In the PHCP industry, relationships are paramount and built on consistency of hard work and delivering on one’s promises. For 100 years, a manufacturers’ representative firm has worked hard to not only endure but also thrive: Dillard Associates.
Founded in 1925, this Texas-based manufacturers’ representative agency has been a force in the commercial and residential plumbing industry, withstanding generational shifts, economic cycles and the ever-evolving demands of its manufacturer partners and customers. Today, led by a father-son team of President Ben Boyd and Vice President Mark Boyd, the company is celebrating its centennial with the same foundational values it was built on: integrity, service and relationships.
Humble beginnings
Dillard Associates was founded by Joe P. Dillard — Joe P. as he was known — who moved from Georgia to Texas in 1925 to establish a regional presence for Josam, a drainage product manufacturer. A Georgia Tech graduate and visionary entrepreneur, he launched Joe P. Dillard and Associates as one of the earliest rep agencies in the Texas plumbing market.
By the 1930s, the firm had added several key lines and would soon span the reach of the entire state of Texas — quite a feat for a one-man operation traveling across vast territory with nothing but grit and a promise of reliable service.
As the plumbing market and cities such as Houston began to grow rapidly in the late 1940s, Joe Dillard and his colleague Jim Stevenson saw an opportunity to better serve customers by dividing responsibilities — and the company. Dillard stayed in Dallas to manage the northern half, while Stevenson took over the booming southern region, including Houston. This friendly split laid the groundwork for more focused service and is a key part of how Dillard Associates adapted to a changing market.
After Joe P. Dillard’s passing in the 1960s, the company changed hands multiple times — from salesman Ken Smith to his son Bruce Smith, who eventually brought on Mark Boyd to work within the company. Mark Boyd would take the reins as owner and president in 1998, the same year his son Ben Boyd joined the company.
Getting started in the Business
Mark Boyd’s journey into the business is the embodiment of when hard work meets opportunity. Working in construction in 1986 in Texas was tough, and Mark Boyd, who was childhood friends with Bruce Smith who was running Dillard Associates, needed a new job. The only job within the company at that time was not one that was on his resume, but that didn’t stop him. “I started as the receptionist, bookkeeper, coffee-maker—everything,” Mark Boyd chuckles. He would soon learn the business from the inside out, taking on roles in the warehouse, inside sales, and outside sales before purchasing the company in 1998.
The same year Mark Boyd joined the company, his son Ben, a trained pilot living in another state, was facing a downturn in the airline industry. He called his dad and said, “I’m thinking about coming back to Dallas.” Mark was elated, thinking his son would be closer to home. What he didn’t expect was to hear his next line. “I am talking about coming back and going to work with you”. And he did, joining the company the same year. It was exactly what the company would need – the father and son team working together to expand the company’s growth and keep the family-owned and operated mfg. rep business with a succession plan to continue its growth and modernization.
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Dillard Associates remains focused predominantly on the commercial plumbing market, representing a robust portfolio of manufacturers. While some of its lines touch the residential space, the firm is best known for its deep presence in commercial construction and plumbing systems, including specialties in bid/spec projects, valves, fixtures, and hydronics.
Its customers include engineers, contractors, architects, interior designers, wholesalers, and facilities managers. In recent years, the team has placed added emphasis on reaching architects and interior designers—two groups that now play a more prominent role in fixture and restroom aesthetic decisions.
“We’ve added three dedicated people to focus on those groups,” Ben notes. “Ten years ago, interior designers had little input on what went behind the bathroom door. Now they’re specifying finishes, layouts, and technology. We’re here to help guide that process.” And that process has opened up opportunities that are driving the success into the next century.
While growing and thriving, the company remains steadfast in its partnerships with the manufacturers it represents. For 100 years, Dillard Associates has stood as a trusted extension of the manufacturers it represents, earning that trust the old-fashioned way — by doing the right thing, every day. “A big part of our success are the guys who went before us,” says Mark Boyd, about the founding fathers of the company and their connection not only to customers, but also the manufacturing companies it represents.
“There was an expectation and a level set many, many years ago that set Dillard above and beyond everybody else,” beams Mark Boyd. That legacy continues today as Dillard invests in people, relationships and service that can’t be automated or outsourced. Charlie Reynolds, president of National Wholesale Supply Co. sums it up best: “I have been doing business with Dillard Associates for decades, an excellent manufacturers’ representative. Their dedication and expertise have made them a valued partner in our business.”
The company has built a culture where family values and hard work go hand in hand. “It’s about the factory and the customer,” Mark adds. “We try to represent that manufacturer like it’s our factory — and what would I want my representative to do if that was my factory” That unwavering commitment — to be the face, the voice and the problem-solver for every partner it serves — is the steady flame guiding the company now, and into the future.
“Dillard is a trusted partner with a stellar reputation spanning decades. Its responsiveness, market knowledge, and commitment to excellence have made them a go-to representative for some of the top manufacturers, wholesalers, and contractors in the industry,” says Trey A. Hale, vice president Ferguson | Commercial Customer Group.
