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Habitat for Humanity of
St. Joseph County, Indiana

Home Builders
Associations

in Indiana
of St. Joseph Valley
of LaPorte County
of Elkhart County
of Fort Wayne
of Kosciusko-Fulton County
of Northeast IN

in Michigan
of Southwestern MI
of Kalamazoo

E-mail the President of Big C Lumber

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.....Big C Lumber is in its eighth decade of existence and is a fourth generation family owned company. It was started in 1921 by William Hass who, in partnership with George Bales, purchased a lumberyard in North Liberty, Indiana. Acquisition of approximately ten additional lumberyards quickly followed, including the present yards in Roseland and Three Oaks. In 1926 these yards were incorporated and a few years later, circa 1935, William Hass acquired George Bales' interests. The period from 1935 to 1945 was one of diversification during which time Hass Wholesale, Hass Concrete, and Portage Realty were founded. Shortly thereafter a long process of consolidation began, lasting through 1981, involving the liquidation, sale, or divesting of interest in most of the lumberyards and other various holdings.

.....Following the death of William Hass in 1956, sons Ralph and Paul, daughter Gladys, and her husband William Foley took over the ownership and management control of the businesses. This lasted until 1968 when the businesses were spun off into three separate organizations with Ralph Hass taking over Hass Wholesale and Hass Concrete, Paul Hass taking over Portage Realty, and the Foleys taking over the Big C yards. Shortly thereafter Roger and Tom Foley, sons of William and Gladys, joined the Big C organization. In 1982 Roger Foley took over the management and controlling interest. The name Big C Cashway, later shortened to Big C, was coined in 1967 and applied to four lumberyards, two of which were liquidated in 1981. Big C Lumber Co. Inc. became the official corporate name in 1984.

.....Beginning in 1985, the company embarked on an acquisition program. There are now a total of 17 Big C Lumber yards. In addition to the original lumberyards in Roseland and Three Oaks, there are Big C Lumber yards in Granger, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Cromwell, Laporte, Shipshewana, Kendallville, Auburn, Fort Wayne, and Grovertown, Indiana as well as Eau Claire, Schoolcraft, Coloma and Dowagiac, Michigan. The Granger facility, which houses the administrative offices, focuses on professional contractors. This operation also serves as a distribution center for the other lumberyards.

.....Present management includes Roger Foley, Chairman of the Board, Matt Magor, President and CEO, Bill Wallace, Chief Operating Officer, Dick Beahm, Vice President of Contractor Sales, Bridget Brady, Chief Financial Officer, and Nick Brady, Vice President of Human Resources.