A good Building Supply Account Manager doesn’t just place orders. They protect the long-term success of your project.
For a long time, the role of a building materials supplier was simple: take the order, deliver the product, send the invoice. That model is no longer the most effective for many of our customers.
Our local construction projects are more complex, more compressed, and more exposed to risk than ever before. Lead times fluctuate. Manufacturers change production schedules. Pricing moves faster than contracts can keep up. And contractors are being asked to do more with fewer people, especially on the administrative and coordination side.
As a result, something fundamental has been shifting across the industry: Supply chain management is moving out of the contractor’s office and into the hands of trusted distributors.
And at the center of that shift is your Hewson Brothers Building Supply Account Manager.
MEET OUR ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Jeff Currie
Jason Church
Dave Chatterton
The Supply Chain Shift: From In-House to Distributor-Led
Historically, many contractors handled supply coordination internally, with a purchaser or supply chain manager tracking orders, chasing manufacturers, confirming delivery dates, and stepping in when issues arose. In most cases, those roles were built around experience in a single field or product category. While that narrow scope works in some cases, that model comes with a cost as projects grow more complex.
Today, our Hewson Brothers Account Managers, bring established relationships across multiple manufacturers and product divisions, allowing procurement to be coordinated across the entire build, not broken up by trade or product. This broader reach creates stronger coordination, faster issue resolution, and a more resilient supply chain for modern construction projects.
More of our local contractors have been recognizing that reality and making a smarter adjustment: They’re leaning on distributors to take ownership of supply coordination across multiple divisions, not just a single product line.
Instead of managing all product categories of the build internally, they’re trusting a distributor to manage it as one coordinated system. That trust changes everything.
What a Real Account Manager Actually Does
A dedicated account manager isn’t an order-taker. They’re the point person responsible for making sure materials are in-house, on time, within budget, and aligned with the project schedule — while also ensuring manufacturers step up when issues arise. It means handling the coordination, follow-ups, and problem-solving that contractors don’t have the time for — or, frankly, shouldn’t have to deal with anymore — so projects keep moving without unnecessary friction.
1. Schedule Protection, Not Just Deliveries
Account managers don’t just ask, “When do you want it?” They ask:
- When do you actually need it on site?
- What sequence does it install in?
- What happens if one component slips?
From there, they:
- Coordinate deliveries across multiple product categories
- Flag risks early
- Adjust timing before delays hit the jobsite
The goal isn’t just delivery — it’s protecting the schedule.
2. Manufacturer Advocacy
Let’s be honest: dealing with manufacturers isn’t always smooth.
Lead times change. Allocations tighten. Specifications get questioned. Claims and substitutions come up. And someone has to make the call, escalate the issue, and push for answers. That’s where we have a proven track record of earning our keep.
A strong distributor doesn’t just resell products, they advocate with trusted manufacturers on behalf of the contractor.
That includes:
- Escalating production issues
- Clarifying specs and approvals
- Negotiating availability and pricing
- Solving problems before they become site delays
In short, we deal with the bullshit so you don’t have to, and we have over 40 years worth of relationships with trusted manufacturers to help those problems get solved even quicker.
3. Managing Multiple Product Categories as One System
One of the biggest advantages of the distributor-led model is consolidation. Instead of coordinating with one rep for steel, another for insulation, another for membranes, and another for fireproofing, contractors work with a single account manager who understands how all those products interact within a wall assembly or overall building system.
That consolidation matters.
Fewer handoffs mean fewer mistakes, and changes in one category don’t unexpectedly create problems in another. This approach has proven especially effective for modular contractors, multi-residential builders, and larger local general contractors managing multiple active sites. When one person is accountable for the big picture, projects simply run smoother.
One Less Thing to Worry About
As contractors continue to trust in strong local distributor relationships, they’re doing more than outsourcing logistics. They’re buying peace of mind.
Knowing that their materials are being tracked, schedules are being monitored, manufacturers are being managed, and problems are being handled proactively, means one less thing competing for the attention of their busy teams. And in an industry where attention is constantly pulled in ten directions, that matters.
Why This Model Is Working & Growing
This shift is already happening. Across modular builds, commercial projects, and large local GCs, contractors are actively choosing distributors who can:
- Handle multiple scopes
- Coordinate across product categories
- Advocate up the supply chain
- Act as an extension of their internal team
The days of a “one-product” supply relationship are fading for many of our customers, and the team at Hewson’s is ready to support that partnership model. Helping not just supply materials, but helping manage the supply chain itself.
The Takeaway
A good account manager doesn’t win projects with flashy pricing alone. They win by building trusted relationships, protecting schedules, managing risk, handling complexity, and advocating when it matters — all while making life easier for the contractor. In today’s construction environment, that isn’t a nice-to-have or a bonus. It’s a competitive advantage that helps set our customers up for long term success.
And for many contractors, it’s the difference between constantly reacting to problems and staying ahead of them before they ever hit the jobsite.
