November 2024Member Highlight pg 9Growing WHA pg 3
2Q uote for the Month“Producvity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused eort." - Paul J. MeyerOutlookWest Coast forest products sources in California and Oregon reported a generally slow market, with occasional stronger weeks. A Washington lumber rep rated his market a "C-plus."An Oregon forest products source reported slower business compared to earlier in the year but expected growth over the next six months. Tightening regulaons have impacted supply, parcularly for White Oak, where high demand outpaces availability. He’s seen increased Ash orders, as customers remain cauous about market forecasts. A California lumber representave reported steady business over the past six months, with lile change In this issue:* Upcoming Events* Quote for the Month* Outlook* Manager Update* Hardwood Federaon Update* Member Highlight* News* MovaonNo. 668November 2024WHA Board of Directors - OcersTeana Larson PresidentLouie Guyee Vice PresidentVernadel Peterson TreasurerAaron Blumenkron Immediate Past PresidentWHA Board of Directors - Board MembersSco ClarkAdam DupliseaMarlin LangworthySco LeavengoodMike LipkeBrad MichaelRyan PetersonDennis SandersDavid SweitzerSecretary/ManagerPO Box 1894Bale Ground, WA 98604Ph: (360) 835-1600Web: www.westernhardwood.orgEmail: wha@westernhardwood.orgUpcoming Events November 13-15, 2024NAWLA Traders Markethttps://www.nawla.orgDecember 4, 2024WHA Board of Directors Meetingwha@westernhardwood.org
3expected. His end-use manufacturer customers, however, faced inconsistent demand, buying only enough material for current jobs and oen uctuang week to week.A Washington lumber rep reported slower business than six months prior, hindered by economic uncertainty. Poplar led in sales volume, though White Oak, despite higher costs, generated more income. Limited Maple, Cherry, and Walnut supply aected market potenal. He voiced concern over White Oak protability and noted a ght labor market forcing some sawmills to relocate.Manager's MomentsDave SweitzerSecretary/Manager, WHAWhat's In It For Me? This is a queson oen asked by companies and individuals when considering membership in associaons. ChatGPT gave many of the standard reasons for joining and/or connuing to support an associaon. For example, networking opportunies, access to resources, professional development, advocacy and representaon, staying informed, increased visibility, credibility. All of these are very good reasons to get involved. But I believe we have addional and more compelling reasons. It's all about you and your company "buying in" to the many facets of the Western Hardwood Associaon. I don't believe you can receive the full benet of membership without acvely joining in to give you a return on your investment.WHA is an associaon with members represenng land managers, foresters, mills, wholesalers, manufacturers, transportaon, producon machinery, technology, and logiscs. You can help make an impact by joining (buying into) one of our commiees designed to realize our long-term vision - "The leading resource for the challenges and opportunies of the Western hardwood industry." There's a commiee for everyone wanng to capitalize your "Return On Investment".Membership Engagement/Networking Commiee - Develop strategies and plans to bring in members from various sectors of our industry and introduce them to a wide variety of networking opportunies. Government Aairs Commiee - Inuence legislaon and regulaon as the source of research and educaon of western state issues related to the hardwood market.Annual Convenon Commiee - Create a diverse Patrick Lumber CompanyOver 100 Years in Business---- Est 1915 ----Products:Doug FirWestern Red Cedar Southern Yellow Pine Western Hemlock Alaskan Yellow Cedar West Coast Softwoods West Coast HardwoodsServices:Remanufacturing Packaging & Transport Consultation Procurement33415 Noon Rd. Philomath, OR 97370503-222-9671sales@patlbr.comFollow us on Instagram @Patricklumberpatlbr.comPatrick Lumber Company is a secondary manufacturer and exporter of niche high-grade woodproducts sold to a network of worldwide distribution.
