Tyler practically grew up in the building supply. Often times after school, he’d ride his bike over and help out wherever his dad (Pat) needed. Whether it was sweeping, picking up garbage, or putting away freight, Tyler was all for it! He officially started working for the family business when he was 15 years old. While in school, he spent his summers working in the yard packing sheetrock/preparing roofing loads, as well as working on/delivering power equipment in the rental department.
An avid fisherman, Tyler decided he wanted to try something new and spent the summer of his senior year and the summer after working on a commercial fishing boat in Alaska. After two summers of fishing, he wanted to transition into the building scene.
He started work for Pat Planagan, a local contractor in the area. He assisted in many home builds during the two years he worked for him. Tyler then got a job with Graham Construction where he worked on larger commercial facility projects like Washington State University in Pullman and the MultiCare Deaconess Hospital in Spokane. After getting a wealth of knowledge working in the construction industry, he decided to return to the building supply to work with the Contractor Sales team.
In 2013, MPBS purchased a plot of land in hopes to build a new, larger Pullman location. With this project underway, Tyler helped lead the team as the Facility Design & Construction Manager. He logged countless hours with Pat and Xon (another MPBS employee). Together they worked tirelessly with engineers and architects to get the building designed; including traveling to multiple hardware stores around the US to gather inspiration, ideas, and tips for the new facility. Construction broke ground April 2014 where Tyler maintained a hands-on approach during the building process. He, along with others from the MPBS team, did a lot of the work themselves to help save time and money for the project. Construction took one year to complete and in April 2015 the new store officially opened.
With the addition of the new store, Tyler became the Store Manager. He worked in this position for about a year, then transitioned to the VP of Operations and oversaw both stores. On January 1, 2019 Pat happily retired and left Tyler in charge, who soon bought out the company. Daily duties as the CEO/President of Moscow & Pullman Building Supply vary tremendously. As the owner of a locally-owned company, Tyler’s number one priority is taking care of his staff, who he very much considers members of the MPBS family. “If you take care of them, they’ll take care of MPBS.” Tyler said.
He also oversees store managers, buyers, and advertising and enjoys being hands-on. Tyler does his best to stay up to date on new trends and product lines so MPBS can best serve the community. Keeping the best possible selection of products while providing the best customer service is Tyler’s ultimate goal. Everyone wants more for less, so constant research and dedication are imperative to staying up with trends and changing times. He is very much involved with as much as time allows, which includes interviews, accounting, facility maintenance, inspections, budgets, forecasting, benefits, IT, and much more. Tyler is not above doing any job at MPBS. You can see him jumping in wherever help is needed, whether that may be helping a customer, hanging up a sign, working an event, or loading someone up in the yard, he’s there with a smile on his face. He takes a tremendous amount of pride in the two stores and truly enjoys being a part of the team both on the floor and behind the scenes.
Tyler is an avid member of the community and not only dedicates a lot to the stores, but also to the community. Donating to local activities, fundraisers, and events is something that makes him feel good and is all part of what it means to manage a family-owned business in a community with strong roots. One of his favorite parts of the job is providing a viable service to the community. He is proud to own one of the largest locally-owned businesses in the area. Seeing his employees and the community grow by fulfilling their needs within our stores is quite rewarding. This allows him to connect with people that he’s grown up knowing his whole life, which is pretty special because not everyone gets that opportunity.
Tyler is a Moscow native and is the son of Pat and Gerri Garrett. He has two sisters, Katie and Sarah. Katie joined the MPBS family in 2018 as the CFO and part owner. He enjoys getting to work with her on a daily basis. He is married to Rachal Garrett and they have two beautiful sons, Grayson and Jordy. Outside of work, Tyler enjoys spending time with his family and working on projects at home. As an avid outdoors man, he can often be found hiking, fishing, backpacking, or hunting. FUN FACT: He enjoys living on the edge and listening to good ‘ol rock & roll!
Katie joined the MPBS team in 2018 as CFO & Office Manager. She is located in the Moscow accounting office, but oversees the financial aspects of both Moscow and Pullman stores. A typical day for Katie includes routine office management duties, tracking cash flow, analyzing expenses, margins, and the company’s financials. She works as an advisor and strategic partner to the CEO (Tyler) and gives input on the company’s investments, capital structure, and how to best manage income and expenses. She can also be seen preparing financial statements, budgeting, and working on customer accounts. Katie is responsible for ensuring all the bills get paid and everyone pays their bills, which is a crucial role for any business.
She enjoys everything about what she does at MPBS, but really likes working with people. Helping customers and employees grow is a big part of what makes her happy. Being part of the family business is nice perk because the MPBS family atmosphere is strong. She feels like she is a true part of the team and has fun with all her peers, including her brother, Tyler Garrett (CEO/President). Together they work well and get a lot done all while still tossing in a few jokes at one another.
Her job can be complex and challenging, but Katie is not the type of person to shy away when the going gets tough. Right now, she and the IT team are working on integrating a more complex accounting system than what they’ve had in the past. By making process improvements to the system, her goal is to get the current point of sales system more heavily integrated with the accounting software. This is just one of many projects Katie has on her plate. She enjoys overcoming challenges that will help evolve the company to be even more efficient.
Before her work at MPBS started, Katie attended San Jose State where she earned her degree in Business Accounting, from there, she went on to get her CPA license. Shortly afterwards, she started work at an accounting firm in California called Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC). After working at the firm for nearly 3 years, she decided to revisit her hometown roots and move back to Moscow. She was interested in a position at the family business and approached her father (Pat) and brother (Tyler) to see what was available. The two knew Katie would be a great fit for the family-owned atmosphere and welcomed her with open arms.
Katie was born and raised in Moscow, ID. Her parents, Pat and Gerri Garrett, are the previous owners of the building supply. She has one younger sister, Sarah, and an older brother, Tyler. Even though she works with her brother on a daily basis, the two have a good relationship. When not at the office, Katie can be found going on camping trips, riding her side-by-side, or fishing on the Snake River in Hells Canyon. Fun Fact: Katie recently built a new home in Moscow, ID with the help of her father and the landscaping is just about done, which she is very proud of.