouth. The top-rated regional NJ radio station, Thunder 106.3, broadcast live for the four-hour afternoon show, adding to the buzz and electricity of the night.
TJ Shaheen, the Executive Vice President, fourth generation with 30 years in the business, spoke to relationships when asked: “With all the consolidation, atrophy, and big warehouse squeeze that has occurred within our industry over the past years, this is still a ‘relationship business’, and that is our stick that stirs the drink, in my opinion. It helps separate us from the pack. You can get coffee anywhere, same with 2×4’s and plywood, however, it’s how you invest the build into a relationship and evolve with your brand … with your customers and suppliers along with other key stakeholders! In other words, focus exponentially on the relationships that support your business network. All day, every day!”
Betsy Shaheen, the director and producer, brought the pieces together with months of planning and coordination.
“We are always looking for ways to thank our loyal customers and vendors for their continued support. Our annual Trade Show is for them to come together to learn about each other’s side of our business, with the goal of success for everyone. We make it a point to listen all year, take the input and make the night as meaningful as possible, with a lot of fun and camaraderie. It’s a tough business, so it’s nice to see everyone enjoying themselves.”
BGS would especially like to thank their employees, their loyal fan base of customers, vendors and related stakeholders for contributing to the show’s success, year after year. “The 40th is right around the corner,” TJ added, “This is our Main Event, the next will be the best one yet!”
About Builders’ General
Today BGS operates seven locations in four NJ counties, with 170 employees. Of that roster, over forty percent have been with the company 12 years or more, and one third have tenures between 20 and 40 years. These dedicated men and women are integral to the company’s longevity but there is so much more that goes into their formula for success.
Now four generations strong, BGS has evolved as a go-to, trusted, reliable resource. They provide their customers with premier building products & services in a high demand market with even higher expectations. They get it, and they’ve got the back of their BGS faithful due to years of grit, passion, and perseverance and a laser focus on building relationships with their customers, vendors, and the community.