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5annual convenon that aracts all stakeholders for networking, informaon, and enjoyment.Educaon/Internships - Expand on the scholarship opportunies and the furniture design & producon program for forestry students. Create a symbioc relaonship between WHA member companies and forestry students.Markeng/Promoon/Social Media - Expand the visibility of the WHA and improve the eecveness of markeng tools.Revenue Streams - Increase revenue by enhancing programs that will help fund both an event budget and a budget for running commiee acvies.It’s easy, just contact the oce and we’ll put you in touch with the commiees!When you buy in to the WHA vision for the future, you create a posive one for you and the industry. And it answers, "What's In It For Me”. Update from Hardwood FederaonDana Cole, Execuve DirectorOctober 2024USFS Opens Funding Opportunity for Hardwoods - Although things tend to be quiet on Capitol Hill during the extended recess leading up to the November elecon, that doesn’t mean that the federal agencies stop working, occasionally for the good of the industry. On October 24, the U.S. Forest Service announced the availability of $34 million in grants through the Wood Innovaon Grant, Community Grant Wood and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance programs. The grants were announced as part of Naonal Forest Products Week, a week dedicated each year by the White House in the recognion of the economic and environmental benets of our naon’s forests and the role forest management plays in safeguarding forest health, while at the same me delivering sustainable wood products. Each of these grant programs has provided essenal funding to U.S. hardwood companies in past cycles, and we ancipate addional dollars will be allocated to the sector in this most recent round. If you’re interested in throwing your hat in the ring, make sure your organizaon is registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov. To
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7help you navigate the process, here are some quick facts and links to government forms to get you started: • Wood Innovaon Grant Program –Applicaons are due December 11, 2024. WIG grants focus on projects that will grow markets for renewable wood energy and wood products, including mass mber. To view the applicaon, please click here. For instrucons on how to complete the applicaon, please click here.• Community Grant Wood Program – Applicaons are due December 18, 2024. The program places extra emphasis on assisng sawmills in economically challenged areas to retool or add advanced technology. To view the applicaon, please click here. For instrucons on how to complete the applicaon, click here.• Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Program – Applicaons are due December 18, 2024. The program focuses on improvements to a sawmill or other wood-processing facility in close proximity to federal lands that need ecosystem restoraon and will generate byproducts. To view the applicaon, please click here. For instrucons on how to complete the applicaon, click here.Hardwoods Fight for Tax Relief - On October 15, the Federaon submied comments to the Main Street Tax Team - a working group established by House Ways & Means Chair Jason Smith (R-MO) back in April to idenfy key tax priories - to help assure that hardwoods benet from the investment certainty created by the 2017 tax law. While endorsing the House tax package that passed earlier this year, which restores 100% bonus depreciaon of equipment, the depreciaon and amorzaon (EBITDA) business interest deducon and an R&D tax credit, the leer urges Congress to address unnished business. Key items include connued estate tax exibility and making permanent the 20% small business deducon for pass-through enes. In addion to subming comments to the Main Street Tax Team, the Federaon joined more than 65 allies in a leer to House tax leaders urging outright repeal of the estate tax. The Federaon will keep you posted on developments. House Natural Resources Chair Westerman (R-AR) Takes on NEPA Reform - House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) has released a dra bill to reform the cumbersome Naonal Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) perming processes. Although originally focusing on the energy sector, the bill is evolving into a broader vehicle, reducing the me necessary to obtain a permit and requiring courts to conclude legal challenges related to NEPA permits within 120 days. According to Hill sta, the bill may move during the lame duck session following the elecon. The Federaon will keep you posted on developments. EUDR Flexibility, Suspension of Port Strike Deliver Good News to Hardwoods - During the rst week in October, U.S. hardwood companies breathed sighs of relief as reprieves were granted related to two issues of great concern. First, on October 1, the European Commission announced that it was proposing a 12-month delay for implementaon of the E.U. Deforestaon Regulaon (EUDR). This acon signals much needed exibility for a rule that the U.S. wood products industry and broader agriculture sector deem to be unworkable. The Hardwood Federaon has been working closely with the American Hardwood Export Council to educate U.S. government ocials about the seriously negave impacts of this regulaon on the industry. The implementaon delay will give us extra me to connue our eorts and allow AHEC me to further develop and nalize some potenal reporng soluons.In a second much welcome development on Friday, October 4, dockworkers on the Atlanc and Gulf coasts agreed to extend their exisng contract unl January 15, 2025, suspending the work stoppage that began midnight on September 30. With the Internaonal Longshoremen’s Associaon (ILA), represenng workers, and U.S. Marime Alliance (USMX), which represents the ports, returning to the bargaining table, the issue of automaon remains the most challenging issue to resolve. On October 25, the ILA and USMX issued a joint statement indicang that the pares will resume contract negoaons in November.On the advocacy front, the Federaon submied a dozen examples to the Department of Commerce of hardships caused by the strike, illustrang the necessity of bringing a quick end to the work stoppage. Also, the Federaon and its partners in the ocean shipping coalion Wood treatment plant manufacturing, worldwide since 1983.The most environmentally friendly wood treatment ever known!Hydro-Thermo Modication 1-877-785-0274 www.americanwoodtechnology.comAmerican Wood Technology AWT Options: design, fabrication, layouts & accessories• Smallest footprint & simplest installation• Most gentle process available• Most eective heat transfer• Fastest process time & better product quality• Lowest processing cost per board footOur thermo plant designs provide:
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9sent a leer to the President on October 2, urging the Administraon to use available tools to end the strike and “take immediate acon to resolve this situaon expediously.” The Federaon will keep you posted on developments. Make Your Voice Heard! Share Your Views on OSHA’s Proposed Heat Rule - The feds have proposed rst me ever workplace heat standards that would impose more red tape on sawmills and other manufacturers. The Federaon wants your feedback on the proposal so that we can strengthen the comments we plan to submit to the agency. Specically, how would a federal heat standard impact your operaons and your boom line? Here are three key take-aways from the proposal:It requires employers to dra a workplace Heat Injury and Illness Prevenon Plan (HIIPP) with site-specic informaon to control “heat hazards.” Implements control measures triggered by a heat index of 80 degrees that include cool drinking water and break areas, requiring a sawmill to monitor the temperature and heat index at various locaons during business hours. Requires more control measures when the heat index reaches 90 degrees, including mandatory rest breaks of 15 minutes every two hours. If you nd the above workplace rules burdensome, please share your stories with Bryan Brendle at Bryan.Brendle@hardwoodfederaon.com. To read more about OSHA’s proposal, click here. Member NewsDave Sweitzer, WHA and Je Maguire, Maguire Machinery Group Dave Sweitzer, WHA and Je Maguire, Maguire Machinery Group recently discussed the wood machinery industry’s current and future business climate, highlighng economic resilience and the value of personal customer relaonships. Je shares insights on key machinery lines, post-sale service, the impact of government tax deducons, and his company’s succession plan, underscoring a commitment to customer-driven soluons. Dave: How would you describe the current business climate?Je: A bit tricky- going into the elecons, many companies are playing the waing game. Quite a few though, have decided to move forward with improvements in their processing and are invesng in their businesses, so that when we come out of this cycle, they will be tooled up and ready for increased producon.Dave: What are your projecons for the future business climate?Je: Predicng future business has been and will connue to be a challenge. I started in Jan 1991 during an 8-month recession…I’ve been thru several recessions or slowdowns in my 30 plus years, and the good news is that we’ve always recovered. Even from the 2008 to 2009 big one.There might be two quesons here. One is “will we run out of wood