Built for the Trade: CFM Celebrates 45 Years
In 1981, builder Bill Cogdall Sr. founded Contract Furnishings Mart with a simple idea: trade professionals deserved a better way to purchase materials and serve their customers.
Forty-five years later, CFM has grown across Oregon, Washington and Arizona, expanded into new product categories and opened showrooms designed to support projects of every size.
The company has changed significantly, but the principles behind it have remained remarkably consistent.
A Better Way to Serve the Trade
Before opening CFM, Cogdall experienced many of the same frustrations facing builders throughout the flooring industry.
As a builder, he knew who would frame, plumb and roof each house. Flooring was different. Pricing could be inconsistent, product selection was limited and builders did not always know which installation crew would arrive at the jobsite.
Cogdall believed there was a better way.
CFM would provide builders and other trade professionals with fair, consistent pricing and a dependable place to purchase materials. Customers could then develop direct relationships with independent installers they knew and trusted.
Steve Frazier, who knew CFM as a supplier in its earliest days and later helped market the company, remembers that reliability as a central part of Cogdall’s vision.
“It was never our goal to be the low-cost provider, but to be a constant and a reasonable supplier,” Frazier said.
That distinction helped establish CFM as more than a place to purchase products. The company was built to become a dependable resource for the trade, project after project.
A Design Center Before Its Time
The original vision for Contract Furnishings Mart extended beyond flooring. Cogdall initially brought together flooring, furniture, plumbing fixtures and lighting products in one location.
In many ways, he created the first design center in the Northwest before the concept was widely recognized.
As the business developed, CFM began focusing on the categories it served best. Flooring became the company’s early foundation, followed over time by tile, cabinetry, countertops and other resources for the trade.
The products and showrooms have evolved, but the original goal remains familiar: make product selection easier and help customers complete successful projects.
Building Customers for Life
CFM’s early success was not built around winning one transaction. It was built around developing lasting relationships.
The company became actively involved in builder, remodeler, designer and rental housing organizations throughout its markets. CFM hosted events, supported trade groups and created opportunities for customers, employees and suppliers to build genuine connections.
That relationship-focused approach continues today. CFM’s experienced, salaried professionals take the time to understand each project, provide knowledgeable guidance and help customers find solutions that fit their needs, style and budget.
“Reaching 45 years is a reflection of the people who have supported CFM along the way,” said Matt Bechtold, CFM co-owner. “We are grateful to our employees, customers and vendor partners, and we remain committed to earning their trust every day.”
Honesty, Ownership and Respect
CFM’s longevity has also been shaped by a culture of honesty, personal responsibility and respect.
From the early days, employees were trusted to address problems, communicate openly and work with customers and suppliers to find solutions.
Mistakes could be corrected. What mattered was taking ownership and doing the right thing for the customer.
Respect for suppliers was equally important. Cogdall wanted CFM to become a valuable partner to its vendors, and the company built those relationships through consistency, loyalty and mutual trust.
Those values helped CFM develop lasting relationships with customers, employees, installers, manufacturers and sales representatives throughout the industry.
They also continue to guide how CFM hires, trains and supports its people today.
Growing Without Losing the Mission
CFM began with a small team and a business model focused primarily on builders. Over the following 45 years, the company expanded its products, showrooms, warehouses and geographic reach.
Today, CFM serves builders, remodelers, interior designers, property managers, trade specialists and their clients across Oregon, Washington and Arizona.
The opening of the new Tigard showroom and corporate office represents the latest chapter in that growth. The larger facility provides more room to showcase products, bring teams together, improve the customer experience and prepare CFM for the years ahead.
Although the new building is significantly larger than CFM’s earliest locations, its purpose reflects the same mission that shaped the company in 1981: create a dependable place where trade professionals can find products, expertise and people they trust.
“CFM has grown significantly, but our purpose remains the same,” said Ryan Bechtold, CFM co-owner. “We are here to support trade professionals with dependable products, knowledgeable guidance and service they can count on.”
Thank You for 45 Years
CFM’s 45th anniversary belongs to the customers, employees, suppliers and trade partners who helped build the company.
Thank you to every customer who trusted CFM with a project, every employee who took the time to provide exceptional service and every industry partner who supported the company’s growth.
The showrooms are larger. The product selection is broader. The company serves more customers in more communities than it did in 1981.
The mission remains the same.
Build lasting relationships. Treat people with honesty and respect. Take care of the customer. Be a trusted partner for every project.
After 45 years, that is still how CFM grows.
