East Coast Lumber recognized for
century of membership

Dan Marino presents Megan Osteen with a 100-year recognition award for East Coast Lumber & Supply Co.

Fort Pierce-based East Coast Lumber & Supply Co., Florida’s oldest lumber and building supply company, received a 100-year member award from the Florida Building Material Alliance during its annual convention in Orlando.

The award was presented to Megan Osteen, the fifth generation in the Osteen family to work at East Coast Lumber, which was founded by her great-great grandfather, George F. Paddison, in Eau Gallie in 1902. East Coast has stores and lumber yards in Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Vero Beach, Stuart and Fort Pierce, where its corporate headquarters are located.

Megan, the sales coordinator for East Coast’s Vero yard, is a 2015 graduate of Southern Methodist University, where she was a member of the school’s equestrian team. After working for several years in Dallas, she returned to the Treasure Coast in 2018 to become involved in the family business.

East Coast Lumber was a founding member of the alliance when it was formed in 1920 as the Florida Lumber Dealers Association. Since then, six representatives from East Coast Lumber — general managers R.P. Paddison, William Tylander, Nells Hallstrom and Brian Blocker, along with current owners Allen Osteen and Don Osteen — have served as president of the association or alliance. The award was to be presented last year but was delayed because last year’s alliance and trade show were canceled due to coronavirus. This year’s convention of the alliance, based in Lake Mary, was held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, where legendary Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino was a keynote speaker.

“East Coast Lumber has always recognized the need for a strong association of lumber and building supply companies to be an advocate for the issues that drive our industry,’’ said East Coast Chief Executive Officer Allen Osteen.

Osteen said the company plans to celebrate its 120th anniversary next year. The company is the oldest lumber and supply company in Florida and one of the state’s oldest continually operating family-owned retail businesses.

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