Roots & Reflections

On this episode of the Roots & Reflections podcast, we sit down with NHLA’s Chief Inspector, Dana Spessert. As a third generation lumberman who grew up around his family’s sawmill in West Virginia, Dana got his first taste of the lumber business at age three and never looked back.Our conversation digs into Dana’s childhood and early career, the countless experiences and lessons that led him to his current role, the many hats he wears with NHLA, and the advice he would give to the next generation of young men and women in the industry.

On this episode of the Roots & Reflections podcast, we sit down with eLIMBS founder, Phil Coyner. eLIMBS, which has since been acquired by DMSi, was one of the industry leading providers of hardwood lumber inventory management software solutions. Over the course of nearly 18 years, Phil and his Wife, Amy built a business that changed the way the hardwood industry looked at software.

On this special IHLA edition of the Roots & Reflections podcast, we chat with the Co-Founder, and current Vice President of Tropical Forest Products, Jordan Dery. Jordan, along with his twin brother Justin, and good friend Jassi founded Tropical Forest Products in 2017 at the age of 24. In the relatively short time since their launch, Jordan and his team have grown Tropical Forest Products into a thriving business with multiple locations in the United States and Canada. Our conversation touches on the early days of Tropical Forest Products around the family’s kitchen table, bringing on strategic partners, and the parallel growth of Tropical Forest Products as a business and Jordan as an entrepreneur.

On this episode of the Roots & Reflections podcast, we sit down with the President & CEO of Frank Miller Lumber, Steve James. Family-owned for 120 years, Frank Miller Lumber is among the world’s largest quarter sawn hardwood lumber producers. Our conversation touches on Steve’s early career with General Motors, making the jump to the hardwood industry, and how his leadership philosophy helped reshape the culture at Frank Miller Lumber.