January/February 2026
Cover: 2026 Person Of The Year: Steve Swanson
Steve Swanson has led his company, Swanson Group, into greener pastures, while never shy about speaking up for the U.S. lumber industry.
Inside This Issue
NEWSfeed
- JT McShan Was One Of A Kind
- U.S. Coalition Pulls No Punches
- Chinook Acquires South Coast Lumber
- Weyco Wood Fiber Will Feed Biocarbon
THE ISSUES: Steve Swanson Tops The List
If you’ve reached this page, then you haven’t missed the fact that Timber Processing has named Steve Swanson of Swanson Group in Oregon as TP’s 38th Annual Person of the Year.
COVER: 2026 Person Of The Year
Swanson Group CEO Steve Swanson’s commitment to family, community and industry make him Timber Processing’s 2026 Person of the Year.
MACHINERY ROW
- Vetter Becomes CEO of RPM
- Niagara Sawmilling Plans Comact Project
- John King Chains Celebrates 100th Year
- Jartek Enhances Presence In NA
- Combilift Fundraiser Has Lots of Winners
- Burton Purchases Southern Saw & Wood
- Weyco Operates RNG Log Trucks
- Family Leadership Continues At Gilbert
- Western FP Purchaese Thermal Mod Kiln
- Webster Industries Purchases Renold
AT Large
- IWT-Moldrup Reports Treating Installations
- RMA Launches Ecosystems Index
- Boise Cascade Announces CEO Transitions
- All The Live Long Day
- AWC Announces McLaren As Chairman
- Fourth Generation Leads Kalesnikoff
- Logger Cooperative Announces Chip Mill
- Oregon BLM Increases Timber Sales In 2025
- Bioleum Acquires Hexas Biomass
- Courizon Partners Acquire AirBurners
- Registration Is Open For WWPA Meeting
- Oregon Wildfire Law Enhances Prevention
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The Issues: Steve Swanson Tops The List
Article by Rich Donnell, Editor-in-Cheif, Timber Processing
If you’ve reached this page, then you haven’t missed the fact that Timber Processing has named Steve Swanson of Swanson Group in Oregon as TP’s 38th Annual Person of the Year. Senior Editor Dan Shell visited Steve at his Roseburg office in October to gather material for the article that begins on page 18.
TP will present the award to Steve at the Timber Processing & Energy Expo this September 23-25 at the Portland Expo Center.
The honor is bestowed on an owner or manager of a wood products company who has demonstrated innovative and excellent leadership within the company, and who has actively represented the wood products industry at a community, regional and/or national level.
But frankly the list of all the winners below speaks for itself:
2026: Steve Swanson, Swanson Group, Roseburg, Ore.
2025: Richie LeBlanc, Hunt Forest Products, Ruston, La.
2024: Andy Pollard, Pollard Lumber, Appling, Ga.
2023: Chris & Jason Brochu, Pleasant River Lbr., Dover-Foxcroft, Me.
2022: Eric Schooler, Collins, Wilsonville, Ore.
2021: Robert Jordan, IV, Jordan Lumber & Supply, Mt. Gilead, NC
2020: Fritz Mason, Georgia-Pacific Lumber, Atlanta, Ga.
2019: Red Emmerson, Sierra Pacific Industries, Anderson, Calif.
2018: Tommy Battle, Battle Lumber, Wadley, Ga.
2017: Tim Biewer, Biewer Lumber, St. Clair, Mich.
2016: Jill Snider Brewer, Snider Industries, Marshall, Tex.
2015: David Richbourg, H.W. Culp Lumber, New London, NC
2014: Kevin Hancock, Hancock Lumber, Casco, Me.
2013: Finley McRae, Rex Lumber, Graceville, Fla.
2012: Butch & Michael Cersosimo, Cersosimo Lumber, Brattleboro, Vt.
2011: Bill Wilkins, WKO, Carson, Wash.
2010: Steve Singleton, New South, Camden, SC
2009: Mike Flynn, Midwest Hardwood, Maple Grove, Minn.
2008: Bill Carden, Potomac Supply, Kinsale, Va.
2007: Bob Jordan, Jordan Lumber & Supply, Mt. Gilead, NC
2006: Chris Ketcham, Yakama Forest Products, White Swan, Wash.
2005: Harold Wayne Hankins, Hankin, Inc., Ripley, Miss.
2004: Dan Levesque, Nexfor Fraser, Ashland, Me.
2003: Dan Kretz, Kretz Lumber, Antigo, Wis.
2002: Rusty Wood, Tolleson Lumber, Perry, Ga.
2001: Larry Williams, Idaho Timber, Boise, Id.
2000: Fred Stimpson, Gulf Lumber, Mobile, Ala.
1999: Jim Hamer, Jim C. Hamer, Kenova, W. Va.
1998: Jim Quinn, Collins, Wilsonville, Calif.
1997: Don Overmyer, Linden Lumber, Linden, Ala.
1996: Bud Johnson, C&D Lumber, Riddle, Ore.
1995: Jim Neiman, Devil’s Tower Forest Products, Hulett, Wyo.
1994: Jim Seaman, Seaman Timber, Montevallo, Ala.
1993: John Hampton, Hampton Lumber, Portland, Ore.
1992: Galen Weaber, Weaber Inc., Lebanon, Pa.
1991: James Bibler, Bibler Brothers Lumber, Russellville, Ark.
1990: David Hancock, Hancock Lumber, Casco, Me.
1989: Duane Vaagen, Vaagen Bros. Lumber, Colville, Wash.
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