Ryan and Blase Grady of Lang Building Supply
Lang Building Supply’s legacy chronicles the building of Brunswick and the Golden Isles. Since 1905, many important structures in the county—from the old courthouse in downtown Brunswick to the original Cloister Hotel on Sea Island—have a page in the Lang company history book.
Framed pictures of the company founders and long-ago employees hang on walls at Lang’s headquarters on Prince Street in Brunswick, including a shadow box of a weekly payroll journal dating from 1948. Lang even played a part in the famed Liberty Ships, built in the Brunswick shipyard during WWII.
“The Liberty Ships were built right down the street from here,” shares Lang Operating Partner Blase Grady. “You’ll see what looks like Army barracks in some of the pictures on our walls. They say that’s where the workers lived, adjacent to this property.”
Builder Barracks for WWII Liberty ships, with Lang Building Supply in foreground
These images tell the story of Live oaks, lumber, and love for community, continued into the current day. Known for donating material to the local Boy Scouts, supporting Safe Harbor, or building a beautiful nature walkway for Hospice of the Golden Isles, Lang is a go-to for organizations or individuals dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others.
The Original Lang Mill
Blase, along with son Ryan Grady, joined the company over a decade ago, spearheading the Lang family’s continued commitment to growth, civic engagement, and unwavering customer service, while entering a new chapter for the family business.
The Gradys also come from a long line of lumber. “I started when I was 13 years old at the lumberyard in Augusta, Georgia,” says Blase. “And then spent my adult career in Atlanta in the same industry. When the Lang Family was ready to retire, they reached out to me. I came down, interviewed, and knew it was a good fit.”
He adds, “We’ve seen tremendous growth over the past decade and are poised to expand even more, whether through added services and product lines, growing our sales team, or even opening another location. We are always looking for opportunities to grow the business and keep our eyes and ears open for them.”
Name recognition as still very important and a matter of pride for all Lang employees. “If you notice, all of us wear Lang gear,” Blase explains. “We want to continue to be known in the community and do a lot to market the name. All our trucks carry the Lang name, and we put Lang on all Tivek house wraps.”
He adds, “Many people don’t know that we sell to homeowners—individuals—which we do. Every customer is important, whether they want to replace a window or door or simply replace a bit of molding the dog chewed up. Every customer is welcome here.”
Father and son enjoy working with each other, with a clear division of labor, and unlike some family businesses, there is “no butting of heads,” says Blase. “Ryan is my eye and ears in the field. He’s calling on customers and visiting job sights. If something comes up, I can call him and say, ‘Can you be somewhere in five minutes?’”
Ryan agrees, “We’re totally aligned, and very much on the same page about our business needs, how the company should be operated, and what our future goals are.”
Ryan Grady with the original 1948 Employee Journal
Like his dad, Ryan considers customer experience super important to continued success. “There are plenty of people in this market that we would like to help and add value to their business, and I’ve been focusing our sales team on providing that value.”
Blase adds, “A big talking point I have with our sales team is ‘treat each project like it is your own.’ I really try to have that resonate so that homeowners and builders feel like this person is really involved in the project and truly cares.”
And the best part of being a part of the ongoing Lang legacy?
“I see customers everywhere—out at dinner or wherever—and people tell me what a good job these guys are doing. That positive feedback is invaluable.”
He adds, “There’s a lot of history with this company. I love hearing ‘I came here with my dad,’ or ‘My dad worked here,’ and I’ll go and find the payroll record. That aspect of this company is so important to us.”