to make furniture, doors and windows, cabinets, ooring, architectural millwork, etc…”The easy answer to that is no. Engineered wood, MDF, and other substrates have been adopted and put to great use, and the industry has really accepted those.The other queson that colleagues of mine are asking is “whether or not sales people will be replaced by the internet and computers.” That’s a trickier challenge. Call me “old school”, but we’ve really made our living by going to see our customers face to face. Somemes you feel like you’re bugging them by trying to get in front of them, but for the most part they’re appreciave of the fact that you’re making an eort to see them.So, we value our face-to-face relaonships. There will always be few people that want to cut out the middleman, but we feel like we have an important role in this industry.Dave: What companies do you represent?Je: Our main line we make our living with is Weinig/Holzher. As you know, they are both German companies, Holzher has a presence in Austria as well. They make some of the best machines in their categories and support the machines very well, which is a key to connued sales of the brand.Weinig is our “go-to” for solid wood machines, Rip saws, Chop saws, Opmizing Cut o saws, nger jointers. Moulders are the big thing for us and Weinig. Weinig probably has a 60% market share as far as the moulders go, and the technology they have created cause the machines to run faster, set up faster, and get a beer nish.Holzher makes outstanding panel processing machines. They are best known for edgebanders, but their CNC machines have developed into some of the best in the world, along with their panel saws, vercal panel saws. Something new in the last several years is our panel storage, inventory, and delivery systems. Not only do we deliver parts to the machine centers, but the system knows when to order more product.In addion to those, we also represent a Canadian built manufacturer, Doucet. They make great return conveyors, material handling, panel rip saws, clamping systems, infeeds and stackers. You’re going to see more of those in the next few years.Costa Sanders, Burkle for nishing, Stanza machinery for sanding and nishing. High Plains Automaon makes great material handling systems, Schmalz builds a vacuum
10lier to take the strain out of moving panels and other heavy objects, Pillar is one of our US made machines for cabinet doors and cabinets.We have a wide range of machines and if I didn’t menon it and you need it, we can get it.Years ago, when the imported machines rst came in, they were looked down upon as “fairly cheap imitaons” of “real” machines. Over the years, however, the importers have done a great job of doing their own engineering, as well as servicing and supplying parts for their machines. The main ones there for us as import machine manufacturers are Northtech, Extrema, and Castaly.Dave: Aer the sale, what do you do to insure on me delivery, installaon, and tesng?Je: With Weinig and Holzher, they do the heavy liing on all those. We work with the customer prior to closing the sale to determine when the machine is requested to arrive. We pass that along to our Customer Excellence team in North Carolina and they do a really nice job of coordinang delivery, installaon, and training as well as trouble shoong and providing parts if necessary.With our other manufacturers, we keep the lines of communicaon open so that we can make all that happen.Most of the companies we represent are good at taking care of the customer. That’s a key for us to represent them.Dave: How could the prospect of government modicaon of Secon 179 aect your business?Je: A lot of our customers know about the Secon 179 benet to them. There are some that don’t, and we try to make sure we help them understand the benets of that.As the deducon limit goes up, it can help the business, and the opposite is true, if the deducon limit goes down, it doesn’t help them as much.I think we’re looking at a limit of 1.2 million now, and there’s only a handful of our customers that that big number will help, but for those it will help, it’s a great deduconDave: What is your company succession plan?Je: Well, for those members of the Western Hardwood Associaon who aended our convenon saw, our plan is in place. We are proud to announce that our son, Jacob Maguire, has joined the company and seems to really enjoy what he’s doing. Our mission is not to go sell something. We want to learn what our customer’s business is, and if there’s something keeping them from growing, or geng the producon they need to make a prot, we want to come alongside them and provide a soluon. Jacob has adopted that mission and is doing a great job!The Patrick Lumber Company Board of Directors recently