A NEW CHAPTER
FOR THE WRLA
Embracing Change and Celebrating Legacy
Amanda Camara, VP of Marketing & Business Development, WRLA
WUR-LAH? WRHA? WLRA? WHO ARE YOU, ANYWAY?
Over the past year, I’ve heard it all—“Western Red Cedar Association? Western Retail Lumber Association… who? I sell generators; how does lumber apply to me? I manufacture in the East; does this membership fit me?” These questions highlighted a pressing challenge: the need for clarity about who we are and what we do.
And that clarity starts with our name. A name is more than a label; it embodies purpose, identity, and aspiration. For the Western Retail Lumber Association (WRLA—that’s the right acronym, we checked), it’s the foundation of how we represent ourselves—whether that’s advocating with government, collaborating with schools to shape curriculums, or building connections beyond our industry. Even within our own community, defining our identity has never been more essential
REDISCOVERING OUR CORE: WHO WE SERVE AND WHAT WE DO
When I joined WRLA, it became clear that the association’s identity needed fine-tuning. Who are our members? It’s not just “dealers” but a rich spectrum—mom-and-pop shops, contractor yards, rural members, city-centered retailers, corporate locations, and specialty stores. Every single one of these businesses is completely unique and cannot be painted with the same brush stroke (even the paint stores)—and neither can our distributors, manufacturers and buying groups. Each of your businesses is unique, and deserves a tailored approach.
Our programming, too, required scrutiny. Why do members choose us? How do we stand out among other associations and organizations? Enter the KISS principle (a term I’ll gladly explain on the show floor). Simplifying, streamlining, and tailoring communication ensures every member understands and benefits from what the WRLA has to offer.
The bigger picture mattered as well: how builders and consumers interact with dealers, how products are selected, and what trends define our industry’s future, and most importantly, how we as the WRLA can help our member businesses evolve in response.
Five years ago, WRLA armed itself with a robust strategic plan and began a mission to adapt and grow alongside the businesses we represent. As we refined our approach, we realized something significant: we had outgrown our name.
TODAY, WRLA IS ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN REPRESENTING LUMBER RETAILERS. WE:
ADVOCATE for members’ interests with government. We ATTRACT talent to the industry. We EDUCATE members, equipping them with tools for success. And we CONNECT businesses to products, members to peers, and strategies to outcomes
Branding goes beyond a name or logo. It’s our essence—a clear strategy that defines how we operate and communicate. A refreshed brand ensures WRLA remains distinct, relevant, and firmly rooted in its core mission while adapting to the needs of its members.
THE PATH TO TRANSFORMATION
Rebranding a 135-year-old institution wasn’t easy. We embarked on a year-long journey, starting with an RFP process to engage branding agencies from across Canada and incorporating extensive member feedback. At every stage, we asked tough questions and “gut-checked” our decisions to ensure we stayed aligned with the people who matter most—our members
Five focus groups guided the way, representing diverse perspectives:- Retailers —Reflecting the voices of independently owned shops, corporate stores, and everything in between.
- Marketing & Communications Committee—Members with expertise in sales, marketing, and business development
- WRLA Board—Representing every membership class.
- WRLA Staff—Offering operational insights.
- External Stakeholders—Including government, educators, indigenous leaders, developers, and even past members with constructive critiques.
These groups provided invaluable insights, helping us shape a brand that honors our past while embracing the future, and we’re thankful to all of these folks for their help:
Retailer Group:
- Sue Matic, Matix Lumber
- Syl Haisan—C.A. Fischer Lumber (16 Home Hardware locations)
- Gary Fletcher, Trail Building Supplies
- Lawson Yates, McMunn & Yates
- Mitch Wile, The Cedar Shop
- Harp Thind, Everything Exterior
- Shane Chapman, The Ultimate Deck Shop
- Markus Lange, EG Penner Building Centre
- Colin McColl, Windsor Plywood
- Greg Lueck, UFA Calgary
- Garth & Sue Dagg, Olds Rona
WRLA Board Members
- Len Regier, Nu-Fab Building Products
- Ken Crockett, Star Building Materials
- Brett Sigurdson, All Weather at Home
- Wade Laurent, The Ultimate Deck Shop
- Andrew Reimer, All-Fab Group
- Allan Hall, Heritage Co-op 1997 Ltd
- Joel Hartung, The LumberZone
- Jonathan Middlestead, Domtek Building Products
- Kaitlyn Chimko, Dakeryn Industries
- Kelvin Katzenback, Gillfor Distribution
- Ryan Kurzac, Kamloops Home Hardware Building Centre
- Mike Forfylow, Eva-Last
- Sheila Carr, Mountain View Building Materials Ltd.
