Rick Schumacher

Minneapolis, United States

Executive Editor and Publisher at LBM Journal

The leading media company serving lumberyards, building material distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers, and other LBM service providers.

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Articles

Publisher Letter | June 2025

3 weeks ago | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

Every month, as part of our Real Issues survey, hundreds of LBM pros share the top business challenge they’re facing. One answer consistently ranks near the top: attracting, hiring, and retaining young talent. It’s an issue that affects so many of us, which is exactly why we launched the LBM 40 Under 40—to recognize and celebrate the next generation of leaders who are shaping the future of the LBM industry.
Publisher Letter | May 2025

1 month ago | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

Welcome to the fifth annual LBM 100 issue. Before diving in to see who’s in, who’s out, who moved up, who moved down, etc., here’s some context to this year’s listing. Every company listed chose to participate. So, if you notice some sizable companies missing, you’re likely correct. I know several who would surely make the list every year, but they prefer not to share their top-line numbers. Just as we’ll never guesstimate a company’s revenues, we trust the numbers that they report.
Publisher Letter | April 2025

2 months ago | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

When we built our home in 2016, I had one item on my wish list: a big, beautiful deck facing the lake that we were fortunate to build on. The initial deck design was an 8’x12′ rectangle. We explained to the builder that we planned to spend a lot of time outside, and we wanted a large deck that would give us plenty of space with friends, family, and dogs. He responded with a slightly larger rectangle, measuring 12’x16′.
Publisher Letter | March 2025

Mar 5, 2025 | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

You may have noticed something called LBM Talks when paging through the magazine, in our enewsletter, or on social media. Here’s the story: Thea Dudley has built a loyal following with her Credit Q&A column in each issue, and with her monthly credit-themed webinars. If you know Thea, you know that she won’t rest until every business has access to smart credit advice.
Publisher Letter | February 2025

Feb 5, 2025 | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

As I write this, we’re exactly one month away from the 2025 International Builders’ Show (IBS), which will run Feb. 25-27 in Las Vegas. I don’t believe I’ve missed an IBS for decades, and each year, more members of our team attend as well. Why does LBM Journal, a media company serving dealers and distributors, make a point to cover an event owned by NAHB … one created primarily for builders? That’s a great question. The answer is even better.
Publisher Letter | January 2025

Jan 7, 2025 | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

Yesterday, as if on cue, my town got a nice healthy helping of snow. As I write this, in just two days, our home will be filled with family members to celebrate Christmas, including a handful of little ones who just know that Santa is real. And why shouldn’t they? After all, following games and a hearty meal, every year Santa makes a grand entrance to deliver presents and sing carols before moving on.
Publisher Letter | November/December 2024

Nov 7, 2024 | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

“It is clear that building a community is at the heart of the work you do.”—Denise Miller, VP, Event, Product & Brand Marketing, NAHB, Gold Sponsor of LBM Strategies 2024When we launched LBM Strategies in 2016, we knew what we wanted to accomplish—to provide a space for LBM pros from across the U.S. to connect, share, and learn from each other—but we couldn’t know how it would play out. Having just returned from our 2024 event in Costa Mesa, CA, I believe we’re on the right track.
Publisher Letter | October 2024

Oct 3, 2024 | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

In our home, where dogs currently outnumber humans, lives a spirited little rat terrier named Jax. He has what I’ll call a healthy obsession for tennis balls, but had never been swimming until earlier this summer when an errant tennis ball splashed down in the lake. After some heated internal debate and apparently realizing that he had no choice, Jax slowly ventured into the unknown. Once the water got up to his face, he continued on his hind legs.
Publisher Letter | September 2024

Sep 4, 2024 | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

While I’m proud of every issue we produce, this edition of LBM Journal really hits the mark—from cover to cover. I encourage you to take time to read the entire magazine, there are a couple of items I want to call to your attention. Dealer Profile: Lugbill Supply (p 46). In this profile, Managing Editor Wendy Sturges shares how Isaac Weber worked at Lugbill Supply Center as a teen, and how he and his wife, Leslie, are injecting new energy into the company since buying it in 2022.
Lessons learned

Oct 26, 2023 | lbmjournal.com | Rick Schumacher

It’s said that experiences that don’t kill us make us stronger. If that’s true, then the death-defying rollercoaster that was 2020 has taken our strength training to whole new level. In addition to being stronger, hopefully the experience has made us smarter as well. While we can’t always control the obstacles that life throws our way, we can control our response.