IN MEMORIAM

from BPD October 2022

OLSEN ON SALES

Clifton K. “Skip” Hammond, 94, founder of Hammond Lumber Co., Belgrade, Me., died sept. 3.

After graduating from high school, he, his brother and friend Oliver Yeaton harvested and sold logs and pulp. After serving in the Army during World War II, Skip returned to Belgrade in 1947 to resume his partnership with Oliver, as the H&Y Pulp Co.

In 1953, he and wife Verna built a sawmill in Belgrade as Hammond Lumber. He and his son, Donald, opened their first retail store in 1967 and gradually added locations across the state. Skip retired in the early 2000s.

Roger Scherer, former head of Scherer Bros. Lumber, Minneapolis, Mn., died on Aug. 14 at age 87.

He rose from a laborer at his father’s lumberyard in the 1950s to CEO in 1978 at a company that now operates three lumberyards and two manufacturing sites

Scherer also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1966-72.

Paul John Arling, 85, retired co-founder and CEO of Arling Lumber Co., Cincinnati, Oh., passed away on Sept. 10.

He helped launch the wholesaler in 1961 and passed leadership to his son, P.J., in 1983. The firm was bought by Boise Cascade in 2018.

Thomas G. Austin Sr., retired vice president of Dealers Supply & Lumber Co., Greenville, S.C., passed away Sept. 1 at the age of 100.

During World War II, Austin served in the 12th Armored Division, European Theater. Following his service, he studied at Wake Forest.

Herbert Vollrath Kohler, Jr., 83, executive chairman of Kohler Co., Kohler, Wi., died Sept. 3.

The son of the company founder, he spent many summers of his youth as a laborer on the Kohler farms and in most of the manufacturing divisions of Kohler Co. After studying at the University of Zurich in Switzerland and receiving his degree from Yale University in 1965, he rejoined Kohler Co. full-time as an R&D technician. He became a director of the company in 1967, and when his father died a year later, he became vice president of operations. He was named executive vice president in 1971, chairman and CEO in 1972, and president in 1974. In 2015, he became the executive chairman, with son David taking the helm as president and CEO. David now succeeds him as chairman.

Herbert was inducted into the National Kitchen and Bath Hall of Fame in its founding year of 1989, followed by the National Housing Hall of Fame in 1993.