announced the appointment of Natalie Heacock as the new president. (You may have met Natalie if you aended the WHA Annual Convenon in September.) Heacock brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of building strong teams within both Patrick’s trading and nance groups. Her dedicaon, experse and visionary leadership make her an excellent choice to guide the company through its next phase of growth and success.Heacock has been with Patrick Lumber Company since May 2014. As CFO since 2021, Heacock has ne-tuned nancial processes and ensured smooth operaons across the nance, accounng, IT and HR departments, according to a company representave. Addionally, she serves on the board of directors, contribung deeply to the company’s strategic direcon.“We are condent that Natalie’s leadership as President and CFO will drive our company to new heights,” said CEO Dave Halsey. “Her commitment to our core values and her innovave approach will connue to enhance our relaonships with customers, suppliers, employees and the communies we serve.”NewsEarnings for frontline employees ck up: Real average hourly earnings increased 0.1% over the month and 1.8% over the past year for producon and nonsupervisory employees in September. Before adjusng for inaon, average hourly earnings for manufacturing frontline workers rose 5.6% in September.Why it maers: Real average hourly earnings increased more for frontline employees than earnings for all employees, which grew 1.5% from last year. - excerpted from “NAM-Weekly Economic Report - October 15, 2024”| NAM. Naonal Associaon of Manufacturers.: n. pag.Boeing strike makes an impact: Industrial producon fell 0.3% in September, and the decline was inuenced signicantly by the strike of Boeing workers and the eects of two hurricanes. Manufacturing output decreased 0.4%, with aerospace and miscellaneous transportaon
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12equipment dropping a dramac 8.3%.Why it maers: Given Boeing’s signicant impact in transit equipment producon, the strike will suppress industrial producon in October’s report, but the tentave deal could lead to a bounce back in November.Manufacturers’ sales fall, while inventories ck up: Manufacturers’ sales fell 0.5% in August but were 1.0% higher compared to August 2023. Manufacturers’ inventories inched up 0.1% in August and increased 0.6% from August 2023.What it means: Manufacturers’ inventories remain signicantly elevated compared to their pre-pandemic level, which could connue to suppress trucking demand. - excerpted from “NAM-Weekly Economic Report - October 21, 2024”| NAM. Naonal Associaon of Manufacturers.: n. pag.Mount Baker School District to receive funding from controversial mber sale: A local school district may be receiving some necessary funding from a controversial mber sale in Whatcom County. On Oct. 1, the Washington State Board of Natural Resources approved the sale of mber from Lile Lilly. The property is a four-unit, 89-acre site located near the Van Zandt Dike. The Mount Baker School District is named by the state as one of the main beneciaries of the sale. District leaders wrote a leer to the Whatcom County Council in September explaining the signicance of mber revenue to the district in light of its current budget decit. It named recent delays in mber sales as a major contributor to the decit, which caused the district to lay o 23 teachers earlier this year. Read moreSan Group is curtailing operaons at its sawmill and value-added manufacturing plant in Port Alberni, BC. The company is seeking more raw materials in the hopes of resuming operaons by early November. The San Group is temporarily shung down its large-log sawmill and value-added manufacturing plant in Port Alberni, aecng about 75 workers, due to a shortage of logs.The company is seeking more supply in the hopes of resuming operaons by early November, Kevin Somerville, company vice-president of operaons, said Thursday. - Wilson, C. (2024, October 18). San Group is curtailing operaons at its sawmill and value-added manufacturing plant in Port Alberni. Times Colonist. hps://www.mescolonist.com/business/san-group-is-curtailing-operaons-at-its-sawmill-and-value-added-manufacturing-plant-in-port-alberni-9675481
