MADISON TOWNSHIP — Jason Rimmer said he told his wife, Lisa Rimmer, they would probably never work in the same industry, let alone share an office.
“She always told me her dream was for her and I to share an office, but I was a chef at the time and said there’s no way that will ever happen,” he said. “But one day, Richland Lumber needed some drywall delivered, and the next thing I know, this was my gig.”
Jason Rimmer came to Richland Lumber in 2016 and is currently a sales representative. Lisa Rimmer, Richland Lumber treasurer, has been working at the company for 24 years. She is the granddaughter of the company’s founder, Harold Chumbley Sr.
“We had a great teacher, and we have some pretty big shoes to fill,” she said. “He instilled in us, ‘If you can’t operate a business with integrity and honesty, then you’ve got no business being in it.’ And that’s kind of carried us through all these years.”
Lisa Rimmer’s father, Harold Chumbley Jr., co-owns the business with Rimmer and her two brothers, Jason Chumbley and Justin Chumbley.
“Even though he’s retired, my dad still comes in every day,” she said.
Richland Lumber stocks and sells drywall, lumber, paneling and installation tools. Jordan Chumbley, the fourth-generation Chumbley to work at Richland Lumber, is in charge of buying materials.
“Drywall’s the one thing that never stops, we’re ordering that all the time,” he said.
Though Lisa Rimmer said other fourth-generation family members might pick up some work in the future, Jordan Chumbley is the youngest member of the family currently on the payroll.
“I do feel pressure knowing that I might be the future of the business, but with that pressure comes a bit of excitement too,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Chumbley said he’s had a few other jobs besides Richland Lumber but realized he liked the family atmosphere and upholding a good reputation.
“I feel a connection to this place that I didn’t feel way back when,” he said.
Shirley Konves, one of Chumbley Sr.’s daughters, is still on Richland Lumber’s payroll at 76. She said the biggest change she’s seen in how business is done in her nearly 60 years at the company is technological advances.
“My dad would have been amazed,” Konves said. “He was old-school and didn’t even want us to do business on computers in the ’80s, but he would have loved all this.”
Konves designs cabinets and remodels for Richland Lumber clients, completing most designs on specialized computer software.
Chumbley Sr. died at 73 in 1995. Konves said he spent his last few years around the office visiting employees and watching her work.
“It’s hard to leave something like this,” Konves said. “When I think about retiring, I hear my dad say, ‘You know what you’re doing. What would you be doing if you were home?’
“I’m going to reevaluate at 80 and make sure I’m not forgetting things or making mistakes, but otherwise, I’m still healthy and capable.”
Konves said her father would be proud of how the business has grown, and the fact that the majority of employees are family members.
“The beauty of this is we’ve all always gotten along,” she said. “We don’t always agree, but we have each other’s backs.”
Lisa Rimmer said 10 of Richland Lumber’s 14 employees are members of the Chumbley family.
“Even the ones who aren’t family, they’re every much as part of the business as we are,” Rimmer said. “We all work together.”
Harold Chumbley Sr. founded Richland Lumber in 1961. The business provides blueprint services, pick-up and delivery of materials and designs.
The business is located at 1202 Park Ave. East. Interested customers can find Richland Lumber online, on Facebook, or by calling 419-589-7942.
Richland Lumber is open Monday–Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
