Tyler Kamps is involved in sales and purchasing for Kamps Hardwoods, a wholesaler and distribution yard stationed in Dutton, MI.
Kamps Hardwoods purchases roughly 9 million board feet of domestic green hardwood lumber annually, ranging from 4/4 through 12/4 Walnut, Hard and Soft Maple, Red and White Oak, Cherry, Hickory, Ash and Poplar. To supplement their own green stock and meet customers’ needs he purchases a variety of kiln-dried items from a tight base of concentration yards.
The company offers Walnut steaming on-site, surfacing, various color sorts and also has further machining capabilities through local partner sites.
Tyler has been with the company since its inception 14 years ago. He spent the first five years in various production roles while seeking a degree from Grand Valley State University. The focus of the last nine years has been developing domestic sales, export sales and identifying good mills to partner with on green supply to supplement their own mill’s production. His time in the industry, though, extends to his youth, when he would sweep floors and fill Hefty bags for one dollar a bag. He started stacking lumber around 12 years old. He also has experience in logistics, production management and grading.
Outside the workplace, Tyler enjoys spending time with his family as well as gravel biking, mountain biking and taking his kids biking. He has been married to his wife Bethany for 10 years and they have three children ranging in age from 1-1/2 to 6 years old.
To reach Kamps Hardwoodsdirectly, call 616-554-9339, send an email to tyler@kampshardwoods.com or visit www.kampshardwoods.com.
Gerald Lashway Jr. is the owner and president of Ponders Hollow Custom Wood Flooring & Millwork Inc., located in Westfield, MA.
Ponders Hollow is a manufacturer that specializes in custom wood flooring, interior and exterior mouldings, stair treads and custom glue-ups. The company purchases upward of 2 million board feet of lumber annually including Poplar, Red and White Oak, Hard and Soft Maple, Eastern White Ash, Walnut and Cherry (from 4/4 up to 16/4, live-sawn, No. 1 Common, FAS and other grades, including Character).
Ponders Hollow offers additional services, including priming moulding, wire-brushing and hand-scraping floors. According to the company, 2023 has brought a lot of exciting growth to the business, including the expansion of the business by opening the brand new sister company, Mill River Slabworks in Westfield, MA. Lashway and his brother Larry Lashway opened the business in April of 2023 as a collaboration between Ponders Hollow Custom Wood Flooring and Millwork and Lashway Lumber.
Lashway graduated from Hampshire Regional High School located in Westhampton, MA, in 1995 and studied forestry at Paul Smith’s College located in Paul Smiths, NY. He has held his position at Ponders Hollow since September 2005 when the company was founded, with responsibilities including daily operations and most of the lumber purchasing. Lashway’s first position in the forest products industry was working at the 4th generation family sawmill, Lashway Lumber, located in Williamsburg, MA.
Ponders Hollow is a member of the National Wood Flooring Association, Architectural Woodwork Institute, Wood Products Manufacturers Association and the Commonwealth Quality Program.
In his spare time, Lashway enjoys spending time with family, snowboarding, mountain biking and hiking. He and his wife Heather have been married 18 years. Together, they have one son and two daughters.
For more information, please visit www.pondershollow.com.
Martin Harmon is the president and owner of M.D. Harmon Inc., located in Xenia, IL. Harmon has been with the company since 1972.
M.D. Harmon is an end use manufacturer that purchases 200,000 board feet annually. They carry Poplar, Walnut and Hickory in 4/4 thickness. They manufacture quality flooring, moulding, S2S straight line, interior trim and kiln-dried lumber.
Harmon is a 5th generation lumberman and has spent all his time in the forest products industry at M.D. Harmon.
Harmon graduated from Parsons College in Fairfield, IA, after attending Wabash Junior College in Mt. Carmel, IL.
When Harmon isn’t doing the work that he loves, he can be found at the VFW. He has seven children and 16 grandchildren, with one more on the way and one great-grandchild.
For more information call the office at 618-662-8925 or Harmon on his cell phone at 618-572-8749.
