Ep. 61 :: Playing to win with Donny DeMarie, President and CEO of Cameron Ashley

In episode 61 sponsored by TAMKO roofing products, you'll hear about competition, change, and what it takes to win from the unique perspective of Donny DeMarie, President and CEO of Cameron Ashley, formerly known as Guardian Building Products. To wildly understate Donny’s last 12 months—he’s been busy. Following Guardian’s acquisition in April 2018 by the private investment firm Pacific Avenue Capital Partners, Donny joined the distributor as President and CEO and began driving change and growth—something he has done successfully multiple times throughout his career. DeMarie’s career began at Gale Industries, where he rose through the ranks to become President & CEO of Masco Contractor Services, which he grew from $350M to $2B. Re-branding Guardian as Cameron Ashley last month, Donny talks candidly about how he is not only changing the name, but the culture as well, playing to win, and having fun while doing all three simultaneously. Hartmann had the opportunity to meet up with Donny on the show floor of their annual buying show last month in Orlando—a phenomenal multi-day event for dealers and manufacturers that featured timely educational sessions (Hartmann hosted a pair of Skeptical Lumberman Guide to Social Media mini-workshops), a strong slate of speakers including Duke All-American and NBA champion, Shane Battier, and an evening at Universal Theme Park, Marvel Island. The message throughout the event was “play to win” and in this conversation DeMarie digs into what that means for Cameron Ashley—and the rest of the industry. Enjoy my conversation with Donny DeMarie, President and CEO of Cameron Ashley. Thanks for listening.