Ron Pott, a Salesman for University Park Lumber Company had a dream, to start his own business doing something different in the building industry. He wanted to start a Wholesale Distributing Business, stocking Specialty Building Products. At that time all of the wholesalers had lumber, windows, doors etc… but if you wanted something special, there weren’t any real good sources. So at the age of 39, and a family of 6 children, Ron and his wife Mary set out to make his dream come true. He needed help so he sought out his friend and colleague, Bill Grimm who was living in Cleveland at the time. He sent him a prospectus and asked if he wanted to be partners. Bill agreed and sent him his half of the money needed to start the business. Ron and Mary took out a 2nd mortgage on their home and RW Specialties was born. January 1, 1965
Hence the Name:
RW Specialties = Ronald and William - Specialty Building Products
Ron Pott and Bill Grimm started R/W Specialties in 1965 in a 4500 s/f warehouse on south Jason Street with three product lines and a dream. On June 16, 1965 the Platte river flooded during the Big Flood of 65 and completely wiped out the business. Rick Pott remembers his whole family, all 6 children and their entire neighborhood on south Irving street working endlessly to try and salvage any of the water and mud soaked inventory. Not much product was salvaged, but something happened that was much more significant. This lumber dealer community banded together to help out Ron and Bill who had lost everything in the big flood. Orders came in from customers that had never done business with us. The customers that were doing business with us doubled, tripled, even quadrupled their orders and bought everything they could from us. This special community saved us from going under. Our business today is a direct result of the kindness of our customers and the Grace of God.
We soon were bursting at the seams in our little warehouse on Jason Street, and within a few years bought a building at 16th and Bryant, across the street from the old Ellis Chili plant and Mile High Stadium just a block away. If we were still there, we would be at the southeast entrance of Invesco Field Stadium.
In 1976, we moved to our Location at 5301 Vasquez Blvd, where we planted roots until 1994 when again we had outgrown our facility. We moved to our present home, which at the time was in the middle of cornfields at 9000 East 96th Ave.
In 1996, Ron and his family bought out his partner and long time friend, Bill. Bill was ready to enjoy life and get out of the day-to-day grind. In 1995, Ron having lost his wife was ready to pass the baton on to his children with the help of all of R/W’s very capable and loyal employees, who really make R/W the company that it is.
Unfortunately, Ron’s retirement didn’t last nearly as long as any of us would have hoped for. Our founder and wonderful father Ronald W. Pott passed away October 24, 2000.
Today, R/W has warehouses in Denver, Grand Junction, Casper, and Salt Lake City for a total of 225,000 s/f. and service over 1400 accounts in 12 states. R/W has 65 product lines, which includes the first three that Ron started with. R/W employs 80 people with an average tenure of 12 years. Our strength is our people and we believe that our success has always been because of them.
We are blessed to be able service this special community who truly saved us, and who throughout the years has supported us in so many ways. The Pott family and the R/W employees will never forget where we came from and all of the people who have helped us get where we are today.
We are forever grateful!
- R/W Specialties has been a very active and supportive member of the Mountain States Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association since 1965, the year they were established.
- R/W has participated in the MSLBMDA Trade Show for over twenty years and has been the recipient of the Outstanding Multiple Booth Award many times over.
- R/W was named the MSLBMDA’s Outstanding Associate Supplier in 2000 for their support and participation of the association and many of the R/W staff have served in leadership positions.
- Rick Pott was one of the first two supplier members to serve as an Associate Supplier Director on the MSLBMDA Board of Directors. Keith Simpson served on the Board for WOOD, Inc. in the eighties, and is currently serving on the MSLBMDA’s Board as an Associate Director. He is also serving as the MSLBMDA’s Expo Committee Chairman.
- In addition, many R/W Specialties employees have been nominated and/or been named as Outstanding Outside Salespeople.
- R/W Specialties represents everything that is great about this industry and the people in it and we too, are grateful for them.