- Colin McColl, Windsor Plywood—Sherwood Park
- Greg Lueck, UFA
- Past board members involved in the process included:
- Joel Siebert, Mountain View Building Materials Ltd.
- Micah Flaig, Lumberworld
Marketing & Communications Committee:
- Jennifer Harrison, Windsor Plywood Head Office
- Mitchell Balog, Taiga Building Products
- Henny Sunner, Durabuilt Windows & Doors
- Sarah Bridges, Sexton Group
- Ryan Roper, Epak
- Tracy Nadiger, All Weather at Home
- Greg Lorenc, Brandt Material Handling
- Chris Hogan, Henry Company
- Derrick Gray, Dryco Building Supplies
- Jesse Watson, Quik-Therm
- Lee Waltham, Brandish Creative Agency
WRLA Staff
- Liz Kovach, President
- Amanda Camara, VP of Business Development & Marketing
- Travis Waite, Director of Finance
- Chris Allinotte, Director of Marketing & Communications
- Rebekah Doerksen, Executive Assistant
- Brenda Bourns, Events & Community Engagement Manager
- Alisa Luo, Design & Social Media Coordinator
- Matthew Lucek, Business Development Coordinator
- Camilla Josef, Online Marketing & Education Coordinator
- Jordan Bouchard, Data Entry Administrator
DEFINING WHO WE ARE
While I want to keep some elements of our brand a surprise for our members, I’m excited to share a few insights from the work and research we’ve undertaken over the past year. These snippets from our brand story reflect what we’ve learned: we are truly a community and self-improvement brand.
We, the WRLA—whatever our new name may be—are:Welcoming: We open the door to a broad and diverse network of businesses across the industry.
Personal: We strive to understand the unique needs of our members and foster personal connections across our community.
Relatable: Our community is built on like-minded individuals who share a common goal: growing their businesses
Altruistic: Our success is measured by how well we support our members—day by day and year over year.
Adventurous: We embrace new ideas in service of our members. We will go where we are needed, even when it’s uncharted territory.
Educational: We exist to help members succeed financially.
Liberating: We’re here to remove barriers and provide support.
Wise: You learn a few things after 135 years of service—our legacy ensures we do what’s best for the current generation of building material suppliers and those yet to come.
SNIPPET OF OUR BRAND STORY:
“We will always evolve to better serve our reason for existing—you. While we’ve built a reputation as a leader in our industry, our power comes from our dedication to serving members. Your success is our success, and you will always be our north star on this journey of continuous improvement.
Doing right by members means we’ll never say our suite of training programs is complete. You are agile in business, so we must stay agile to make sure your team can tackle challenges with confidence. Doing right by members means leveraging our network to open doors for those ambitious entrepreneurs ready to bring new ideas to the way we build. We must connect new members with tenured ones so all can unlock the next level of success in their business.
Our roots run deep in the West… Now, to continue building a brighter future for our industry, we need to leverage our relationships in the East and clearly communicate our vision for the building supply industry, Western Canada, and Canada as a whole. If we want affordable housing for all, we need building supply. If we want good jobs for new Canadians, we need building supply. If we want environmental sustainability, we need building supply. Together, we are a force to be reckoned with. And it’s together that we’ll shape the future of the industry.”
LOOKING AHEAD
On January 23, we’ll unveil WRLA’s new brand at the WRLA Awards Reception, held at the Empire Ballroom in the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. This event will mark a bold new chapter in our history.
The updated brand reflects who we are today and where we’re headed. It brings fresh energy to our mission of advocating, attracting, educating, and connecting. Join us for an evening of networking, fine dining, and entertainment as we celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our industry
Our new brand is more than a logo or a tagline; it’s the embodiment of our dedication to members and our commitment to shaping the future of the building supply industry