Record Participation At MLMA 71st Convention
The Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association (MLMA), founded in 1954 by a group of Mississippi family-owned sawmills, proudly celebrated its 71st anniversary recently on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Since its inception, MLMA has fostered a strong sense of community, maintaining a family-oriented atmosphere where spouses and children are welcomed to participate in the association’s annual Convention and Trade Show, a tradition that continues to thrive more than seven decades later.
Gallagher, KDS Windsor and USNR were platinum sponsors for the Convention and Trade Show hosted at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino.
This year had record participation numbers, with over 1,000 guests registered and 100 members exhibiting at the Trade Show. Events kicked off with the President’s welcome reception.
The Trade Show, considered as the main event of the week, followed on Friday afternoon. Before the doors opened, exhibitors were invited to join the MLMA board of directors for an appreciation luncheon sponsored by Taylor Machine Works. The afternoon expo offered attendees an opportunity to visit each exhibitor booth while they enjoyed a reception sponsored by USNR, Real Performance Machinery, COMACT, Forest City Trading Group, and Pierce Construction and Maintenance.
The weekend was packed with outdoor activities and social events. Saturday’s festivities included two sold-out events: a fishing tournament in Pass Christian, MS, sponsored by Hankins Inc., and a golf tournament at The Preserve Golf Club in Vancleave, MS, sponsored by Weyerhaeuser. Both sporting events offered members a memorable way to connect with each other and win prizes!
The ladies of MLMA were treated to a delightful brunch, sponsored by Shuqualak Lumber Company and held at the New Orleans-inspired Coraline’s at the Beau Rivage. Guests enjoyed a morning of socializing and live entertainment provided by Gram Rea, before joining the afternoon pool party.
MLMA members value this annual event because it provides them with ample networking opportunities to engage with their colleagues, customers, and vendors in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The continued support and attendance of these members make the MLMA convention a huge success year after year.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our board of directors, members, sponsors, and volunteers, whose dedication allows our event to thrive year after year,” said Ellery Jones, Executive Director. “It has been a joy to host this year’s event as we proudly celebrate the 71st year of this beloved organization. Today, we are honored to represent 27 Mill Members operating over 30 sawmills in the state, alongside a strong network of over 300 Associate Members — a testament to the continued growth and strength of our organization.”
This year’s Convention and Trade Show proved to be one for the books. The week closed out with a reception sponsored by Nyle Dry Kilns and CARBOTECH. Guests enjoyed more live music, great food, and fellowship to wind down the eventful week.
Mark the dates for next year: June 25th-28th, 2026, in Biloxi, MS, at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino.
To learn more about the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association, please contact Ellery Jones, Executive Director, at ellery@mlmalumber.com or visit mlmalumber.com.
About MLMA
MLMA Mill members are responsible manufacturers of quality lumber products. Their businesses are essential to the state’s economy through the jobs they provide and forest products they manufacture. The association plays an active role in promoting industry education through scholarships for students and an endowed professorship at Mississippi State University.
The Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association, of Jackson, MS, is a non-profit professional trade association representing Mississippi’s sawmills. MLMA promotes the use of Southern Yellow Pine and hardwood lumber, enhances demand for such products, and gives lumber manufacturers a unified voice.
Associate membership in MLMA is open to business-related firms serving the lumber industry, lumber wholesalers and exporters, equipment manufacturers and dealers, and lumber manufacturers in other states. MLMA is proud to have Associate members from across the globe.
MLMA was founded by Warren Hood, Floyd Sulser, and Richard Molpus in 1954 and has been a leading proponent of the forest products industry for 70 years. MLMA has grown to serve more than 30 Mississippi sawmills and over 300 associate members.
