Western Building Center Corporate History
1946
Les Kjos establishes Western Woodwork, a cabinet and millwork shop at 1015 East Idaho St, Kalispell.
1954
Ivan O’Neil purchases interest in Western Woodwork and building materials is added to the business.
1955
Western Woodwork is incorporated and the name changed to Western Woodwork and Supply to more accurately describe the operation.
1964
New store is constructed at 1019 East Idaho St., Kalispell.
1969
Western Woodwork and Supply joins Ace Hardware.
1972
Les Kjos, Carle O’Neil, and Ivan O’Neil purchase Columbia Falls Lumber. Carle is named manager of Columbia Falls Lumber.
1975
Lindsey Lumber Co. of Whitefish is purchased and the three stores are merged into one corporation. The corporate name changed to Western Building Center. Randy Kjos is named manager of the Whitefish Store.
1976
Lindsey Lumber Co. of Eureka is purchased by Western Building Center. Dave Lyons is appointed manager.
1978
Doug Shanks is named manager of Western Building Center Columbia Falls.
1981
Randy Kjos, Dave Lyon, Craig Maltby, Doug Shanks, and Bill Schottelkorb purchase stock in Western Building Center joining Les Kjos, Carle O’Neil, and Ivan O’Neil.
Bill Schottelkorb is named manager of Western Building Center of Whitefish
1983
Peavy Thunderbird Home Center of Kalispell is purchased by Western Building Center.
Bill Schottelkorb becomes manager of the Peavy store.
Craig Maltby becomes manager of the Idaho Street store.
Doug Shanks becomes the manager of both the Whitefish and Columbia Falls stores. Randy Kjos is named coperate purchasing agent.
1984
Carle O’Neil resigns to accept position in Washington D.C.
1985
Les Kjos retires.
1988
Les Kjos, WBC founder, dies.
1994
Constructed new store in Whitefish.
1996
Western Building Center Insulation and Building Specialties are started as an insulation contracting business in Whitefish.
Ivan O’Neil retires as General Manager of Western Building Center
Doug Shanks takes Ivan's position as General Manager. Jeff Nelson becomes manager of the Whitefish store and Howard Ficek becomes manager of the Columbia Falls store. Ivan O’Neil remains Chairman of the Board of Directors.
1997
Libby Building Center is purchased by Western Building Center. Rich Burns becomes manager of the Libby Store.
2000
Rich Burns, Howard Ficek and Jeff Nelson become shareholders of Western Building Center.
Woody’s Big Sky Supply in Polson, Ronan, and Plains is purchased by Western Building Center. Dave Ottun, Don Kocubinski and Jeff Martin remain as managers.
2002
Constructed new 16,000 sf store in Columbia Falls at 1550 9th St W.
2003
Rich Burns retires and Karla Miller becomes manager of the Libby store. Howard Ficek moves to the Corp yard to manage operations and Eric Martin becomes the manager of the Columbia Falls store.
2004
Howard Ficek becomes Information Technologies Manager to take over Western Building Centers’ new consolidated computer system.
2006
Dave Lyons retires from the Eureka Store. Steve Leigh is named manager of Eureka
2007
Dave Ottun, Don Kocubinski and Eric Martin become shareholders of Western Building Center.
Remodeled and added new addition to the Whitefish Store
Remodeled and doubled size of the Kalispell Store.
2008
Built WBC Truss and Building Components plant located in Columbia Falls. Donald McGrady Manager.
2009
Eureka Store gets expanded and built new drive thru lumberyard.
2010
Western building center purchases Stevensville Hardware. The store is renovated and and drive thru lumber yard is added. Rod Hunter is named manager.
Steve Leigh retieres from WBC Eureka and Scott Messick is named manager.