Welcome to the AAF Southwest Virginia Member Spotlight Series where we highlight one of our great members in the advertising and related industries in Southwest Virginia. In this part of the series, we meet Amber Clark of Berry Home Centers.
Who are you and what organization (if applicable) do you represent?
Amber Clark, Marketing and Merchandising Manager, Berry Home Centers, Inc.
Tell us about your business and what you do.
Berry Home Centers is an independent locally-owned building materials supplier, serving southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee. We supply lumber, building materials, doors and windows, hardware, paint, power tools, and have the ability to source any special order product needed to get the job done. Our pricing stays competitive because we are an LMC (Lumbermens Merchandising Corporation) dealer. LMC is a group of independent building supplies across the country joined together to give us BILLION DOLLAR buying power. And unlike the big box stores and national chains, we value our customer relationships and our community. When you do business with us, your money stays local.
I have been Marketing and Merchandising Manager since March of 2012. It is my responsibility to help generate awareness and promote the image of Berry Home Centers in our community, through advertising, public relations, events, social media, and our showrooms. I love our company and enjoy seeing it thrive in the midst of heavy competition and big box growth.
What made you decide to join AAF SWVA (either individually or as an organization?)
I was invited at the invitation of a peer in the industry, Kim Stewart, and enjoyed the comradery between individuals in our fields. The networking and learning opportunities were the major draws.
What do you enjoy most about AAF SWVA?
The AAF SWVA events are the most enjoyable part of the club: Lunch-n-Learns, club mingles and even the American Advertising awards. It is at these events that we are able to network, learn and showcase work. And I have also enjoyed watching the club grow these last couple of years!
What would be one “pro tip” you can share with our membership which will make their lives better or easier?
Never stop learning. It is cliché to say, but technology changes so quickly that it really can leave us behind. What helped me with my first jobs out of college was my art degree, knowledge of design programs and decent computer literacy. But now, just a few years later, you have to have more than just that to stay current in our fields. And now I have to at least know what people are talking about when they say “Panda algorithms” and “Image-Centric Content” and “Responsive Websites.” It serves to remind me that I have to work hard and keep learning to be good at what I do.