Our faculty has been individually selected for a high level of industry expertise, creativity, enthusiasm, name recognition, and the ability to successfully communicate and transfer experience and skills to industry professionals. With the opportunity to gain knowledge from so many different viewpoints throughout the year, participants will receive a diverse, rock-solid foundation for professional enhancement.

Mike Butts, is the president of LBM Solutions. He served for eight years as the vice president of the Michigan Lumber and Building Material Association and then worked for United Building Centers, overseeing the company’s extensive growth of Installed Sales to the professional builder/contractor. He knows our market and our industry.

Keith Kluis has more than 20 years experience in estimating instruction. Keith has been a draftsman, estimator and manager of a building materials store as well as a classroom instructor.

Joe Rogers is the Director of Sales for Scherer Brothers Lumber Company. His career experience is in sales and sales management, specializing in contractor sales in small and large market areas.

Duane Schwartz is the corporate credit manager at The Tile Shop and has twenty years of experience in retail and distribution credit and collection.

Steve Saefke has started new businesses, developed pricing systems, created advertising campaigns, and managed organizations. His corporate experience is in general management, merchandising, marketing, and sales. He has been a frequent writer of business trend articles in Building Product CONNECTIONS.