An Introduction to Johnstone Supply In 1953, a single modest store began operating in Portland, Oregon to serve the needs of local contractors. That first Johnstone Supply may have been small, but it operated with a commitment to finding the best products for its customers and servicing them like nobody else. Today, Johnstone Supply is the top cooperative wholesale distributor in the country and a recognized national leader in the HVACR industry. With regional distribution centers based in Portland, Oregon, Memphis, Tennessee, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Jacksonville, Florida, the company boasts over 300 independently-owned stores throughout the United States and beyond, totaling over a billion dollars in annual sales. Unbeatable service, support, product knowledge and competitive pricing remain Johnstone’s core values. An expanding regional distribution network means even better product availability and delivery times for local contactors, and ongoing improvements to our distribution and operations systems means Johnstone is poised to remain a true “one-stop-shop” for contractors nationwide. We offer superior customer service, technical advice and training seminars and feature the industry’s most respected catalog (available both in print and online) featuring more than 28,000 quality parts, supplies and equipment.

Independent Owners, Cooperative Strength Our Members take great pride in their stores, and as independent owners they manage with a customer focus unfettered by corporate franchise stipulations and requirements. This means superior relationships and service for customers and a unique ability to reflect local contractor needs. We’re continuing to explore better ways to serve our customers and improve our stores, and remain committed to our core pledge of being the first, best choice for our customers, suppliers, and employees. We’re proud of our history of success, a history that began with a single small store... Success through Cooperation – The Origins & Evolution of Johnstone Supply

The Beginning When he took over the original Johnstone Supply store in 1953, company founder John Shank worked immediately to expand the range of products it offered. This soon led to the original Johnstone Supply Catalog, which quickly became a must-have information and ordering resource and remains to this day the most comprehensive in the industry. As his business prospered and expanded to additional stores, Shank sought out other service-focused individuals to grow the company even more through franchise locations.

A Cooperative is Born John Shank grew the business through three prosperous decades, and as he neared retirement he became determined to pass the company’s legacy and success directly into the hands of its hard-working stores and staff. His idea: to form the Johnstone Supply Cooperative, a business model where each store owner would own and operate their individual business yet band together to share experience, resources, operational benefits and group buying power. By 1981 the Cooperative was set up with 32 Member stores and a company management structure. A central corporate office provided stores with centralized, cost-saving merchandising, warehousing, marketing, purchasing and financial reporting services. Taking the helm following John Shank’s retirement, Cooperative President Jerry Schultz and a committed Board of Directors composed of leading store owners led Johnstone Supply through a remarkable period of growth – in only the first four years Johnstone more than doubled to 75 stores.

Johnstone – Looking To The Future Today, Johnstone stores are found across the country, and in 2006 we opened our 300th location, celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the formation of the Cooperative, and achieved the notable milestone of over $1 Billion in total company sales. Company sales and growth continue to outpace the industry average of 5-12%, with Johnstone seeing more than16% in average annual sales growth over the last three years. Gary Daniels, Johnstone Supply’s current President & CEO, is leading Johnstone into new areas of customer and vendor services, and in conjunction with the Board has been a driving force in developing a progressive company vision and strategic plan. Recent years have seen major accomplishments in our operations and technical support, and current efforts are centered on an aggressive plan to further improve services for Johnstone stores and create a robust regional distribution network to enhance product availability, delivery speed, and order accuracy.