Western Building Material Association
Western Building Material Association is a nonprofit trade association, founded in 1903 and based in Olympia, Washington, serving independent lumber and building material dealers across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington via membership dues, the Foundation LMS online training platform, reference manual sales, scholarships, regulatory support, and industry advocacy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1903
- HeadquartersOlympia, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Western Building Material Association does
Western Building Material Association (WBMA) is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1903 and headquartered in Olympia, Washington, serving independent lumber and building material dealers across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Originally formed as the Western Retail Lumbermen's Association (WRLA) through the merger of two predecessor dealer associations in Walla Walla, Washington, WBMA was renamed in 1967 to reflect the broader scope of its members' businesses. The organization operates with a small staff of one to ten employees, led by Executive Director Casey Voorhees (in role since 1998) and Office Manager Stephanie Masters, and is governed by an annually rotating board headed by a member-firm president.
WBMA's core product and service portfolio centers on member-only services rather than a single software platform. Its flagship technology asset is the Foundation LMS, a domain-specialized online learning management system launched in 2024 to onboard new employees and train existing LBM industry staff, with a continually expanding course catalog. The association also sells a Lumber and Building Material Reference Manual (containing span tables, charts, and formulas; $24.95 for members, $39.95 for non-members), administers the Educational Link Scholarship Fund (five $4,000 scholarships annually, now in its 32nd year), and runs programs including the Dealer Assisting Dealer (DAD) peer-support initiative, annual conventions, and group insurance offerings delivered in partnership with Federated Insurance. Regulatory compliance support and legislative advocacy (affiliated nationally through the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association) round out the value proposition.
WBMA's business model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues from independent LBM dealers, transactional revenue from reference manual sales, and contribution-based scholarship fundraising (convention raffles and corporate gifts). Pricing is published (member vs. non-member manual pricing, $4,000 per scholarship) and the go-to-market motion is community-led, leveraging the regional brand, annual conventions, online presence, and peer networks rather than outbound sales. There is no disclosed revenue, no external funding, and no institutional ownership structure.
Western Building Material Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Western Building Material Association
- Legal name
- Western Building Material Association
- Website
- https://wbma.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1903
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Western Building Material Association is a nonprofit trade association, founded in 1903 and based in Olympia, Washington, serving independent lumber and building material dealers across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington via membership dues, the Foundation LMS online training platform, reference manual sales, scholarships, regulatory support, and industry advocacy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Western Building Material Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trade Association Services
- NAICS
- Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331), Building Material and Supplies Dealers (4441)
- SIC
- Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211), Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Building Materials & Lumber Distribution (CRAOAFAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Engineered Wood Products Distribution (LVL, I-joists, Glulam, CLT) (IMAMAIAD)
Keywords
Where Western Building Material Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Olympia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Western Building Material Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership dues: Annual membership dues from lumber and building material dealers in the five-state region
- Reference Manual Sales: Sale of Lumber and Building Material Reference Manuals with updated span tables, charts and formulas. $24.95 each plus shipping for members, $39.95 plus S&H for non-members.
- Scholarship Fund Contributions: Growth of Link Fund through raffles at Annual Convention and company contributions throughout the year
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Reference Manual - Member Price |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Western Building Material Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Western Building Material Association is a nonprofit trade association serving independent lumber and building material dealers across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. It provides membership-based services including industry education and training (via the Foundation LMS platform), regulatory compliance support, networking events such as an annual convention, and scholarship administration through the Educational Link Scholarship Fund. It also sells the Lumber and Building Material Reference Manual as a technical resource for the LBM industry.
Product overview
Western Building Material Association is a trade association serving the building material industry in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington since 1903. The organization provides a portfolio of member services including educational programs, regulatory compliance support, scholarship administration, and industry resources. The core offerings include the Lumber and Building Material Reference Manual (a reference publication with span tables, charts, and formulas), Foundation LMS (an online learning management system for employee training), the Educational Link Scholarship Fund (scholarship program for children of member employees), and member benefit programs including insurance partnerships. These services are designed to support independent lumber and building material dealers through networking, education, and advocacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Foundation LMS: Online learning management system designed specifically for the lumber and building material industry to help new hires and seasoned employees develop new skills
- Educational Link Scholarship Fund
Products and services
- Foundation LMS Online learning management system designed specifically for the lumber and building material industry, used by member dealers to onboard new employees and train/educate existing staff.
