Page 16 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - Second Quarter 2023

same tracts I managed for International Paper. In 2006, when International Paper divested their fee lands, I transitioned
to North Carolina and began work as a consulting forester with GFR Forestry Consultants in Raleigh. In 2018, I joined Roseburg and since that time, I have been cultivating staff and a team for the new timberland operation. Today, we have
16 team members assigned locally — a mix of foresters, technical support, and administrative staff.
Q: What was your original reason for joining the NCFA?
A: Roseburg was established in 1936. In Oregon, they are proactive on
advocacy and legal affairs from a corporate level because they have to be in that environment. If you are a stakeholder for large timberland investment, you have to be engaged in advocacy groups and political interface when it comes to pertinent issues.
One significant benefit of our membership in the NCFA is the information and communication of issues, as well as representation of all stakeholders involved. Roseburg is one
of few vertically integrated companies presently, and it’s good to have a reliable source of information that includes other stakeholders, landowners, and academia. A vertically integrated company is one that is family-owned, owns its land, timber, and processing facilities, can convert its own resources, and is not publicly traded. I also participate on the NC SFI-SIC committee as a function of the Southern timberlands SFI certification.
Q: Tell me about your organization.
A: Roseburg presently has their third CEO in the company history, and
this is the first one who is not a member of the Ford family, which started the business almost 90 years ago. Roseburg is family- owned and generous with its philanthropy, investing in the company, team members, and local communities. There is a sense
of inclusion here. Folks from the Oregon offices went out of their way and invited me to visit Oregon so I could get a feel
for the company and check out the
Oregon timberland operations. Roseburg’s corporate headquarters are in Springfield, with a concentration of manufacturing operations in southern Oregon. As we look at expanding the operational presence
in North Carolina with Roanoke Valley Lumber, Adam and I are committed to demonstrating the idea that we are ONE Roseburg.
Q: What is the biggest issue facing your organization today?
Roseburg Logistics Manager Steven Brickell drives Amanda Murphy and Jessica Ireland on a tour of the mill under construction.
within our industry; more log trucks are parked and not being used because there aren’t enough drivers. Establishing a positive presence in the area is also critical for our success.
How do you overcome that? We
focus on finding strategic and valuable relationships. Sometimes you have to sacrifice to get favorable results in the long term. For example, when we took over timberland, the far majority of timber transactions were done on stumpage basis. Roseburg’s mode of operation in Oregon
is nearly 100% contract logging and direct delivery of timber. You can’t have market share at a mill unless you’ve got a history delivering wood in the past. If you can get your foot in the door and deliver on what you promise, you can establish a positive track record. We are currently shifting our local operations to be more direct delivery instead of stumpage transactions. Roseburg doesn’t have a long history here in North Carolina and Virginia. It takes persistence and patience to build relationships and earn market share. At the end of the day, it’s important to deliver what you say you can and be consistent.
Q: What lessons have you learned along the way? Is there anything
that you would do differently?
A: The biggest challenge I have is getting my peers in the industry
and our business partners to understand the reputation that Roseburg has in Oregon. Exhibiting patience, integrity, and gratitude is crucial to demonstrate that reputation.
14 ncforestry.org / SECOND QUARTER 2023
A:
People, from the top down. Finding
and recruiting talent and retaining and growing team members professionally is challenging. Locally, the team of 16 is still not complete. There are several more spots to fill, and we are taking time to get the right folks on board and to train them properly. It’s tough to find good talent and team members who want to work for a company for a long time. Outside of that, vendors and contractors are having the same struggles. Trucking is a big issue