13Who Will Save the Forest Service? - A growing crisis is brewing for the U.S. Forest Service as it faces major budget cuts, forcing it to halt hiring of seasonal workers — those who are crucial for keeping forests safe, healthy, and accessible. These temporary sta members, who maintain trails, manage wildre risks, and protect endangered wildlife, are essenal to conservaon eorts. Without them, Vox reports, vital work could come to a standsll. Read moreSupreme Court NEPA case gets a calendar date - The Supreme Court will consider a closely watched challenge to the scope of agencies' Naonal Environmental Policy Act reviews before the end of this year. On Friday, the jusces scheduled oral arguments for Seven County Infrastructure Coalion v. Eagle County for Dec. 10. The case is the only environmental challenge added to the court's newly published December calendar. The case has important implicaons for how agencies weigh climate risks posed by major projects. It centers on whether agencies should be required to consider environmental eects that agencies do not have direct authority to regulate and that do not occur near the project itself. Read moreThe evoluon of the "Timber Capital of the World" - Douglas County and mber oen go hand in hand. An industry that gave Douglas County its name as the Timber Capitol of the World has changed. Once the catalyst for Douglas County and Oregon’s economy, the mber industry has been dominated by courts, legislaon and reform of land stewardship regulaons. These changes forced the industry to make necessary adjustments to stay viable. “Impact to the local industry came about in the ‘90s when you had the federal mber supply cratered with the spoed owl and the Northwest Forest Plan and those types of things,” said Douglas Timber Operators Execuve Director Ma Hill. “We lost half our mills then.” Read moreHurricane Helene traversed 8.9 million acres of Georgia’s forest land, and the Georgia Forest Commission esmates a total mber resource impact of $1.28 billion.GFC also said that they are working with state and federal partners to determine what resources might be available for impacted landowners.In 2023, when Hurricane Idalia hit Georgia, a total of 6.59 million acres were in the storm path, but only 116,526 acres were impacted. The GFC said that of the 116,526 acres impacted, 11,069 acres were damaged, causing $9.26 million in mber losses. Adams, L. (2024, October 14). Helene impact on mber resources expected to reach $1.28 billion. Woodworking Network. hps://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/helene-impact-mber-resources-expected-reach-128-billionInternaonal Paper will close facilies in 4 states and lay o hundreds. The recently disclosed layos will occur in Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee in mid-December. These are in addion to 650 layos conrmed last week. I This follows the company last week conrming 650 layos across its headquarters and a separate manufacturing site in Texas, which are part of a “transformaonal journey” to become more protable. Pyzyk, K. (2024, October 21). Internaonal Paper to close facilies in 4 states, lay o hundreds. Packaging Dive. hps://www.packagingdive.com/news/internaonal-paper-closures-layos-kansas-city-cleveland-tennessee-statesville-north-carolina/730415/Conservaonists urge Ninth Circuit to nix federal forest-thinning project in California - A group of conservaon organizaons asked a Ninth Circuit panel on Monday to overturn a lower court judge and vacate the U.S. Forest Service's approval of forest thinning in Southern California. The Forest Service has violated the Naonal Environmental Policy Act by relying on so-called categorical exclusions to avoid compleng a standard environmental review for the logging project on Pine Mountain Ridge in Ventura County, Margaret Hall, an aorney for the organizaons, told the appellate panel in San Francisco. Read moreFor the last 30 years, shrub and grass res have burned far more acres and destroyed more property in the West than forest res, and the same was true this season. Sll, Republicans in the U.S. House – including Oregon’s two Republican representaves – are hoping Congress will pass a bill before year’s end that would tackle increasingly large wildres in the West by scaling back environmental regulaons to make it easier to log and cut vegetaon in federal forests, which account for more than 60% of the forests in Oregon. Proposed by Arkansas Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman and California Democrat Rep. Sco Peters, the “Fix Our Forests Act” passed the U.S. House on Sept. 24 with 268 representaves in favor and 151 opposed, including Oregon’s four Democrac representaves. It is expected to get a vote in the U.S. Senate aer the November general elecon, according to Hank Stern, a spokesperson for Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat. Baumhardt, A. (2024b, October 11). Sharp Divide in Oregon over Bill to step up logging to prevent wildres • Oregon Capital Chronicle. Oregon Capital Chronicle. hps://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/10/11/oregons-congressional-members-sharply-divided-over-bill-to-step-up-logging-to-prevent-wildres/Oregon struggles to recover more than $24 million from people responsible for wildres - Each year, the Oregon Department of Forestry responds to about 1,000 wildres across the 16 million acres of land it protects. It invesgates the cause of every re, and if a person or group is found to have been negligent or malicious in starng or spreading a signicant re, the agency pursues reimbursement for its reghng costs. The agency has not
