BuildDirect advisory board to be headed by Art Mesher

Mesher: “BuildDirect is the one of the most exciting companies I have ever seen.”Former Descartes Systems Group CEO Art Mesher will head a new star-studded advisory board for Vancouver-based ecommerce player BuildDirect.

The board will be comprised of Mesher, ex-Amazon exec Mike Swartz, e3 Associates founder Dr. Corey Billington, former COO of of Health Shared Services BC Jim Eckler, and ex-Red Prairie CEO Mike Mayoras.

Mesher, who has been active since stepping away from Descartes, says BuildDirect is poised for big things.

“BuildDirect is the one of the most exciting companies I have ever seen,” he told Cantech Letter today. “It’s entrust is right at the intersection of supply chain and e-commerce. The torrid growth that they are experiencing is because they have taken a “clean slate” approach, solving a huge problem for both customers and manufacturers. Through performance they are now positioned as a ” platform of choice” and I believe they will become the “Amazon of big thing‎s” leading the market in the flow of over 150 lbs shipments to people’s homes.

BuildDirect CEO Jeff Booth says Mesher is already making a difference at the company.

“We are thrilled to work with a such a world class advisory board,” he said. Their expertise in IT systems, ecommerce, 3PL operations, supply chain execution and network strategy is unparalleled and will help BuildDirect accelerate it’s platform of choice for heavy weight home products. Art Mesher, who chairs the advisory board, is considered a thought leader in supply chain disruption from his days at Gartner and Descartes Systems. We’ve already seen his impact on our logistics capabilities and we’re just getting started.”

Founded in 1999 by Booth, who is a former home builder, BuildDirect aims to bridge the gap between the manufacturer and consumer. The company spent much of the 2000’s solving a complex logistical tangle that prevented heavy items such as flooring from being shipped economically. Building the logistical network to solve this problem almost bankrupted the company more than once, but today it owns a proprietary data-driven platform that saves consumers as much as 80% on building supplies, while benefiting manufacturers, who now enjoy an unprecedented window into consumer needs. The company has since expanded rapidly in the U.S. and attracted a raft of all-star investors.

In January, BuildDirect raised $30-million in Series B financing in a round led by Silicon Valley’s Mohr Davidow Ventures, an A-list firm that has invested in companies such as Brocade, Rocket Fuel and Shutterfly. The round included high profile Canadian investors, including BDC Venture Capital. Last November, Difference Capital, whose board Mesher also sits on, invested $5-million into BuildDirect.

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