“The company started from nothing in 1936, back in the days when there was plenty of timber. My father was a real pioneer — he had the foresight to take some strong risks.”
ViP
Allyn Ford
President and CEO, Roseburg Forest Products
Chairman, Umpqua Bank
Board member, Ford Family Foundation
“The company started from nothing in 1936, back in the days when there was plenty of timber. My father was a real pioneer — he had the foresight to take some strong risks. We’ve had to make some tremendous changes. Before 1980, we were almost completely dependent on government sources for timber. The shock of having 40% of our timber supply disappear in the ’80s was a difficult transition. It’s a difficult business. But we have a real commitment to the communities in which we operate. Our foundation’s focus is to help the rural parts of the states because there is a big vacuum here. In rural Oregon and California, education is one of our responsibilities. Rural people need a lot of help and there’s not much money coming in. We have three children, and I hope to see the family remain active in the company for a long time. At 64, I don’t plan to retire yet; I’m having too much fun. I come from a family of great genes — my father came in the office every day until he was 88 and my mother is over 100. Compared to them, I’m still a pup.”
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