[February 21, 2020 UPDATE: Conference organizers revealed that Jim Drexinger, CEO of American Construction Source (ACS) will join the M&A panel. The article below has been updated to reflect this change.]

ProSales 100 conference organizers revealed the names of the industry leaders participating in its annual M&A panel. LT Gibson, president and CEO of US LBM Holdings; Jim Drexinger, CEO of American Construction Source (ACS); and Chris Costello, president of Timberline Lumber.

US LBM Holdings ranked No. 6 on the 2019 ProSales 100 list with nearly $3.35 billion in annual sales in 2018. ACS ranked No. 14 on last year's ProSales 100 list with more than $566 million in revenue in 2018. The panel will be moderated by Michael Collins, partner of Building Industry Advisors.

The session will focus on making deals and lessons learned from recent combinations, according to conference organizers. The panel will be held on Friday, February 28 (8:10 am – 9:15 am), at the Live by Loews in Arlington, Texas.

In addition to attending the M&A panel, construction supply professionals can learn from and network with experts, senior leaders, and peers about a variety of key LBM topics. Some additional session topics offered at the event include the following:

Hiring and Retaining Top Talent
There’s no question that recruiting and retaining talent is a major challenge. In her keynote presentation, “Secrets to 50 Years of Growth,” Dee Ann Turner, CEO of Dee Ann Turner LLC and former vice president of talent and human resources at Chic-fil-A, offers insights on company culture; selecting, sustaining, and stewarding talent; and nurturing internal relationships.

In addition to this presentation, attendees will receive an exclusive ProSales magazine report on hiring and retaining quality employees.

Economic Outlook
Mark Boud, senior vice president and chief economist at Meyers Research, will reveal residential construction’s current state and where it’s most likely heading, all based on exclusive market-by-market valuation and supply and demand predictive models.

Supply Chain Evolution
Yesterday dealers were receiving and distributing 2x4s. Tomorrow construction supply pros will need to compete with Amazon and other builders that ship whole homes for $20,000 with free shipping. Modular and prefabrication are enabling a totally new supply chain. Innovation is happening in transportation, but how? The session, “Tomorrow’s Dynamic Supply Chain: Creating Value in a New Economy,” peels back the layers and reveals some of the hidden gems for tomorrow’s success.

Digital Business
Customers want more convenient ways to do business. Dealers and distributors need to shift to building more relationships online, to think beyond making online buying easier to a comprehensive digital marketing, sales, and customer service strategy that addresses speed of delivery and proactive communication to build trust and value. The session, “Drive New Revenue and Value Through Digital Channels,” addresses ways to generate more business, encourage 5-star reviews, drive social media interactions, and implement a holistic digital strategy.

Pricing and registration information for the 2020 ProSales 100 Conference can be found here. For more information about the event, visit ProSales 100 Conference.