Retiree News 11/22/2013 - Green Diamond Resource Company

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RETIREE
NEWS
NOVEMBER |2013
Name that Newsletter
Happy Thanksgiving Simpson and Green Diamond retirees! We hope you are
all doing well and had a wonderful summer.
The holidays are fast approaching and fall finds us still searching for a name
for our newsletter. We would like to name our newsletter before the next
issue. We feel it would have more meaning if our retirees were part of the
naming process. You are still vital fibers of our Simpson and Green Diamond
community.
Please send newsletter name suggestions to [email protected]
or [email protected] by December 31. We also welcome
your questions, article ideas and comments.
COMPANY CONNECTIONS
Brown’s Leadership Transformed Green Diamond
Despite Challenging Recession
Green Diamond Resource Company’s president, Bill Brown,
recently announced he will be retiring on Dec. 31, 2013.
Before Bill joins the retiree group, we’d like to reflect on his
accomplishments in the role of president.
Bill joined Green Diamond as president in 2006 after serving
as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Plum
Creek Timber Company.
Under his leadership, Green Diamond took many important steps, including
acquisition of lumber manufacturing facilities in California in 2007. This was
followed by the acquisition of redwood remanufacturing and distribution facilities
in California and the development of a greatly enhanced redwood marketing
program.
During Bill’s tenure the company launched the Timber Management Information
System project. The Land Management and Business Development Division also
was created under his watch. This division was developed to spearhead valueadded adjustments in the company’s land base and to explore new forest product
opportunities such as biomass and carbon.
And in 2013, after a lengthy assessment process, the company’s California
operations were certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The company’s lands
and operations in California are also certified under the Sustainable Forestry
Initiative.
Nearly all of Bill’s achievements occurred during a very difficult recession with
profound challenges for the company and the forest products industry. Thank you,
Bill, for your dedication and leadership. Enjoy retirement!
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Reed to Succeed Brown as President of Green Diamond
Douglas Reed, senior vice president, California Operations, will step into the role of
president of Green Diamond after Bill Brown retires.
Before joining Green Diamond in February 2012, Douglas was vice president and
general manager at Simpson Lumber Company (2008–2012). He also served as
strategic planning manager for Simpson Door Company (2006–2008). Douglas
graduated from Princeton University in 1998, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in history
and his Master of Business Administration from Stanford University in 2004.
Douglas has worked closely with the California Operations to guide the company through the continuing
impacts of recession and changing redwood markets. Many operational changes and improvements have
been implemented within California Redwood Company, and Douglas has been engaged in marketing
and customer outreach efforts. He also spent considerable time working with California Timberlands on
strategies for tanoak sales, several real estate transactions involving conservation groups, and long-term
permits including the Forest Habitat Conservation Plan.
When Douglas assumes his responsibilities as president, Neal Ewald, currently vice president and
general manager of California Timberlands, will become senior vice president, California Operations. Bill
Highsmith, recently promoted to vice president and general manager for California Redwood Company, will
report to Neal.
Recreational Permits to be Required for Mason County Site
Green Diamond Resource Company will implement a Recreation Access Permit program on 24,000 acres
of working forest land in Mason County, Wash.
The pilot program will start January 1, 2014. Permits will go on sale December 2, 2013.
Up to 180 permits for motorized vehicle use will be issued for Green Diamond’s Cloquallum/Goldsborough
area. The area will be closed to non-permit holders and security will be employed to enforce the limited
access.
“As the population grows in Western Washington and other private and public landowners pursue fee
programs, Green Diamond has seen increased use of its lands for recreation, to the point where some
areas are suffering from effects of overuse,” said Patti Case, public affairs manager.
She said the pilot program will offer higher-quality recreation experiences for a smaller number of users.
The program also will allow Green Diamond to invest more in protecting its lands and enhancing recreation
opportunities.
Two types of permits will be available starting December 2:
•Motorized permits, at a cost of $250 annually, will allow
permit holders, legally married spouses and children under
18 to enter the recreation area with their vehicle.
•Non-motorized permits, at an annual cost of $125 for a
family or $75 for an individual, will allow holders to park
outside the recreational area and walk, bicycle or ride a
horse inside the locked area.
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Other areas of Green Diamond ownership in Mason and Grays Harbor counties will continue to be managed
under Green Diamond’s current public access policy, allowing for year-round non-motorized access.
During recognized hunting seasons some gates on other Green Diamond property will be opened and green
dots placed on signs, indicating the area is open for motorized vehicles.
More information on Green Diamond’s Recreation
Access Permit program, including maps and frequently
asked questions, are available via mail, phone or
on the web:
Green Diamond Resource Company
Recreation Program
PO Box 9001
Shelton, WA 98584
(360) 426-3381
www.greendiamond.com/recreation
Permit applications will be available starting
December 2, 2013 on the website or at Green
Diamond’s offices, 215 North Third, Shelton, WA
98584, from 8 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Monday
through Friday except holidays.
Retiree Events and Adventures
Shelton Event
Shelton retirees will meet Tuesday, December 10. Interested in attending? Contact Ron Russell at (360)
229-9130 or [email protected].
California Event
California retirees will meet for lunch in Eureka at the Baywood Golf and Country Club on Tuesday,
December 10. Interested in attending? Contact [email protected] or [email protected].
Mason Lake Campground
The Mason Lake campground remains open to Simpson
and Green Diamond employees, retirees and their guests.
