FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Woodbridge, N.J. – June 3, 2024
The NJBMDA was invited to a VIP reception featuring the Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, the Honorable Craig J. Coughlin (D-19). The event was hosted by NJBMDA’s government affairs firm, MBI-Gluckshaw, at Il Costello’s in Woodbridge, N.J., on the evening of Monday, June 3.
Local New Jersey business representatives affiliated with MBI-Gluckshaw were invited to attend. The intimate setting allowed for an exclusive opportunity to spend quality time with Speaker Coughlin and discuss industry concerns. As the event concluded, the Speaker made a point to engage with everyone in attendance.
TJ Shaheen attended the event as the current President of the NJBMDA, an organization founded over 140 years ago in 1884 to unite and support New Jersey’s independent lumberyards. Shaheen is also the executive vice president of Builders’ General Supply, a fourth-generation, family-owned, and operated LBM retailer established over 90 years ago in Cranford, N.J.
Shaheen said, “What comes out of Trenton doesn’t just affect Builders’ General; it affects all of us in the New Jersey lumber and building materials business, from Bergen County, across the Driscoll Bridge, down to Cape May. To earn a moment with the Speaker off campus and away from the bustle of Trenton is pretty powerful, especially when you can share a story about a multi-generational family business that resonates with other New Jersey-based lumberyards. We are all united in advocating for the common issues we face in this industry. It was a great moment for the NJBMDA!”
“It was great to spend time with TJ and learn more about his family’s business. I appreciate their commitment to their business and the employees who work hard to support home building and remodeling in New Jersey. I look forward to working together to support New Jersey’s construction trades and help keep New Jersey an affordable place to raise a family.” said Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19).
The NJBMDA, an affiliate of the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA), travelled to Trenton on June 13 for their lobby day to advocate with New Jersey’s elected officials in a series of scheduled meetings coordinated with MBI-Gluckshaw and the NJBMDA’s legislative committee. Please help us continue earning time with state and local elected officials by contributing to our PAC, Building Material Dealers for Good Governance (BMDGG).