News & Press

WIA Announces 2025 Wooden Globe Award Winner, Educator of the Year

Tue, 6 May 2025 19:44:00 GMT

Scottsdale, AZ – April 30, 2025 — The Wood Industry Association (WIA) proudly presented its 2025 Wooden Globe Award for Educator of the Year at the Wood Industry Conference (WIC), held in Scottsdale, Arizona. The award ceremony took place during WIA’s Annual Business Meeting, where David Bult accepted the honor on behalf of Next Step of West Michigan.

Educator of the Year: Next Step of West Michigan

The Educator of the Year award recognizes an educational institution or training program that demonstrates excellence in preparing individuals for careers in the woodworking industry. Honorees are chosen for their advocacy, innovation, and impact on workforce development in the wood sector.

WIA Presents 2025 Ralph B. Baldwin Award of Excellence to Todd Phalen

Tue, 6 May 2025 19:42:00 GMT

Scottsdale, AZ – April 30, 2025 — The Wood Industry Association (WIA) honored Todd Phalen with the 2025 Ralph B. Baldwin Award of Excellence during the Wood Industry Conference (WIC) in Scottsdale, Arizona. The award was presented at WIA’s Annual Business Meeting and recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to the woodworking industry.

Named in honor of longtime industry leader and past WMMA President Ralph B. Baldwin, the award celebrates exemplary service, leadership, and dedication to the wood machinery and manufacturing sector.

Wood Industry Association Announces 2025 Board of Directors

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:11:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Forest Hill, MD

Date: December 16, 2024

Contact: Fred Stringfellow, Chief Executive Officer

Phone: 443-640-1052

fred@woodindustry.org

Wood Industry Association Announces 2025 Board of Directors

Forest Hill, MD (December 16, 2024) — The Wood Industry Association (WIA) is proud to announce the approval of its 2025 Board of Directors. Following a successful election process, the slate of nominees has been confirmed, and the incoming Board is prepared to lead the association in its mission to support and advance the wood industry in North America.

The 2025 WIA Board of Directors is as follows:

Executive Leadership (2025-2026)

Chair: Joe Hammock, Friulmac
Chair-Elect: Gordon Burdis, James L. Taylor Mfg.
Secretary/Treasurer: Brian Donahue, Safety Speed Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Past Chair: Pascal Doucet, Doucet Inc.

Directors (2025-2027)

Jessica Freeseman, Wood Machinery Systems, Inc.
Mark Hesseling, ACMOS Inc.
Adam Lopuk, Stiles Machinery, Inc.
Rob Williamson, Nederman LLC

Continuing Directors

Jason Dingess, Quis Machinery (2024-2026)
Alyson Onsrud-Strickland, C.R. Onsrud (2024-2026)
Todd Phalen, Black Bros. Co. (2024-2026)
Brett Reid, Weinig Holz-Her USA (2024-2026)

The Wood Industry Association extends its gratitude to its members for their participation in the voting process. With a dedicated and experienced Board of Directors, WIA is poised to continue its work in fostering innovation, promoting collaboration, and advocating for the wood industry in North America.

WIA Presents the 2024 Wooden Globe Award Winners

Thu, 8 Aug 2024 03:00:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Forest Hill, MD

Date: August 7, 2024

Contact:Fred Stringfellow, Chief Executive Officer
Phone: 443-640-1052
fred@woodindustry.org

WIA Presents the 2024 Wooden Globe Award Winners

The Wood Industry Association (WIA) presented its 2024 Wooden Globe Awards at the International Woodworking Fair (IWF) in Atlanta during the Night at the Tabernacle event. The Commitment to Excellence through Technology Award was presented to Greyloch; and the Educator of the Year Award was presented to Mark Smith of Reed-Custer High School, Crestwood, IL.

Commitment to Excellence Through Technology – Greyloch
The “Commitment to Excellence Through Technology” award seeks to recognize companies that continuously invest in the most recent woodworking machinery technology. The recipients of this award are companies that provide a shining example that continued investments in high technology machinery provide the necessary competitive advantage to compete successfully in today’s global market.

Greyloch was founded in 1991 by Shaun and Dianne Fickes. Greyloch is a family-owned business dedicated to crafting exceptional custom cabinets that transform any space. Their mission is to deliver the highest quality, handcrafted cabinetry that reflects the unique style and needs of each individual customer. The Wooden Globe Award was accepted on behalf of Greyloch by Shaun Fickes.

In 2023, Greyloch introduced their new 96,909 square foot advanced cabinet manufacturing facility located in Star, Idaho. The $44M project features a fully automated facility equipped with the latest technology manufactured by Homag. They efficiently create custom cabinetry for both residential and commercial projects in a facility designed to deliver the highest quality product while minimizing waste and product lead times.

