At about the same time as Thomas’ early experiences with Rotary, he began to find even more examples of the power of esprit de corps when he became acquainted with the Western Building Materials Association (WBMA), joining the Young Westerners Club and ultimately becoming president of the association in 1992. “Anytime you think about public service, Rand really epitomizes that,” says WBMA executive director Casey Voorhees. “He gives so much back to our industry, and to his community, and his contributions to Western over the years have been awesome.”
Like many involved in industry organizations, however, Thomas finds that his WBMA contributions pale in comparison to the benefits he has received through his membership and leadership in the association. In particular, going on tour with Voorhees to visit virtually every WBMA member when Voorhees became executive director taught Thomas “more about the lumber business than if I had studied it in a college for 10 years,” he says. “I took a year off to do that, and other dealers view that as a sacrifice, but I value those relationships more than anything.”
Vital Support Thomas Building Center, though, manages quite fine during the boss’s absences, a realization that was hard-won during Thomas’ personal battle with cancer, a disease that claimed both his mother and father. “I learned when I had cancer that this place could run without me. I have a weekly managers’ meeting but I am not involved in the daily operations and every single purchase and sale,” Thomas says. “I think any dealer that almost loses their life to cancer would be the same way. I’m here every day, but I have learned to empower others to do the daily planning. I could be gone tomorrow, but the store goes on.”
In addition to taking time off for WBMA, Thomas also went on a six-month tour in preparation for Sequim’s centennial celebration in 1995, a 10-day event he co-chaired and organized that saw 25,000 people visit the town. To help him plan and execute the festivities, Thomas tapped the Washington Festivals and Events Association and visited similar events across the country.
Thomas’ latest venture, his largest to date and one that no doubt hits close to home, involves contributions for construction of a multi-million-dollar cancer treatment facility in Sequim, an effort of the Port Angeles–based Olympic Medical Center Foundation. “Because of the donation that he is making, we are going to name our new cancer center the Thomas Family Cancer Center at Olympic Medical Center,” says foundation executive director Bruce Skinner, who has known Thomas for more than 15 years and is familiar with the dealer’s galvanizing effect on the public service initiatives of others in the area. “When he believes in a project, he gets everyone else to believe in it, too. Not only is he providing, he has recruited two other major donors, and two of the wings of the center will be named after them,” Skinner says. “I’ve lived and worked in a number of communities, and I’ve never seen or met a business owner that contributes so much. I’ve never seen anyone get involved like he does.”
While many of those who pass through the Thomas Family Cancer Center’s doors will undoubtedly recognize the name on the building, few will realize that a portion of funding for the project came from Thomas’ efforts to involve his business and his vendors to purchase those 31 VID ducks floating down the paper mill canal in last year’s Duck Derby. In light of his large contribution, Thomas was able to specify that a certain portion of the $250 ducks was to benefit the Olympic Medical Center Foundation and another portion was to go directly to the Sequim Boys & Girls Club. For Sequim Boys & Girls Club interim director Carrie Columbus, that slice of duck was just another helping in a long line of assistance that Thomas has been providing to her organization for years. “Rand sponsors so many things for us: He purchases advertising on our vehicles, he contributes to our auctions, and he sponsors our annual golf tournament. He is very giving to our chapter and his support is vital to our mission,” Columbus says, echoing the various community organizations and industry associations that Thomas has dedicated his time and service to. “For any fund-raiser, for any need, if we go to Rand or to Thomas Building Center they immediately help us out.”
Once a year, Thomas takes out an ad in the local newspaper highlighting the lumberyard’s annual commitments, detailing exactly how much—and to whom—the company has contributed. Other than that annual ad, Thomas otherwise keeps mum about contributions, preferring the silent returns on giving rather than publicly reveling in contributions and expecting some increased business, a new big box in town or not. “If we based our giving solely on those who bless us with their business, we probably would not do a fraction of what we do,” says Thomas. “We’re not in it for self satisfaction or for the name of Thomas Building Center, because truly you can’t do it for a guy who does business for you and you’ll do it back for him. If you operate that way you’ll always be irritated when your customer goes to some other lumberyard. You have to realize that if something is good for your community, in the end it is good for all of the people involved in your business.”