- Lumber and Building Material Reference Manual Printed reference manual for the LBM industry containing updated span tables, charts, formulas, and other technical reference materials for building material dealers.
- Educational Link Scholarship Fund
- WBMA Membership
Quantifiable outcome
- Five $4,000 scholarships awarded annually through the Link Fund
Companies that use Western Building Material Association
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Western Building Material Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Western Building Material Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Federated InsurancecoreFederated Insurance provides member benefits to WBMA members. Their logo and link to member benefits webpage is featured on WBMA site.
- National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA)coreNational affiliation representing the lumber and building material dealers industry at the federal level. WBMA is affiliated with NLBMDA.
- Foundation LMScoreOnline learning management system specifically designed for the lumber and building material industry. WBMA launched this platform to provide online learning options for new hires and seasoned employees.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Western Building Material Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (SLMA): SLMA is a regional trade association for lumber manufacturers and dealers in the Southeast U.S. It mirrors WBMA's regional association model but focuses on southern states and a slightly more manufacturing-heavy membership.
Broad incumbents
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): NAHB is a national trade association for the residential construction industry. It is a broader incumbent that touches the same downstream customers (builders) as WBMA's dealer members and provides overlapping education, advocacy, and networking services.
- Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): ABC is a national trade association representing the commercial construction industry. It is broader than WBMA but adjacent — its education, training, and advocacy functions overlap with WBMA's regional training and regulatory-support offerings to builders and dealers.
- Lumbermens Merchandising Corporation: LMC is a larger, member-owned buying and services cooperative for independent building material dealers. It overlaps with WBMA's dealer base and provides aggregated purchasing, training, and operational services — a broader incumbent offering dealer-support services at greater scale.
- Do it Best Corp. Do it Best is a large retailer-owned cooperative serving independent home improvement and building material dealers nationwide. While primarily a distribution/buying entity, it provides training and operational resources that overlap with WBMA's mission of supporting independent dealers.
Others
- FedCenter / Foundation Academy (Foundation LMS): Foundation LMS is the specialized learning platform WBMA itself relies on to deliver LBM-specific training. It is a peer in the sense that other regional associations could license or replicate the platform; it represents the educational-technology backbone of WBMA's service stack.
- HBS Dealer / LBM Journal: LBM Journal is the leading trade media outlet covering the lumber and building material dealer industry. It is a peer in the information-and-community layer that supports WBMA's membership, providing industry news and benchmarking that members rely on.
Direct peers
- Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA): NRLA is a regional trade association serving independent lumber and building material dealers in the Northeast, with a similar mission of education, advocacy, and member benefits. Operates the same association business model as WBMA in a different geography.
- National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA): NLBMDA is WBMA's national affiliate that represents LBM dealers at the federal level. It is the most directly comparable organization — both serve lumber and building material dealers through advocacy, training, and member benefits — but at a national rather than regional scope.
- North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA): NBMDA represents specialty building material distributors in North America, overlapping with WBMA's membership base in the dealer/distributor segment. Comparable industry association structure with education, networking, and advocacy offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Western Building Material Association social profiles
Digital presenceWestern Building Material Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Western Building Material Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Western Building Material Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Western Building Material Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Western Building Material Association
What does Western Building Material Association do?
Western Building Material Association is a nonprofit trade association serving independent lumber and building material dealers across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. It provides membership-based services including industry education and training (via the Foundation LMS platform), regulatory compliance support, networking events such as an annual convention, and scholarship administration through the Educational Link Scholarship Fund. It also sells the Lumber and Building Material Reference Manual as a technical resource for the LBM industry.
Is Western Building Material Association a public or private company?
Western Building Material Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Western Building Material Association founded?
Western Building Material Association was founded in 1903. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Western Building Material Association based?
Western Building Material Association is headquartered in Olympia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Western Building Material Association make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership dues are the primary driver. The others are reference Manual Sales and scholarship Fund Contributions.
Who are Western Building Material Association's main competitors?
Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (SLMA) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Lumbermens Merchandising Corporation and Do it Best Corp.. Others are FedCenter / Foundation Academy (Foundation LMS) and HBS Dealer / LBM Journal. Direct peers are Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA), National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA).
Does Western Building Material Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Western Building Material Association.
What industry is Western Building Material Association in?
Western Building Material Association's product category is Trade Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAFAD, Building Materials & Lumber Distribution, with a secondary code of IMAMAIAD, Engineered Wood Products Distribution (LVL, I-joists, Glulam, CLT). Its NAICS code is 42331 and its SIC code is 5211.