MISSION STATEMENT

FBFR’s purpose is to provide homeowners, tradesmen, and volunteers who are actively involved in the rebuilding efforts throughout the Gulf Coast Region with the tools they need.  FBFR will collect new and used power tools, hand tools, and long handle tools at independent lumberyards throughout the country and redistribute them to the people rebuilding their homes and communities. 

Board of Directors

Margaret Price Sims
Margaret Price Sims is the President and Co-Founder of FBFR.  A 2000 Graduate from Wheaton College, in Norton, MA, with a degree in Political Science and International Relations.  Margaret returned from college to work at her family’s lumberyard, Ridgefield Supply Company, located in Ridgefield, CT.  In 2003, Margaret became a Certified Building Material Specialist, the only certification in the lumber industry.  She currently sits as a Director of the Northeast Young Lumber Executives and The Lumber and Building Material Dealer Foundation.  In July 2005 she was named “Young Retailer of the Year” by the National Retail Hardware Association. 

Mike Sonderman
Mike Sonderman, Vice-President and Co-Founder, currently work with Margaret at the Ridgefield Supply Company, and were instrumental to getting this organization off the ground.  He graduated from Hartwick College in 2002 with a degree in Computer Science, and spent a year and a half working a programmer for CitiGroup.  He joined the Ridgefield Supply Company as their IT manager; however, he quickly advanced to other positions and took on more responsibly.   Today he is actively involved with the Northeast Retail Lumberman’s Association and Lumberman’s Merchandising Corporation

Jon Cromwell
Jon Cromwell is the Vice-President of Tool Distribution, and is originally from New Orleans.  Today, Jon resides in Covington, LA, and is a well know fixture within the independent lumberyards throughout the Gulf Coast.  After closing his yard in downtown New Orleans in 1989, Jon became the President of the Louisiana Building Material Dealers Association.  In October of 2001, LBMDA merged their membership with the Lumbermen’s Association of Texas, and Jon stayed on as the Louisiana Representative for the LAT.  Jon’s involvement and excitement about FBFR has made this idea a reality.  He is taking on the responsibility of overseeing the redistribution of tools, and he is the perfect man for the job.

Ken Wilbanks
Ken Wilbanks, a Director of FBFR, is originally from Dallas, Georgia.  He grew up on his family’s lumber mill, and after college went to work for Home Depot, store #1.  Ken opened up Home Depots throughout the Gulf Coast, and later went to work for their cooperate offices.  Later he began working for an Independent Lumberyard, Ellsworth Building Supply, in Ellsworth, Maine.  Today, he is a leading consultant for independent lumberyards and he teaches several courses through out the country.  With his experience in the Gulf Coast, and his connections within the lumber industry, Ken fit perfectly into the organizational structure of FBFR.

FBFR is currently speaking to other individuals in the lumber industry to become part of the Board of Directors.  It is important that we have the right people in strategic areas to coordinate the collection and transportation of tools.  Please contact us if you are interested.