The Northeastern Young Lumber Execs (NYLE) recently presented Tony Shepley, founder and owner of Shepley Wood Products, with the Robert J. Horne Jr. CHIPS Award at this year’s LBM Expo in Boston.
The CHIPS Award is presented annually to an individual who has been instrumental in promoting the professional and/or personal development of young people involved in the lumber and building material industry.
In 1978, a determined young man, with an ambitious idea, ventured out to be a new lumber supplier in an already saturated market. With no experience in the lumber and building materials industry, a used lumber truck, $4,000, and an idea that there was need for another lumberyard in Hyannis. Shepley Wood Products would be the 6th supplier within a 10 mile radius of Hyannis, Massachusetts. The well-established suppliers payed little attention, and wrote Shepley off as a flash in the pan. Today, Shepley Wood Products is the one and only lumber yard existing in Hyannis.
How did he do it? By investing – investing in his ideals to take care of not only your customers, but your employees, and your community as well.
With a median employee age of 35, Shepley Wood Products continues these practices today. Supporting its young employees, not only to continually grow their knowledge and success with weekly in-house trainings, but also by giving the opportunity to participate in organizations like NYLE.
“I believe that the lumber industry, our industry, offers us one of those “I had no idea” careers in which so many of us may start out with just a job and then discover that it can become a passion and a life-long career,” says Tony. “To watch young talent come in to our businesses and to help them grow and gain knowledge, experience, and confidence is really one of the most rewarding parts of our industry.”
Northeastern Young Lumber Execs (NYLE) was founded in 1987 and is sponsored by the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA). It is comprised of enthusiastic and dedicated young professionals, committed to promoting the continued success of our industry and developing their own potential.
