GETTING TO KNOW YOU— THROUGH NAWLA

THE NORTH AMERICAN Wholesale Lumber Association—like the industry it serves—is about people. People who, as they serve each other, end up with countless benefits in return. Meet a few of the individuals who have poured into NAWLA.

Steve Rustja is the vice president of trading at Weston Forest and 2023 chair of the NAWLA board of directors. While his term as chair just started in January of this year, his involvement in the wholesale lumber industry spans decades.

Tell me about yourself. What is your background and how did you get involved with wholesale lumber?

Hardly anyone grows up wanting to be in the lumber business, especially in Toronto. Everyone has a story of how they got involved.

I was first exposed to the lumber industry when I was about five years old and went to work with my father at Weston Forest. In the early 1970s, he left Weston to start a few of his own businesses. In 1985, he wanted to get back into the lumber business and bought a retail lumberyard where I worked part time during my senior year of high school and all the way through university. Once I graduated, I started to work full time in the family business and did every job: buying, selling, loading, delivering, sweeping the floor and cleaning the trash can. In 2000, my father decided to retire and sold the business.

I knew that I wanted to get out of retail and into wholesale, so I spoke with all the distributors in the Toronto area. I had offers from a few companies and was leaning toward one from a national distributor. I also met with Rick Ekstein, former president of Weston Forest. He told me that Weston is a place of opportunity for all and that there would be no limit to what I could achieve. “Heck, one day you could even be a partner,” he said.

In 2011, I was fortunate to become a partner at Weston Forest. I think I made the right choice.

What motivates you to continue on this career path and be a part of the wholesale lumber industry?

My primary motivator is friendship. I have made so many lifelong friends in this business. When my 20-yearold daughter took a summer internship in Vancouver last year, my wife and I were nervous to have her move to a city where she didn’t know anyone. When our Vancouver friends found out, many offered to be there for her if she needed anything. They even extended invitations to their houses for dinner.

The second motivator is honesty. I’m truly amazed at how much business is conducted on someone’s word. It’s unlike any industry I know of. You can’t buy a new phone without signing pages of documents, but you can buy millions of dollars of lumber on your word.

The third motivator is income potential. Many people have done extremely well in the lumber business, even before the last couple of record years. This isn’t something that is generally known if you are outside the industry.

In what ways have you seen the lumber industry evolve over the years?

The most obvious is consolidation on both sides of the equation: there are fewer suppliers and customers these days and likely even less in the future. This fundamentally changes how the industry operates and how markets behave.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far? Any “wow” moments that stand out to you?

In 2011, three of my colleagues and I were asked to join the executive team at Weston and were offered partnerships. Our lives and the direction of the company changed after that. We were given an amazing opportunity and took full advantage of it. Looking back on what we’ve accomplished, I am humbled and amazed.

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Tell me about your involvement with NAWLA. How long have you been a member and what made you want to join?

I’ve been involved with NAWLA since 2001. For the first 10 years, I was just an attendee at the Traders Market. I remember walking into my first icebreaker activity not knowing anyone and feeling intimidated by the 1,500 people in the room.

In 2010, Rick Ekstein was on NAWLA’s executive committee and came to my desk one day. He said, “Guess what: you are joining the Traders Market committee.” My response to him was, “Really, Rick? I have so many other things I need to do and I’m just too busy.” This push was one of the best things that happened to me as my volunteer work allowed me to meet some of the most incredible people in the industry, learn how to operate our business better and develop myself as a leader.

My wife and I have been going to the Leadership Summit since 2011 and we have met so many people that we are fortunate to call friends. My kids even tagged along for almost a decade. This was important to me because they got to see what I did for a living and who I did it with.

What advice would you give to a new NAWLA member?

Do everything you can. What you get out of NAWLA is directly related to what you put into it. NAWLA isn’t just the Traders Market. Join the 10 Groups, take the educational courses, go to the Leadership Summit, watch the webinars, go to regional meetings. Get involved.

What sparked your interest to get more involved with NAWLA and become a volunteer on the NAWLA board of directors?

When I was second vice chair of the Leadership Summit committee, I was asked to go to a winter board meeting to give an update to the NAWLA board of directors. I knew then that I wanted become a board member and ultimately serve as chairman. I love the idea that I have an opportunity to impact the future of NAWLA, just as our previous leaders have done in the past.

As NAWLA’s 2023 chair, what goals and initiatives do you hope to achieve in your role?

Under the leadership of Bethany Doss and Bill Price, the NAWLA board of directors created a strategic plan, which gives us a roadmap for the next three years. Making sure we implement all of the strategies is important to me

The one initiative that I have wanted to achieve for a while now is to establish a mentoring program for our younger members. There is a saying that in your 20s and 30s, you are learning. In your 30s and 40s, you are earning. In your 50s and 60s, you are returning. I want to match up the learners with the returners.

What has been your favorite NAWLA moment?

Slamming the gavel to start the 2023 winter board meeting and being humbled that I was chairing the 131st meeting.

Dan Semsak Murphy Company

Dan Semsak never thought he would be working in the wood products industry until a phone call in 1993 changed his career plans forever. Almost 30 years later, he is now the director of engineered wood products for Murphy Co. in Eugene, Or., and an active member of NAWLA, currently serving as the chairperson for the Leadership Summit committee.

Tell us about yourself. What is your background and how did you get involved with wholesale lumber?