“I think a rep business is still all about service. We’re the face of the factory in front of the customer, and it’s our job to establish that relationship and deliver the service the customer expects,” says Ben Boyd. And it’s the simplest of things done right to provide the level of service the company provides. He adds, “we don’t use automated answering machines — we have people answer every call. We overstaff our inside sales and quotes departments so we can answer questions as quickly and accurately as possible.” These fine touches add up – and it shows.
“The first time I met Mark and Ben Boyd, I knew our companies could work together. Both companies are multi-generational with proud family-held values of hard work, honesty, and integrity. Morris Group International is pleased to be associated with Dillard Associates in celebrating its 100th anniversary. I look forward to celebrating with the Dillard group next year at Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co’s 100th anniversary in Montgomery, Alabama,” says Donald E. Morris, CEO Morris Group International.
Growth and culture, the Dillard Way
Despite growth from five employees to nearly 50, Dillard Associates has preserved its core identity as a family-run business - where it’s everyone’s job to roll up their sleeves to do what needs to be done to maintain its standards of service. “No one is above rolling up their sleeves,” says Mark Boyd.
“Ben and I still do everything—from making deliveries to calling on engineers,” Mark says. “No job is too small. And that carries through to our team. Our employees get it—they do what needs to be done, often without being asked.”
“We spend a lot of time working together — sometimes more than with our own families — and it truly takes a whole team to make it work,” says Ben. “An outside salesperson might be 20–25% of the equation, inside sales another 20–25%, but without a good warehouse staff doing their job right, even the best relationships won’t matter. Dillard Associates has always reinvested in the company — every year we put back into technology, better warehouse equipment, the tools we need, or hiring more people. We always take care of the company first to make sure it’s still here tomorrow — and then, we hope there’s a little something left over.” He smiles as he knows that this formula is a winning one.
That culture of ownership and humility is at the heart of Dillard’s employee retention success. Many employees have decades-long tenures, and it’s clear that mutual respect runs deep. When asked to define the company’s values, both Ben and Mark are unequivocal: honesty, integrity, hard work, and loyalty. As Ben puts it, “Our long-term employees and the long-term relationships we’ve built over 30 and even 40 years that make all the difference.” Mark adds, “A big part of our success are the guys who went before us. They set a level that put Dillard above and beyond everyone else, and we’ve been able to carry that on.”
Over the years, the company has made strategic, measured expansions to better serve Texas. From its base in Dallas, the company added offices in San Antonio and, most recently, Houston—where it officially opened in June 2025. Each office includes full warehouse facilities, inside and outside sales, and customer service teams. The Houston expansion not only grew the firm’s physical growth, but also the confidence its manufacturer partners place in them—nearly all product lines are joining them in the new market. It’s also one of the few instances in the industry where such expansion was executed organically, not through merger or acquisition.
Unlike many peers who consolidate operations and rely on remote staff, Dillard prioritizes proximity to customers. “It costs more to have three full offices, but we think it’s worth it,” Ben explains. “We want to be near the customer. That’s the service difference.” And “Speed is part of our brand now,” he adds.
Standing the Test of Time
Ben and Mark often reflect on the impact of their predecessors—from Joe P. Dillard’s pioneering efforts to Ken and Bruce Smith’s leadership. “They set the tone,” says Mark. “We only try to live up to it.” When I asked what some keystone markers in the business were, Mark Boyd smiles and says, “It would be easy to attribute Dillard Associates’ success to operational excellence alone. However, behind the logistics and timelines is something more enduring: legacy. The ability to adjust and change, but it’s also the ability to remain steadfast. And some of the things that were so important to our success and are important in the future success, and I think Ben has done a good job of that.” He also added that a key milestone in the company was when his son Ben came onboard- ensuring the family-owned and operated company has a firm succession plan – firmly established on the values and integrity of the company’s forefathers.
I asked where the company turn to for guidance in the channel, and Ben discussed how the Association of Industry Manufacturers Representatives has made an impact.
“AIM/R has become my sounding board — I still talk to people weekly or monthly about our business and how to tackle challenges,” he says. “It gives me a networking group of people doing the exact same thing I’m doing, which is huge because locally your only other contacts are usually competitors. The biggest benefit is that networking and advice, plus the seminars on technology and tools that really help bring new ideas into the rep firm.”
A Milestone Worth Celebrating
The company plans to mark its 100th anniversary with an event for employees — an intentional focus on the people who drive the business forward. Smaller customer-focused celebrations will follow in each of their markets later in the year.
As they reflect on this monumental anniversary, both leaders remain humble.
“We live on 30-day contracts,” Mark quips. “There’s no guarantee. You show up, do the work, and take care of the customer. That’s how we got here.” And where it’s going is far.
From a solo rep pounding the pavement in 1925 to a multi-city team of nearly 50, Dillard Associates is a powerful example of how steadfast values and adaptive leadership can take a company not only through the decades — but into the next century. It’s this blend of history, loyalty and a service-first mentality that has kept Dillard Associates thriving for 100 years.
