Matt Holmes | HBA Board of Directors
”The HBA helps protect and preserve an industry that is a key indicator on how the economy performs as a whole.
For those who may not know, describe your business and expertise.
- Holmes Building Materials is a full service lumberyard and building material supplier in the Greater Baton Rouge market.
How long have you been an HBA member and why did you choose to become one?
- I honestly do not know when we joined (25 years ago). The HBA is a great organization to be involved with from a community involvement standpoint as well as providing networking possibilities.
What is your favorite thing about being a HBA member?
- The interaction that we have between members that are all working towards a common goal – Creating a better homebuilding industry.
What is your favorite memory while being involved in the HBA?
- The induction ceremony where I was chosen to be on the board of directors.
What is one of the biggest accomplishments of your business thus far?
- Moving to the Airline Hwy store 2 years ago was a game changer for us. That facility has allowed us to operate in an entirely different way than in the past.
What is your favorite book or movie?
- Moneyball – the characters are awesome and they think outside the box.
Favorite Out-of-Town Destination:
- Destin, Florida
What was your first job in the Home Building Industry?
- I grew up in the family business, but my first job working for someone else was with Eric Ponti (remodeler), my high-school junior summer. I was a laborer gutting and demoing houses.
Favorite Meal:
- I am half Lebanese, so I would say our annual Christmas Lebanese feast!
What do you like most about living in Louisiana?
- The friendly culture and the great food.
What is your favorite way to unwind?
- I love to be out on the water, and it doesn’t really matter what I am doing past that point. It could be cruising on the river, offshore fishing, or somewhere in between that.
Tell us a little bit about your family:
- I have a beautiful wife named Christina that is a pediatrician at Baton Rouge Clinic. We have 2 children – Olivia who is 11 and loves dance and Ben who is 8 and loves sports. We also have Missy who is a mini schnauzer.
What is the best advice you were ever given?
- I had a mentor who I worked for in Shreveport and he would always say “What’s right is right, and what’s wrong is wrong. Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean it’s wrong”. He taught me a lot about how to interact with customers and people in general.
Describe your community involvement?
- We choose to be the most involved in programs that focus on children and the elderly. These programs include St. Jude’s Dream Home, The Raven House, Adult Literacy Association, Habitat for Humanity, Capital Area CASA Association, as well as others including the Home Builders Foundation.
What are some steps you’ve taken in your business to improve the homebuilding industry?
- Providing education to builders is a big one for us. We have multiple opportunities for builders to receive CEU hours throughout the year.
What’s your strategy to ensure continued growth of Holmes Building Materials?
- Service says it all. We try very hard to provide great service to our customers on a daily basis. When you combined that with a knowledgeable and aggressive sales staff, I think you have a recipe for growth.
What is a leadership skill you’ve learned the hard way?
- Communication. I have had my moments of greatness in this category as well as many challenges.
What’s something about your job that might surprise people?
- How big our Team is. We have 155 employees.
