Skokie, IL, April 15, 2008 – Crafty Beaver Home Centers is pleased to announce that it has achieved Certified Green Dealer™ status after its staff participated in voluntary educational training and testing on good green building techniques and green product choices in lumber and building materials.

The Certified Green Dealer Program was created under the auspices of LBM Journal, a national trade magazine serving the lumber and building material industry. The Program is based entirely on demonstrated understanding by lumber dealer personnel of “best practices” building science and green building basics. A lumberyard or building material dealer location can become a Certified Green Dealer™ if 75% or more of its sales personnel view a series of Web-based training videos (and pass seven tests and a final exam) about building basics, green building, and green building products.

This national training Program is the first of its kind in North America to provide lumber and material dealer personnel with educational information about green building basics, and it requires that participants view online video modules and take rigorous tests to demonstrate knowledge of green building techniques and green product choices.

 “We’re very pleased to have achieved the Certified Green Dealer™ designation,” says Paul Puttrich, President of Crafty Beaver Home Centers. “Investing in this training for our sales staff helps show our commitment to helping our customers make good choices for the environment, and in doing our part to recommend more earth-friendly products. We also want to make sure that we help educate our customers about ‘best practices’ in building techniques so that their building projects are both energy-efficient and make the best use of our resources.”