To reserve a campsite, call the Mason Lake Recreation
Area office at (360) 426-0737.
HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!
This cozy cottage is on the way to Mason
Lake, where it will replace the previous
structure at the Mason Lake campground.
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LIVING THE GOOD LIFE: RETIREE PROFILES
Down the Road We Go
Barbara Dunbar
Administration
Human Resources
Public Affairs Assistant,
1980-2012
After 32 years, Barb
Dunbar said goodbye
to her co-workers and
Green Diamond Resource
Company. She put her
home on the market and
set out on a new adventure—retirement.
Barb and her husband, Gene, took their cats, packed
up a 17-foot U-Haul and headed to Chandler, Arizona.
When they arrived Barb and Gene bought a house in
Sunbird Golf Resort and quickly found themselves in
retiree heaven. Surrounded by an 18-hole executive
golf course, swimming pools and tennis courts, they
are filling their days with relaxation, fun and adventure.
Barb’s days are more than just a round of golf. She
also spends time volunteering with Kare Bears, a
women’s organization that raises funds for nonprofits
in the Chandler area.
Barb also never misses an opportunity to educate
people about nutrition. She and her husband are
avid JuicePlus+ users and host a JuicePlus+ table
at monthly Kare Bear events. Barb enjoys educating
people on the importance of adding fruits and veggies
to their diet. After all, good nutrition has changed her
life. She and her husband haven’t had a cold in eight
years!
While Barb misses the people she worked with at
Green Diamond and Simpson, she loves every minute
of retirement. In fact, you can probably catch her and
Gene on the golf course at least three times a week—
not missing work one bit!
She and her husband have fully embraced the
“snowbird” lifestyle and plan to spend six months in
Arizona and six months on the Washington coast.
Life is good!
‘My Good Fortune’ with Simpson and Green Diamond
John Gorman
Analyst, Manager in many
company facilities,
1973-2008
in Saskatchewan, Canada, as the manager for the
company’s logging and forestry operations. Later he
became the manufacturing manager for the RainKote
stud operation, and ultimately the resident manager.
John Gorman is grateful
for the fun, rewarding
and varied career he
had with Simpson and
Green Diamond Resource
Company. He never
regretted leaving the
sunshine of California to work in the less-than-sunny
Seattle.
After almost seven happy years in Canada, John and
his family returned to Seattle. He was the director of
Resource Services for a year before being transferred
to Shelton as the Northwest resource manager. In
1989, he became the forest environmental manager
for Simpson Timber Company.
John says his good fortune began in September 1976
when he was hired as a resource planning analyst.
Several years later he was transferred to Hudson Bay
During the last 14 years of his career as a corporate
forester, John helped Simpson and Green Diamond
manage forestry related and business planning issues.
Like most—if not all—retirees, John can’t imagine better
companies to work for.
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Life after Simpson and Green Diamond
It took John a few years to adjust to the life of a
retiree. He missed working with the good people
in the forest products industry, especially those at
Simpson and Green Diamond.
John didn’t have time to sit idle. Soon after he
retired his wife got him involved in United Way. He’s
always supported United Way but never realized how
effective it was at meeting the needs of others until
he began serving on the board for United Way of
Mason County.
As retirees John and his wife have more time to spoil
their six young grandchildren, and to travel to visit
family and friends. Luckily, four of their grandchildren
live in Seattle. Two others live in The Hague,
Netherlands, giving the Gormans the opportunity to
travel to Europe.
Despite being retired John and his wife remain busy.
They now wonder how people have time to work!
MOMENTS IN OUR HISTORY
A Walk Down PW Pipe Line
Memory check: Does anyone remember how PW Pipe evolved?
Jim Rash does. Jim was head of this company and provided much of the information for this “Moments
in Our History.”
1967: Simpson entered the PVC pipe business when it acquired its initial pipe plant located in Eugene,
Oregon, and named it Simpson Extruded Plastics Company (SEPCO). Simpson also acquired a
plastics molding plant in Tacoma. These acquisitions were intended to diversify the businesses.
1972: The plastics molding company sold and SEPCO was folded into Simpson’s Specialty Products
Group. Specialty Products also included a chemicals division and Multnomah Flush Doors.
1982: SEPCO acquired a PVC pipe company in Sunnyside, Wash., and was spun off from Simpson. A
number of acquisitions followed, including plants in Visalia, California and Spokane, Washington.
1985: SEPCO changed its name to Pacific Western Extruded Plastics Company. Soon the trade name
“PW Pipe” was born. Additional acquisitions followed, including another Tacoma plant and four
plants in California—Union City, Downey, Cameron Park and Perris.
With these major acquisitions PW Pipe was interested in securing a captive resin source. As a
result, PW Pipe acquired two resin plants, one in Calvert City, Kentucky and the other in Pace,
Florida.
1995: Simpson eventually sold PW Pipe. Mitsubishi Chemical Company (MCA) purchased the business,
retained the employees and most of the management. However, the pipe business began
to suffer and MCA sold the company to Eagle Plastics in 1997. Absorbing three plants in the
process, PW Pipe was now the second-largest pipe company in the nation.
There was further consolidation when the largest pipe company in the nation, JM Manufacturing,
acquired PW Eagle. By 2008 many of the JM plants were closed because of the weakened economy.
Today, the old facility in Eugene, Oregon houses a successful pipe business. Ridgeline Pipe is operated
by Mike Stickel, Jeff Sherman, Jack Piper and Deb Dershem.
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