LBM Advantage Expands Southwest Member Development
The cooperative appoints Phillip Powers to manage regional relationships for its building materials members in Texas and New Mexico.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in People
LBM Advantage has appointed Phillip Powers as member development manager for the Southwest region, tasked with overseeing growth in Texas and New Mexico. The hiring at the member-owned cooperative follows a strategic focus on expanding its presence in the region.
Why it matters
The appointment signals a shift for member-owned cooperatives toward hiring specialized development managers to drive regional growth. By leveraging industry-specific experience, the co-op aims to strengthen its support for its existing base of 520 members.
LBM Advantage serves a base of 520 members operating 1,500 locations across the country. Phillip Powers joins the team with 10 years of experience in the lumber and building materials industry.
The players
LBM Advantage
A member-owned cooperative providing scale and procurement services to over 520 building materials businesses.
Phillip Powers
The new member development manager for the Southwest who brings over a decade of experience from BlueLinx.
Dan Ohmer
The Vice President of Member Development at LBM Advantage who manages the regional development staff.
The details
Powers will focus on member relationship management and outreach in Texas and New Mexico. Reporting to Vice President of Member Development Dan Ohmer, he will assist the co-op in executing its strategy to support existing members while sourcing new partners in the regional market.
Timeline
October 26, 2026: Phillip Powers was appointed as member development manager.
Market Landscape
The hiring of regional managers follows the industry precedent of decentralizing support teams to capture localized market share. This move aligns with the regional expansion strategy seen in organizations like the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association.
Operators in the Southwest should prepare for intensified outreach and service initiatives from their cooperative representatives. Business owners should evaluate their current co-op membership benefits against emerging regional development efforts to ensure they are fully utilizing available support.
The takeaway
Specialized regional management is an effective lever for cooperatives to increase market penetration without adding administrative bloat. Monitor your co-op representative's regional activity to identify new procurement or development programs that may align with your operational budget.
Further reading
For more on industry leadership trends, visit People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by HBS Dealer.
