The History of Boone County Lumber
In 1965, Howard Eiffert established Boone County Lumber at 1100 Rogers Street, next to a rail line, in Columbia, Missouri, the seat of government for the county named after Nathan and Morgan Boone, two sons of famed pioneer Daniel Boone.
Fittingly, two sons now co-manage the business their father began nearly 40 years ago. Greg serves as the company's president while Brad acts as vice president. Both brothers worked at the firm during high school.
Greg earned his bachelor's degree in business, with an emphasis on computer programming, from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He worked as a programmer at Monsanto before returning to the family business in 1985.
Brad obtained a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in business administration from Mizzou's home campus in Columbia, then served as a U.S. Air Force pilot for eight years. He worked for Frank Paxton Lumber in Chicago, and for International Paper in Columbia, before joining his brother in 1993.
Boone County Lumber has grown to two locations, 32 employees and 15 trucks, supplying building materials to contractors and customers across 60 square miles or more.
The Eifferts attribute the company's success and growth to a vision that emphasizes employees as vital partners, and client service as their only product.
Greg and Brad Eiffert, along with consultant John Shrum, have applied the principles of the Sandler Sales Institute to emphasize capital improvements and employee development to continually upgrade the quality of service clients receive.
The Eifferts were instrumental in bringing The Builders Club to Columbia. The Club is a national organization that provides rewards to builders who purchase building materials from club sponsors. The Club normally operates only in large metropolitan areas.
"It's a frequent fliers club for builders," Brad Eiffert says. "We're the only market our size in the United States to have it."
