Today we’d like to introduce you to Doug Blackburn.
Doug, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started out as a high school history teacher in Texas. I also coached football & track for 10 years before moving into the Truss Industry. I started out as a salesman for Latco, a wood truss company in Arkansas. That is where I got my start and that is where I grew and learned the Truss business. Some of the various roles and titles I held along my journey and growing career were Sales Manager, Plant Manager, Sales & Design Manager, Regional Light Gauge Steel Truss Manager and eventually took on the title of General Manager. After 22 years in the truss business, which includes a couple of moves within the industry, and the opportunity to take on the various positions and roles along the way, I had a full understanding of the whole aspect of the Truss business. In 2013, I was approached by Noltex Truss to come as President COO to help build this established and already successful Truss company into a bigger, stronger, more successful competitor within the Truss business. In 2016, I moved into the position of President CEO.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Always some ups and downs but it has been a wonderful journey. I have met and worked for some awesome people in our industry. Stark Truss was a great learning experience in my development.
Don Groom and the Yoder Family were great people to work for. I learned not only how to run a truss business but how you treat people is what really matters.
Please tell us about Noltex Truss.
At Noltex Truss, we build wood roof & floor trusses and wood wall panels. We do residential, commercial and multi-family projects in Texas and the surrounding states.
We have 4 locations in Texas. Noltex Truss is owned by 3 brothers Travis, Jason and Joe Nolte.
The brother’s business was growing at a pace that they were not comfortable with. It was at that time that a mutual friend in the industry put us together and it has been a blessing from the beginning. When I started, I ran all the day to day operations and put into place all the policies and procedures to grow the company and protect the owners.
Now I have an Operations/Sales Manager, Tracy Roe who runs the day to day operations and oversees everything. We have had some opportunities and struggles but for the most part it has been a great growing experience. When I started April 2013, we were at around 12 million a year with 3 locations and in five years, by April 2018, we have grown to have 4 locations with over 40 million a year in truss sales. We have also started Noltex Wholesale Supply company providing wholesale lumber sales for large projects. We should end up 2017 with 8 million in sales in NWS. I feel very honored to work for 3 brothers who share the same values I have. We believe the most important thing we can do is to honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by having integrity in everything we do.
We want to take care of our employees and serve our customers to the best of our ability.
We strive for excellence and honor in everything we do. We are not perfect but we really care and we truly want to be the best we can be. When we make a mistake, we work very hard to correct it as quickly as possible. I am most proud of our people… we have wonderful employees. Our upper level management is very experienced and of the highest quality people. Our plant & office managers are top shelf with a great work ethic and integrity. We are blessed to have such awesome employees!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would not have done anything any different. I believe God is in control of all things. I believe each step or season in my live was for the purpose of getting me prepared for where I am today.
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