Not in my wildest dreams growing up did I think I would be in the wood products industry. I studied business and Japanese at the University of Montana.

In 1993, got a call from a company based in Boring, Or., called Vanport International. I was asked to interview and soon after, I accepted a job exporting metric-sized lumber to Japan. After the Japanese housing market collapsed in 1997, I joined Willamette Industries in their sales department. In 2002, Willamette was sold and I moved back to Montana to join Plum Creek as the lumber sales manager selling pine boards and studs. EWP became my calling again in 2006 when I joined Pacific Woodtech and later Murphy Co. in 2019, where I am currently the director of EWP.

What motivates you to continue on this career path and be a part of the wholesale lumber industry?

The relationships that develop are truly lasting and wonderful. I still have contact with people I had worked or competed with early in my career and I continue to make many friends in the industry. It remains a handshake business—mutual trust is often achieved as we are solving each other’s needs.

In what ways have you seen the lumber industry evolve over the years?

The market cycles can be game changing from company consolidation at all levels of the supply chain to openings and closings of businesses. Exporters have turned some of their expertise into importing or changed their focus solely to the North American market. The biggest changes have come from a blurring of the lines between manufacturing, secondary processing, distribution, buying co-ops and retail.

What has been the most surprising part of your career so far? Any wow moments that stand out to you?

I have always been surprised by the humility of most of our industry leaders. Many of them are very willing to help along the way, they admit mistakes, and they work to develop the industry’s future leaders. I have had a few mentors over the course of my career that have cheered for my success and have been there for me with sage advice when I needed it most. The “wow” part has really (Continued on page 42) been the amazing number of opportunities in our industry, particularly as the baby boomers have approached retirement age.

How long have you been a NAWLA member and what committees have you served on?

I have been a member of NAWLA since 1999. When I went to my first Traders Market, I was like a kid in a candy store. I was blown away by the number of networking opportunities before, during and after the show hours.

Around 2002, I joined the education committee and in 2007, I moved to the Traders Market committee, where I became chairperson. I served on the NAWLA board for six years, two of those were on the executive committee. After that, I joined the membership committee for a brief period before becoming vice chair, and later chair, of the Leadership Summit committee.

What advice would you give to a new NAWLA member?

Get involved with the organization. It is a great way to build valuable relationships.

What’s been your favorite NAWLA moment?

It is ongoing. It’s been great having the opportunity to meet with decision makers, leaders and owners, and getting to know those in our industry personally, too.

What advice do you have for those that are attending a NAWLA event for the first time?

Don’t just focus on the show floor hours to connect with people. Plan to meet others during meals and before and after show hours. The show hours are only a fraction of the networking opportunities.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Things are constantly changing. Learn to roll with it and adapt quickly. Stay positive.

KayCee Hallstrom

Zip-O-Log Mills, Inc.

KayCee Hallstrom is no stranger to the industry, having grown up working for the family business, Zip-O-Log Mills. Now VP, she is a fourth-generation industry professional dedicated to the trade.

Tell me about yourself. What is your background and how did you get involved with lumber manufacturing?

My great-grandfather started Zip-O-Log Mills, Inc. in 1944 and I started working there in 2012. I had worked in the office and out in the plant while I was in high school in the summers.

What motivates you to continue on this career path and be a part of the lumber manufacturing industry?

The people I work with and have met in the industry. Plus, I enjoy the variety of challenges and problem solving it provides.

Tell me about working for your family’s business. What is it like to be a part of a multi-generation team?

Working for the family business has its challenges just like any other business. You’re not only navigating different generations working together, you’re also navigating family events outside of work together, too. However, it is unique to have the perspective of the generation before you just down the hall to talk to. It is important to keep business as business and personal as personal.

In what ways have you seen the lumber industry evolve over the years?

The mass timber movement has really taken off in the last couple of years in the United States, and it is refreshing and exciting to see public opinion about wood shift to being a positive in construction and daily life. Another evolution is the continued advancements in technology used to process wood from the forest to packaging. We are also seeing new technology in trucking, which will help make jobs more appealing.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far? Any wow moments that stand out to you?

The relationships I have made with others in the industry, which have helped shape me into who I am today. When I joined my 10 Group in 2013, I had no idea I would not only be making great connections in the industry, but also some great friends.

How long have you been a NAWLA member and what made you want to join?

My first NAWLA event was Wood Basics in 2012. I then joined my 10 Group in 2013, participated in the Executive Management Institute in 2015, joined the scholarship and education committees in 2019 and 2022 respectively, and was voted into YELP in 2020. I’ve been attending Traders Market and the Leadership Summit since 2013 as well as participating in webinars over the years. Zip-O has been an active member for many years prior to me joining, and I was encouraged to join because of the history but also to create my own connections and take advantage of the education opportunities.

Tell me about volunteering with NAWLA? Why do you volunteer? What do you get out of it?

Initially, it was a way for me to get involved in some way to make connections. Now I have a passion for it and wish to continue my involvement to create great experiences for others. With volunteering, I get a sense of community—we all have a common goal and passion for the industry, not just our individual companies.

What advice would you give to a new NAWLA member?

Talk to your supervisor to get permission to participate in a 10 Group to get started, and participate in Wood Basics if you are new to the industry or sales. You get what you put into NAWLA; be an active participant and the possibilities are endless.

What’s been your favorite NAWLA moment?

Any time I am with my 10 Group. MM