Leaning on Legacy
In today’s business climate, successful leaders share an essential trait: They approach the inevitable times of change and uncertainty not with fear but with a willingness to learn, grow, and mature. At TAL, our legacy owners are such leaders, demonstrating time and again their ability to navigate the industry’s unpredictable landscape while guiding employees and caring for customers along the way. Through economic challenges, ever-shifting trends, and evolving communities, they persevere with optimism—and all the while, they hold fast to what matters most.
As the year draws to a close, we recognize legacy owners who are beginning another new venture: retirement. Please join us in honoring Lee and Kim Badger (Badger Building Center), Ken Marson (Marson and Marson Lumber), and Steve Colkitt (Miller’s Home Center) for their leadership and legacy. We wish them all the best in retirement.
Lee and Kim Badger
Lee Badger, Badger Building Center
Badger Building Center was started by Mike and Sandy Badger in the Idaho panhandle 40 years ago. For 34 of those years, the Badgers’ son Lee—and Lee’s wife, Kim—helped guide the family business through the expansion and relocation of their original store and the development of three additional locations. In short order, each new location became a trusted member of the community.
In 2021, under Lee’s leadership, BBC joined the TAL family. Today the four stores serve rural communities across Northern Idaho, Western Montana, Montana’s Flathead Valley, and Eastern Washington.
Through decades of change at every level, Lee prioritized four core values for himself and his team:
Show up early
Work harder than everyone else
Stay until the job is complete
Smile
These values helped create a positive, productive environment where employees are accountable, valued, and empowered. In turn, changes are generally easier to weather and the right solutions are more apparent.
As one recent example, a customer’s vehicle was damaged during a transaction, and the Badger store manager arranged for repairs at a local bodyshop. When the customer had concerns about the bodywork, the staff was determined to “stay until the job was complete,” ensuring the vehicle was restored to original condition and the customer was satisfied.
When Lee became acquainted with TAL in 2019, he found values and a culture similar to his own. In TAL, he knew the BBC family of employees would gain new opportunities to learn and grow.
“Today we have many more products available than we did we in the ’80s, and customers have access to so much more information. Their expectations are elevated,” he explained. “Our salespeople have to stay ahead of them, yet it’s very difficult for a small business to provide enough training.” TAL’s training program addresses every role in the store, Lee said, which helps all employees expand their skills and knowledge and embrace change.
As he transitions to retirement, Lee will continue to practice at least one of his core values. He might not be keeping the same hours, but he’ll no doubt still be smiling, ready to enjoy whatever comes next.
Gordan and Ken Marson
Ken Marson, Marson and Marson Lumber
Ken was just a mere infant in 1955 when his father and grandfather began supplying lumber in rural Leavenworth, Washington. As the business grew, so did the baby. As a young adult in the mid-1970s, Ken joined the company full time, and two decades later he led an expansion across North Central Washington, adding locations in Wenatchee and Cle Elum. (An additional store in Chelan operated from 2005 to 2020; the Ephrata location opened last year.)
The lumber business wasn’t the only thing Ken built. Equally important was his mission to establish strong, trusting relationships between his family members, employees, customers, and communities. As to the latter, he regularly joined with family and staff in investing time and resources in local community-building initiatives. For the last nine years, Marson and Marson has hosted an annual golf outing to support the Cascade Medical Foundation. In 2022, Ken and his family announced plans to support Upper Valley MEND in creating permanently affordable workforce housing in Leavenworth. Even the strongest relationships hit occasional rough spots. For this reason, Ken emphasized the values of honesty, fairness, and the humility to admit, own, and fix mistakes.
Since 2017, Marson and Marson has been part of TAL in a true marriage of partners committed to working hard, persevering, and growing strong. His family’s legacy secure, Ken is now retiring. On November 2, family, employees, customers, and community came together for a “Kudos for Ken” barbecue. The site of this celebration? Right back where it all began — in Leavenworth.
Steve Colkitt, Miller’s Home Center
From a NAPA Auto Parts store in Union, Oregon, Steve Colkitt grew his business to encompass hardware, cabinetry, lumberyards, and trusses. In a four-decade span, Steve brought on a business partner (Wayne Ryder), opened large retail home centers in Baker City and La Grande, and added two manufacturing facilities in La Grande. More than offering products, he successfully offered an environment where customers and the community feel served and supported.
Unsurprisingly, the Miller’s Home Center mission is to help build better communities. Now, 40 years after starting out and a year after joining his company with TAL, Steve is stepping into a well-deserved retirement.
