Ben Wallace is a Wood Scientist and R&D Materials Science Manager involved in lumber purchasing at The Marvin Brand, located in Warroad, MN. He works with wood specification and approval of species selection.
The Marvin Brand is a window and door manufacturer that purchases more than 10 million board feet of dried lumber in most upper grades and wood components annually, including species like White Oak, Cherry, Honduran Mahogany, Walnut, Maple, pine and Douglas fir from 4/4 to 8/4. The company manufactures windows, doors and skylights across several product collections designed to provide solutions for a wide variety of building needs.
Wallace has worked at Marvin since 1999. He first began working in the forestry products industry pulling on the green chain in 1992. Wallace is a member and chair of the Window and Door Manufacturers Association’s Treatment and Coating Committee.
Wallace earned an undergraduate degree in Wood Science from Michigan Technological University and a Master of Science (Forest Products) from the University of Minnesota.
The Marvin Brand is a member of the Window and Door Manufacturers Association as well as the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance.
For more information about The Marvin Brand, visit www.marvin.com.
Drew Snider is a lumber buyer and kiln operator at Missouri Hardwood Products, located in Brighton, MO, where he handles purchasing of all green and kiln-dried lumber and the everyday operations of the kilns.
Missouri Hardwood Products is a manufacturer of Hardwood flooring that purchases approximately three million board feet annually of Red and White Oak and Hickory in all grades, available in 4/4 lengths. The company specializes in custom kiln drying.
Snider joined Missouri Hardwood Products in his current position in 2021. He has worked in the forest products industry for the past six years. His prior experience includes lumber inspection and sawmill quality control. Snider also graduated from the NHLA Inspector Training School (ITS) program in November 2020.
In his free time, Snider enjoys hunting, fishing and “doing anything outdoors,” he said. He and his wife, Olivia, have been happily married for nearly a year.
Missouri Hardwood Products is a member of the National Hardwood Lumber Association and the National Wood Flooring Association.
For more information about Missouri Hardwood Products, visit www.missourihardwoodproducts.com, contact Snider directly by phone at 870-416-5259 or email drew@acme-floor.com.
Leah and John Dean are the owners of Dean Cabinetry, located in Bolton, CT. The married pair founded the company over 25 years ago from their home in Bolton, which has grown to a 16,000-square-foot facility.
Dean Cabinetry is a manufacturer of custom and semi-custom cabinetry and a distributor of stock, purchasing approximately 100,000 board feet annually of domestic Hardwood species, including Maple, Cherry, Hickory, Poplar, Walnut, Ash and White Oak.
Dean Cabinetry offers a variety of products, which are available to view in its new showroom. The team has highly qualified “in-house” designers and installation crews to ensure that their clients’ projects are treated with care and consistency.
Dean Cabinetry uses only VOC-free finishes and ventilates their facility properly to omit health risks to their employees.
Both Leah and John are graduates from the University of Connecticut, located in Storrs, CT. John earned an accounting degree and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Hartford, located in West Hartford, CT. He worked as a CPA before the couple founded Dean Cabinetry. Leah earned a Bachelor of Science and a degree in Nutritional Sciences.
In their spare time, Leah and John enjoy spending time with family. They have four children: Kevin (23), Audrey (21), Erica (20) and Jason (18), all of whom help out at the family business. As a family, the Deans enjoy skiing, playing cards and summer outdoor activities. Their family dog, Oakley, accompanies them to work each day.
Dean Cabinetry is a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
For more information about Dean Cabinetry, visit www.deancabinetry.com.
