Leadership roles change at Bliffert Lumber

In a recent leadership change, Josh Brown climbed to the role of chief executive officer and president of Milwaukee-based Bliffert Lumber.

Eli Bliffert, a fifth-generation leader of the 120-year-old company, will move on from CEO and president to serve as the chairman of the board of directors.

Brown joined the company in 2001 and was promoted to chief operating officer in 2024. He will start his new role on July 1.

Jay Walsh will take over as chief operating officer and will oversee daily operations at all 14 Wisconsin locations.

“Josh has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a deep commitment to our customers, employees, and industry partners,” said Eli Bliffert in a statement. “He understands what makes Bliffert special, our relationships, our values and our commitment to service. I’m confident the company is in excellent hands moving forward.”

Brown worked his way up from the lumber counter at the Morgan Avenue location in Milwaukee to roles such as sales, estimating, management, executive vice president, chief operating officer and finally CEO and president.

“I’ve had a front-row seat to the growth of this business, and I’ve been proud to be part of it,” Brown said. “I look forward to building on that foundation and continuing to move us forward.”

His responsibilities will include leading the company’s expansion across Wisconsin, strengthening operations and supporting long-term growth, officials said.

Eli Bliffert will remain active in the company as chairman on the board, maintaining key relationships and staying connected with company locations and engaging the rest of the team.

The company was founded in 1904 as a Milwaukee lumber business and leads the local independent building materials industry, supplying projects such as American Family Field and the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons.

In 2024, Bliffert Lumber reported having around 400 employees. In 2022, the company announced it was partially sold to employees through an employee stock ownership plan.