Built on Strong Foundations
In 1937, founders Arthur Schwanke and Don Davis Sr. launched Aetna Plywood & Veneer Co. in Chicago with three guiding principles:
- Know the customer’s needs.
- Partner with best-in-class suppliers.
- Make products available through efficient warehousing and timely delivery.
These values carried Aetna through the toughest of times, including the Great Depression and World War II, where Aetna supplied lightweight plywood for U.S. military gliders and countless other defense applications.
Today, Aetna Building Solutions is one of the Midwest’s largest wholesale distributors of building materials. Our mission hasn’t changed: to deliver customer-first solutions, trusted partnerships, and reliable distribution that help businesses succeed.
As we celebrate over 89 years of service, we’re proud to continue the tradition of innovation, reliability, and customer focus that began in 1937.
Growth Through The Decades: 90 Years of Experience
By the late 1940s, Aetna had become known for its “Walls of Wood from the Forests of the World,” stocking more than 10 million sq. ft. of plywood to meet the post-war housing and construction boom. The company quickly expanded its product offerings, becoming an early supplier of particleboard and other materials that would define modern residential and commercial design.
Through decades of growth, leaders like Larry Rassin — who recently retired as President and CEO — helped expand Aetna’s product lines, markets, and industry presence, while keeping our founders’ principles at the core.
By 1949, a visitor to the Elston Ave. warehouse would find what the company calls “Walls of Wood from the Forests of the World.” Some 10 million sq. ft. of hard and soft plywood, over 100 railroad carloads, is piled high as the fast-growing company races to meet the demands of the post-war building boom for housing and pre-finished wall paneling. Aetna is also becoming an important source for a new product called particleboard, and many other new products destined to become ‘household names’ for residential and commercial applications.
By 2001, Aetna had moved into its new corporate headquarters and 200,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Maywood, IL, marking a major step forward in the company’s growth. Additional milestones followed with the expansion of sales and distribution operations in Indianapolis, IN; Rockford, IL; the Twin Cities, MN; and most recently Lexington, KY. Today, Aetna continues to invest in value-added capabilities, offering in-house fabrication through our Lumber Processing Center, Biesse beam saw, and panel line system—delivering precision, efficiency, and enhanced support for our customers.
One of a series of Aetna commemorative plaques created by Aetna in the 1950s, composed of some 100 different native and exotic wood veneers. 
