Photos by Terry Miller
Bretton Woods, NH– LumbahPaloozah 2021 was the scene for NELMA’s 88th Annual Meeting, held here recently at the Omni Mt. Washington Resort. This was the first in-person meeting of the northeastern and great lakes Softwood lumber industry in two years. 115 members and guests attended the event that celebrated the return to face-to-face meetings and valuable networking opportunities.
The annual NELMA Golf Scramble kicked off the activities at the Mt. Washington Course located on the grounds of the Hotel. The Course was designed by legendary Scottish architect Donald Ross and was completed in 1915. Its backdrop features New Hampshire’s spectacular Presidential Mountain Range and Mother Nature added near-perfect weather until the last cart returned to the clubhouse. This year’s winners included: 1st Place Net Score: Alex Darrah, Bryan Darrah, John Krueger and Eric McCoy. 1st Place Gross Score: Randy Chicoine, Ben Crowell, Toby Pineo and Christian Smith.
Fourteen equipment and services exhibitors opened their displays for networking prior to and throughout the Welcome Reception following the Golf Scramble, then again during the Industry Breakfast the following morning. Chairman Alden Robbins of Robbins Lumber welcomed attendees and opened the Annual Business Meeting of the Membership to start Day 2. He recognized the generosity of this year’s meeting sponsors: Gold Sponsors – Carbotech, Eastern Insurance, Irving Forest Products, Madison Lumber Mill and Seaboard International Forest Products; Silver Sponsors: Diorio Forest Products, Durgin & Crowell, Hancock Lumber, and SII Dry Kilns; Bronze Sponsors: DiPrizio Pine Sales, Gateway Graphics and Weinig.
Chairman Robbins also recognized the 2021 Mill Safety Award Winners based on 2020’s performance. The Combined Operation (Sawmill + Planer) 1st Place Performers were: <50,000 hours—Hammond Lumber, Belgrade, Maine. <100,000 hours—Madison Lumber Mill, West Ossipee, New Hampshire. <150,000 hours—Robbins Lumber, East Baldwin, Maine, and 150,000+ manhours—Irving Forest Products, Ashland, Maine. More than 2.1 million work hours were reported to NELMA, with eight mills reporting an accident-free year for their combined operations.
Jeff Easterling, President of NELMA, presented the “State of the Association,” highlighting a variety of current operation information of the organization. The General Membership Meeting concluded its business following approval of nominations to the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee. The Officers for 2-year terms elected annually are: Chairman: Chris Brochu (Pleasant River Lumber-Dover Foxcroft, Maine; 1st Vice Chair: Susan Coulombe (Irving Forest Products-Dixfield, Maine); 2nd Vice Chair: Matt Duprey (Hancock Lumber-Casco, Maine); Treasurer: B Manning (Sawmill Associates-New London, New Hampshire); Board of Directors, first 3-year term: Arkon Horne (Daaquam Lumber Maine-Masardis, Maine); Associate Representative to the Board of Directors: Jim Dermody (Seaboard International-Nashua, New Hampshire) and Advisory Committee At-Large Representative: Robert “Bob” Moses (Britton Lumber-Bath, New Hampshire.)
Highlights of the NELMA Marketing Program were presented by Jeff Easterling, Kim Drew (Drew Public Relations) and John Rooks (SOAP Group), the Association’s Creative Team. This included a review of marketing resources available for members online and in print. The 2021 Grade Rule Book, the video guide to grades of Spruce-Pine-Fir South, and the total overhaul of nelma.org website were covered as new items for the year. John Rooks followed with a report on recent research findings regarding “How are Consumers Making Building/Remodeling Design Decisions?”. The morning session concluded with “A Casual Conversation with the Maine Cabin Masters” with the primary show personalities of Ashley, Ryan, and Chase discussing various aspects of the DIY network show’s rise to nationwide popularity, including Q&A with meeting attendees. The Maine Cabin Masters have been a primary NELMA Marketing Partner for the past four years.
Following the Industry Luncheon, the “2022 Outlook for the Lumber and Housing Markets” presentation, a popular annual event of the meeting, was provided by industry expert, Paul Jannke of Forest Economic Associates (FEA).
“Speed Dating” with NAWLA
New to the NELMA Annual Meeting: a partnership with the North American Wholesale Lumber Association (NAWLA) that embedded their northeast regional meeting within the NELMA program agenda. It was all about “Speed Dating” in a 2-hour unique, one-of-a-kind lumber industry event. Twenty-six wholesaler individuals were given five minutes to meet, greet, and discuss business with representatives of seven northeastern Eastern White Pine and Spruce/Fir mills in a lively, fast-moving session. The day ended with the evening’s Chairman’s Reception, Dinner, and Golf Awards Presentation.
The NELMA Board of Directors met to end the Annual Meeting the morning of the final day.
Mark your calendars for the 89th NELMA Annual Meeting, set for September 21-23 at the Marriott
Wentworth Hotel in Portsmouth, NH.
