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Tag: The Lester Group

Martinsville real estate, building supply firm names new president

The Lester Group has appointed Dana Cowart president, the Martinsville-based building materials and real estate development company announced Monday. Cowart started his new job Dec. 1.

Cowart brings to The Lester Group more than two decades of experience in the building supply sector. Previously, Cowart was vice president of acquisitions, vice president of sales and marketing, and filled other roles at TAL Building Centers, a Washington-based building supply company. Additionally, Cowart managed a door manufacturing operation at OrePac Building Supply, an Oregon-based wholesale building materials supplier, after beginning his career at Lanoga, which later was purchased by Pro Build, both building materials businesses.

Cowart has a degree in business administration and management from the University of Washington, according to his LinkedIn page.

“His visionary leadership and proven expertise in the building materials industry are exactly what our company needs as we continue to grow and adapt in an ever-evolving marketplace,” Jay Dickens, CEO of The Lester Group, said of Cowart in a news release. Dickens was hired as the company’s president in 2018 and named CEO in 2020, holding both positions until Cowart’s hiring.

The Lester Group acquired Williamsburg-based Custom Builder Supply this summer.

In addition to real estate management and development, The Lester Group owns Fredericksburg-based Fortress Door Co. and more than 21,000 acres of forestland in Virginia in Franklin, Halifax, Henry and Pittsylvania counties, as well as Rockingham County in North Carolina.

Lester Group acquires Williamsburg building supply company

The Lester Group, a Martinsville-based company with a diverse portfolio including lumber products and real estate development, acquired Williamsburg-based Custom Builder Supply on June 3, the company announced earlier in June.

Lester Group CEO Jay Dickens declined to release financial terms of the deal.

Randy Cooper founded Custom Builder Supply in 1988 and worked there as president and manager for 33 years, according to his 2021 obituary. The company was formerly owned by a group of local investors, according to its website.

The Lester Group owns five other building supply companies across Virginia. Custom Builder Supply won’t change names with the deal, and its 23 employees are being retained, according to a press release issued by the Southern Virginia company.

“We’re not just adding a business; we’re welcoming a brand that shares our values and commitment to quality and service into our family,” George W. Lester II, co-chair of The Lester Group, said in the release.

In addition to real estate management and development, the Lester Group owns Fredericksburg-based Fortress Door Co. and Martinsville-based Fortress Wood, a wood preserving company with North Carolina production facilities in High Point, Henderson, and Elizabeth City. The company also owns more than 21,000 acres of forestland in Virginia in Franklin, Halifax, Henry and Pittsylvania counties, as well as Rockingham County in North Carolina.