Why Knot Look At The Hardwood Industry From Different Perspectives?
One of the strengths of the hardwood industry is the range of experience it brings together—from the woods to the mill, from manufacturing to installation. No one person sees the entire system from a single vantage point, and that’s why perspective matters.
I want to share a bit about my background and how it shapes the way I approach my role at NHLA—not because any one path is better than another, but because understanding different parts of the supply chain helps us make better decisions for the industry as a whole.
I didn’t grow up in hardwood forests. I grew up in the forests of northern British Columbia, and I’ve spent my entire life working in the forest products industry. While the species are different, the fundamentals of the work—skill, effort, risk, and pride—are very much the same.
From the Woods Up
I’ve worked in the forest since I was young, running chainsaws, cutting trail, felling trees and working in both remote and urban settings. Most of my hands-on experience is with softwoods, but I’ve also worked with hardwoods. I’ve cut firewood, milled logs, and hauled lumber, and I have a deep respect for how demanding forest work is and for the people who do it every day.
That experience is a constant reminder that decisions made further down the supply chain always trace back to someone’s work in the woods.
Milling, Manufacturing and Material Decisions
While I never worked in large industrial mills, I did operate a small family sawmill and produced lumber for cabins, lodges, bridges, fencing and other structures. Anyone who has done small-scale milling understands how physical the work is and how many decisions have to be made about how best to use the material coming off the log.
Academically, I earned a degree in Wood Products Processing from the University of British Columbia, where I studied sawmilling, kiln drying, pressure treating, species identification, plant layout, and machine operation. Touring mills and manufacturing facilities helped reinforce just how complex the process is—from log breakdown to final product—and how important it is to find value in material that doesn’t fit traditional grade expectations.
Understanding Grades and Markets
Grading—especially hardwood grading—is an area where many professionals spend entire careers developing expertise. I don’t claim that level of experience. What I do have is an appreciation for how grading systems connect directly to markets.
Since joining NHLA, I’ve focused on understanding grade pricing, market trends, and how different grades move—or don’t—through the system. That perspective matters when we talk about expanding markets for No. 1 and No. 2 Common, center cants, and other underutilized material. It’s also why I’ve been working to reintroduce structural grades into the NHLA Rules book: to help create more options and more pathways to value for producers.
Drying, Processing and Performance
Drying and processing have been major parts of my career. I studied drying science, built and operated kilns, and later worked with thermal modification systems in both Europe and North America. I eventually built and operated my own thermal modification chamber, working with both hardwoods and softwoods.
That hands-on experience—successful and otherwise—taught me a great deal about wood behavior, kiln limitations, and how processing choices affect performance, yield and marketability.
Seeing the Full Chain
I’ve also worked in value-added manufacturing, overseeing machining, production crews and quality control. I’ve built houses, installed flooring, fabricated furniture, and worked in the trades. All of that reinforces one simple truth: every decision made upstream affects someone downstream.
When NHLA looks at grading rules, education, market development, or advocacy, those decisions are made with the entire supply chain in mind.
Why Knot Share Perspective?
I share this background not to suggest that any one experience defines the industry, but to explain how perspective shapes leadership. The hardwood industry is strongest when we listen across roles, regions, and specialties—and when we focus on constructive conversations about where we are and where we need to go.
Why knot keep sharing perspectives, asking questions, and working together to ensure a strong, resilient future for the hardwood industry?
