Morton Mead founded Mead Lumber by purchasing
Parkhurst Lumber Company in Ashland, NE with partner,
Dan Sullivan, who sold his interest to Morton a few years later.
Lyman Mead graduates from college and moves to Torrington, WY to start his career in the lumber business.
Lyman joins his father Morton in Ashland to work full time.
After Morton Mead’s passing, Lyman assumes leadership of the company.
All of Morton’s three sons – Lyman, Emerson, and Wilbur – are working in the lumber yard at Ashland.
Mead Lumber expands to Columbus, NE through the acquisition of Kaufman Lumber.
Acquisition of O. L. Clark & Sons enables expansion into York, NE. Emerson becomes manager.
Expansion continues into Fort Morgan, CO, with Emerson Mead relocating to lead operations there.
Opening of a new location in Cheyenne, WY via purchase of Mawson-Peterson Lumber. Wilbur Mead becomes manager.
Dierks Lumber & Coal purchase leads to a Broken Bow, NE branch.
Mead Lumber acquires Kildare Lumber, launching operations in Lexington and Cozad, NE.
Expansion into Sterling, CO by acquiring Platte Valley Lumber.
Bob Mead joins the company, establishing a pre-hung door shop and roof truss operations in Cheyenne, WY.
Mead constructs a new location in Beatrice, NE.
Expansion into Nebraska City, NE via acquisition of Hoppe Lumber.
Acquisition of S&S Lumber brings operations to Norfolk, NE.
Mead Lumber moves to a new Lexington, NE location via the acquisition of Big Valley Lumber.
Mead opens a new location in Pratt, KS.
Expansion into Liberal and Dodge City, KS by acquiring lumber yards from Boise Cascade.
Upon the passing of Lyman Mead, Bob Mead becomes President of Mead Lumber.
Mead Lumber acquires Hoppe Lumber again, expanding to Grand Island, NE.
Acquisition of Collins Lumber leads to expansion into Ada, OK.
Mead adds Kansas Lumber, expanding into Manhattan, KS.
Mead Lumber builds and expands rental center operations in York, Pratt, Sterling, Beatrice, Liberal, Lexington, Norfolk, and Ada.
Mead Lumber purchases Knecht Home Centers and Newkirk Ace Hardware stores in Rapid City and Spearfish, SD, and Gillette, WY; an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is established.
Mead opens a Knecht Home Center / Ace Hardware site in Sheridan, WY. Craig Bradshaw becomes President upon Bob Mead’s retirement.
Expansion into Montana via the acquisition of Thomae Lumber in Billings and Laurel.
Mead Lumber acquires Cash and Carry Lumber, moving operations in Broken Bow, NE.
Mead Lumber builds a new location in Kearney, NE.
Mead Lumber expands into Yankton and Winner, SD (Fullerton Lumber) and into Cañon City, CO (Sonny’s Ace Hardware).
Mead Lumber acquires Dakota Craft Truss in Cheyenne, WY and launches Truss Craft Structural Components; also opens Great Plains Countertops in Grand Island, NE.
Mead Lumber opens Truss Craft Nebraska in Grand Island, NE.
Mead Lumber becomes 100% Employee Owned.
Expansion into Red Lodge, MT (Rock Creek Lumber) and Salina, KS (ProBuild facility).
Further expansion into North Platte, Ogallala, and McCook, NE (via acquiring Kildare Lumber); new Truss Craft facility in Billings, MT.
Acquisition of H.L. Munn Lumber expands Mead into Ames, IA; new store built in Spearfish, SD.
Mead Lumber named “Pro Dealer of the Year” by HBS Dealer; the Spearfish store wins ProSales Excellence Award for facility design.
Mead expands into Lincoln, NE; Dave Anderson becomes President upon Craig Bradshaw’s retirement.
Expansion into Stockton, Hays & Russell, KS (Heartland Building Center acquisition); launch of Truss Craft Kansas in Hays; opening of Great Plains Distribution in Grand Island, NE.
Expansion into Butte, MT (Triple “S” Building Center acquisition) and Kansas City, MO (Teague Lumber acquisition); new store built in Cheyenne, WY.
Mead Lumber expands into Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with the acquisition of Component Manufacturing Company (CMC) and Reaves Buildings, strengthening its position in structural components and post-frame building solutions across the region.
Mead Lumber celebrates 25 years as a 100% employee-owned company, marking a quarter-century of employee ownership and shared success since establishing its ESOP in 2000.
Knecht Home Centers were renamed as Mead Lumber. Signage and other branding was replaced in October at Gillette and Sheridan, Wyoming, and Spearfish and Rapid City in South Dakota.