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The manufacturing line is designed to take sheet good materials to a completely assembled product boxed and ready for delivery. It is able to accomplish this production through state-of-the-art machines capable of cutting, edgebanding, drilling, and gluing. This process is able to maximize the yield of raw products through the optimization and reuse of off-cut material reducing the total amount of waste. With the new Sorteq sorting system, the line is able to cut, band, and store up to 2,500 cabinet parts ready for assembly. This allows Greyloch to maintain production at a consistent flow through the drill and assembly process keeping production times down and product moving to the customers sooner.

Educator of the Year
The “Educator of the Year” award acknowledges an instructor, educational institution, or company with a structured curriculum tailored to training individuals for careers in the woodworking industry. These recipients are advocates for the industry, and work to enhance the lives of others by sharing the opportunity and knowledge of the wood industry.

Mark Smith accepted the Educator of the Year award in recognition of his work for Reed-Custer High School in Crestwood, Illinois. Mark is an industrial arts teacher that has developed a curriculum that builds student interest in the industry and exposes them to the tools and methods used in modern woodworking. The curriculum at Reed-Custer High School offers coursework in Orientation to Technology; CAD 1, 2, and 3; STEM 1 and 2; CAD/CAM 1 and 2; and Production 1 and 2. These courses provide students credit toward their high school diploma, college credits, and Woodwork Career Alliance of North America credentials.

In addition to the curriculum, Mark works to expose his student to the industry through career days, manufacturing days, and attendance at industry events. He also has a broad network of supporters and contacts to connect students to future career opportunities.

About the Wood Industry Association (WIA)

The mission of the Wood Industry Association (WIA) is to improve management operations, marketing programs, sales techniques, merchandising and distribution functions of those engaged in the domestic or foreign manufacture of woodworking machinery and ancillary equipment and/or the sale of such equipment in North America.

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Passing of WIA Board Chair James Scarlett

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:59:00 GMT


	It is with heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the tragic passing of Wood Industry Association (WIA) Board Chair, James Scarlett, on the afternoon of Friday, April 12. James was not only a remarkable leader but also a cherished friend and mentor to many within his company and beyond. He was instrumental in facilitating the merger of WMMA and WMIA to form the WIA and his absence will be deeply felt throughout the industry. We will share additional information as it becomes available. Obituary and service information.


	James, or Jimmy, which is what we lovingly called him outside of the work day, was one of my favorite people and closest friends. His energy and sense of humor were infectious, always brightening the day for the people around him. He had that wonderful "Scarlett" smile and twinkle in his eye that always gave away that something funny was about to come out of his mouth. He had a genuine personality and an easy wit that was inviting and made everybody feel comfortable around him. What struck me the most about James, however, was his presence in a more work related environment. He listened more than he spoke and he always took the necessary time to analyze what he was hearing. When he did speak it was in a clear and concise way, so that no matter what message he had to deliver, the person receiving that message knew he had listened and taken them seriously. This was his "super power" that I try to emulate each and every day at Taylor and in life. I will cherish all of the fun times skiing, golfing, "networking" (with or without Bourbon), and discussions about work or association business. Most of all, I will miss the laughter that we shared together. PS: I will leave you with the ending to Jim's voicemail greeting that I think was a perfect motto for how he lived his life: "Stay positive. Keep smiling. Keep moving." I am positive this is what he would like all of us to do. -- Gordon Burdis, close friend and fellow WIA Board Member

Wooden Globe Awards Nominations Open

Wed, 3 Jan 2024 21:52:00 GMT

Prepare for the recognition of exceptional companies and institutions at the prestigious Wooden Globe Awards, hosted annually at the Wood Industry Conference.

These awards celebrate remarkable accomplishments and outstanding success, driven in no small part by the cutting-edge high-technology machinery and software provided by member companies.

Members are given the honor of nominating their extraordinary customers for these awards, which are bestowed in five categories: Educator of the Year, Commitment to Excellence Through Technology, Eco-Alternative Wood Product of the Year, Executive of the Year, and Outstanding Woman in Woodworking.

Don't miss your chance to be a part of this thrilling celebration! Submit your nominations by January 31, 2024, and be a part of the excitement!

Nominate

Apply for the 2024 WMIA Scholarship!

Wed, 3 Jan 2024 21:49:00 GMT

Are you a student with a burning passion for woodworking or a related field and a desire to pursue it in college?

The WMIA Education Foundation is delighted to offer scholarships to college students who are eager to explore the world of wood technology, machinery, and related areas.

Here's the thrilling part: The 2024 WMIA scholarship application is now OPEN, and we are eagerly awaiting your application!

The WMIA Education Foundation has awarded over $525,000 in scholarships to support 280 deserving students in their educational pursuits.

Don't let this fantastic opportunity pass you by.

Apply Today!