14been very successful in recouping those costs, according to a report discussed at a March meeng of the four-member Emergency Fire Cost Commiee. The report showed the forestry department spent at least $24 million to respond to 36 signicant res caused or spread negligently or maliciously by people or groups since 2004, and that in pursuing reimbursement, it has collected just $86,000 from “responsible pares.” Baumhardt, A. (2024, October 2). Oregon struggles to recover more than $24m from people responsible for wildres. oregonlive. hps://www.oregonlive.com/polics/2024/10/oregon-struggles-to-recover-more-than-24m-from-people-responsible-for-wildres.htmlFor the London Design Fesval 2024, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) is presenng Vert, a sustainable engineered mber structure built to cool cies and increase biodiversity in urban environments.Designed by leading industrial design studio Diez Oce in collaboraon with urban greening specialists OMCºC, Vert showcases the potenal of two versale mber products – American Red Oak glued laminated mber and thermally modied mber (TMT) – while providing a calm, shaded space for visitors to enjoy.Over the past decade and a half, AHEC has presented a number of experimental structural projects showcasing innovaons in hardwood, such as glued cross-laminated mber (CLT). Vert connues with this important work, this me focusing on highlighng the potenal of American Red Oak glued laminated wood (glulam). - American hardwood export council newsleer. (2024, October 21).You can read more in the October Naonal Hardwood Magazine. MovateTaken from SURPRISE: Creavity is a Skill not a Gi! by Robert Evans Wilson, JrIn today’s fast-paced market, creavity is vital for businesses to stay compeve. Contrary to popular belief, creavity is not a rare gi but a skill anyone can develop, according to Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. While many think they lack creavity—oen due to a society that values conformity—innovaon is possible at any age. Culvang creavity starts by seeing familiar things in new ways. Nobel Laureate Albert Georgyi once said, “Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” This approach invites us to reexamine the ordinary and pursue dierent perspecves, especially when faced with problems that need soluons. As Wilson notes, frustraons can also be opportunies. Tasks we dislike may lead to creave improvements and even lucrave ideas.Wilson describes key traits of innovave thinkers that anyone can emulate. First, they believe they are creave, which fuels their condence. Second, they’re exible, readily abandoning tradional approaches and rules. He suggests praccing this by nding alternave uses for everyday items like paperclips or by combining two unrelated objects to spark new ideas. Another hallmark of creave thinkers is their exposure to diverse experiences, which builds new neural pathways in the brain. Despite our tendency to follow rounes, stepping out of comfort zones is essenal. Wilson encourages reading on unfamiliar topics or listening to new genres of radio as simple ways to invite fresh perspecves. These acvies broaden mental exibility, preparing us for unique soluons when problems arise.To spur creavity, Wilson introduces praccal methods, such as “Put It in Wring.” This involves lisng everything about a problem as if explaining it to someone unfamiliar, oen revealing new angles or soluons. For team sengs, he recommends brainstorming—an idea-generang method where all ideas are accepted, cricism is avoided, and quanty is encouraged over immediate quality. This helps ideas evolve through group feedback, leading to breakthrough insights.In embracing creavity, Wilson believes we not only handle challenges more eecvely but also enrich our lives through novel experiences and opportunies. He urges readers to pursue unconvenonal choices and new smuli, which can lead to surprising and valuable insights.Robert Evans Wilson, Jr., is an author and innovaon consultant who works with organizaons to foster compeve thinking and help individuals become innovators. He is also the author of The Annoying Ghost Kid. For more, visit www.jumpstartyourmeeng.com. Read the full arcle: Wilson, R. E. (2013, June 30). Surprise: Creavity is a skill not a gi!. Psychology Today. hps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-main-ingredient/201306/surprise-creavity-is-skill-not-gi