I grew up in the industry and the majority of my life worked in an industry related to the wood products sector.  My dad owns a small reforestation business so I have seen the hardship associated with owning a small business in the timber industry from a young age.  My first job outside of the family business was at a local rigging shop casting quick nub wedges and then building rigging.  My Dad was seriously injured in 1987 in a logging accident so he steered me away from a career as a logger.

 

After high school I went to the local community college and earned an Associates of Applied Science degree in Welding and Fabrication Technologies.  I have been a professional welder and fabricator since 2009.  I quickly found out that structural fab shops and manufacturing weren't my thing. I went to work for a couple industrial contractors for a few years chasing shutdowns at paper mills, lumber mills, veneer mills and chemical plants, until my wife got tired of me being gone all the time.  From there I went to work for a local drilling and crushing outfit where I worked my way into a service truck welding on their equipment.  I had the opportunity to go to work for an independent heavy equipment repair shop where I learned line boring on top of my fabrication and welding skills.  They say that some things happen for a reason and I think without working there I would have never had the opportunity to move into my current full time job at the local John Deere dealer.

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Two years ago I decided to start my photography business. I love photography and I love being in the woods sharing the stories of some of the best people I have ever met. I do my best as a freelance photographer to share these things through photos and video. I think this podcast will be the perfect platform to take a deep dive into some of the difficulties the industry is facing moving into the future.