Lumber Person of the Year

The Lumber Person of the Year award is one of the highest honors given by one’s peers in the
lumber and building material industry and is awarded annually.

Richard Paci of American Lumber Co.
2019 NYLILA Lumber Person of the Year

Learn more about Rich!

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient 

Ken Benson of Riverhead Building Supply
2019 NYLILA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Learn more about Ken!

New York & Long Island Lumber Association
Past Lumber Persons of the Year

2014  Michael Horne, Liberty Panel
2015  *Sam Katz, Feldman Lumber
2016  Edgar Goodale, Riverhead Building Supply Corp.
2018  Allers Family, Allers Lumber
2019  Richard Paci, American Lumber Co.
2019  *Ken Benson, Riverhead Building Supply

*Lifetime Achievement Award

Long Island Lumber Association
Past Lumber Persons of the Year

1986   Hal Portnoy, Super Millwork, Inc.
1987   Ray Giuliani, Baldwin Lumber
1988   Kenneth Latham, Latham Brothers Lumber Co., Inc.
1989   Neil Gillespie, Latham Brothers Lumber Co., Inc.
1990   John "Barry" Fornuto, Larkfield Lumber Co.
1991   Herb Schnipper, Harbor Lumber Co.
1992   Conrad Zink, Sturtevant Millwork Corp.
1993   Fred Romito, East Islip Lumber Co.
1994   Donald Schaefer, Sturtevant Millwork Corp.
1995   Linda A. Nussbaum, Kleet Lumber Co., Inc.
1996   Sanford M. Lavitt, Super Millwork, Inc.
1997   Bernie Futter, Futter Lumber Corp.
1998   William Van Tuyl, III, Nassau Suffolk Lumber & Supply Corp.
1999   Michael Alter, US Lumber & Supply Corp.
2000   James Marino Sr., Burt Lumber
2001   Dick Droesch, Florence Building Materials Corp.
2002   Cary Latham, Latham Brothers Lumber Co., Inc.
2003   Diana M. Perenza, Florence Building Materials Corp.
2004   George Penny, Penny Lumber
2005   Andy Durosky, Black Millwork
2006   Tony Adams**, Penny Lumber
2007   Jimmy Valenti**, American Lumber
2008   Kevin T. Keillor, Sr., Thurber Lumber Co.
2009   Chuck Wagner, Family Lumber
2010   The Whitbread Family**, Whitbread's Sons Lumber Co.
2011  Dana Schnipper, JC Ryan EBCO/H&G, LLC
2012  The Kleet Family**, Kleet Lumber
2013   Marc Axinn, Windowrama

NY & Suburban Lumber Association
Past Lumber Persons of the Year

1986   James G. Lusby, Sr. †, Foremost Lumber
1987   John R. Doody †, John R. Doody & Son, Inc.
1988   Burt Adelson, S&E Building Materials Co.
1989   Aaron Safenowitz, Tulnoy Lumber Inc.
1990   John E. Wagner, Jr., Glendale Lumber Co., Inc.
1991   Murray Flam †, Flushing Supply Corp.
1992   John Latuga †, Tappa Lumber Co.
1993   James G. Lusby, Jr. †, Foremost Lumber Co.
1994   James J. St. John, American Lumber Co., Inc.
1995   Robert M. Gans, Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware Corp.
1996   Matthew J. Davie, S&E Building Materials Co.
1997   Donald Goebel, J&S Supply Corp.
1998   George Jones, Jr., Garden State Lumber Products
1999   Irwin Kandel, Liberty Panel & Home Center
2000   Marty Rosenblit, Feldman Wood Products Co., Inc.
2001   Ira Rosenfeld, Butler Lumber Co., Inc.
2002   Tony Corsello, Nash Lumber
2003   Joseph F. Lauto, Great Jones Lumber
2004   Leo Stern, J&S Supply Corp.
2005   William Thompson, Weiner, Crowley & St. John, Inc.
2006   Chuck Levitt, Meserole Lumber
2007   Andy Goodman, Sherwood Lumber Corp.
2008   Lance Wagner Sr., Glendale Lumber Co., Inc.
2009   Carmen Arguelles, Marjam Supply Co.
2010  Bert Smeraldi, PSI Distributors 
2011  Anthony Lauto**, Great Jones Lumber Corporation 
2012  Rizal Chan, Decorama Building & Plumbing Supplies
2012  Howard Pisnoy** †, Pisnoy Lumber’
2013  Paul Gartner, Starborn Industries