Profiles of Wood Industry 40 Under 40 Class of 2016
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40 Under 40 winner Dustin Giffin picked up responsibility to run the family enterprise, Giffin Interiors, Inc., Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, when things looked bleak. He has steered it to recovery following the crash and burn recession. "After a significant drop in revenues in the later part of the recession he has picked up the pieces, rearranged and reassembled them and put the company back on track," says his nominator (and father) Gordon Giffin. "He has returned sales to pre-recession levels. He has implemented a lean initiative which has resulted in exponential profit increases. He has reversed the loss of talent and actually brought back some great people who had moved on. People, including myself, want to come to work again. He has reinstituted the family atmosphere that we had lost. He has made it fun again!"
 
The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
 
 
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40 Under 40 winner D.C. Clark, operates Clark Deco, a Pittsburgh distributor of high-end wood coatings and cabinet hardware supplies. "Our team works very hard to supply our customers with a high-quality product selection backed by our unmatched customer service and technical support," he says. A customer who nominated him says even more:

"I've never seen a young guy enter the wood industry with such tenacity as D.C.  He took a company that most of us thought was going to go out of business and completely transformed it into a thriving business. His impact on my company in assisting me is unlike anything I've ever had in over 30 years. .  . His wood coatings knowledge is unparalleled and the service/training that he has extended to me and customers like me has opened up new avenues of growth for our companies."

Clark Deco carries high end coating lines like AcromaPro, Renner Wood Coatings, Milesi Wood Coatings, and Sayerlack Wood Coatings. 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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40 Under 40 winner Shaun Oriold owns and operates Closet Envy Inc., Burlington, Ontario. "The business concept was created to meet the demand of discerning customers," says Oriold, a former graphic designer. He hones his skills assiduously as an active leader within the Association of Closets & Storage Professionals. A talented designer focusing on the aesthetics of the home and the needs of a homeowner, as designers do, Oriold constantly evolves design concepts, supported by a thorough component product and accessories knowledge to build closets that are "both functional, and timeless," and make you smile first thing in the morning." Products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility located in Burlington, Ontario. 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

 
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Seth Gonzales is the Vice President for Production and Manufacturing at Martin & MacArthur, the oldest fine furniture maker in Hawaii and the only company with the distinction of being designated the "fine furniture maker of 'Iolani Palace.'" Gonzales oversees the design and production of all furniture and lifestyle accessories at the martin & MacArthur workshop and is also responsible for negotiating the purchase of Koa from dead or fallen trees on private plantations on the Big Island.
 
Gonzales has overseen the production of wood products in a strategic initiative for personal accessories including wood watches, wood iPhone cases, wood rings and wood jewelry. Gonzales manages a team of over 35 wood craftsmen in the only shop in Hawaii with an established apprenticeship program to train young craftsmen. Gonzales has been instrumental is transforming Martin & MacArthur from a stodgy old furniture company to a dynamic organization that now is a leader in innovative design. 
 
The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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40 Under 40 winner Julio Alvarez is accounting and office manager at Bill Hanks Lumber Co., Danbury, North Carolina, where he began as an apprentice in high school, then received his degree in accounting at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, continuing at the Bill Hanks Lumber throughout college, and then after graduating. He was nominated by a competitor who worked with Alvarez on an industry committee and cited Alvarez's leadership on the Millennial Council, an outreach to younger people to join the wood industry. 

"I’ve been with Bill Hanks Lumber Co. 19 years, from the start," says Alvarez. "I have continued to work for Bill Hanks Lumber Co. because it’s an integral company with good principles. I did not know anything about this industry when I started working here. I have learned so much by working at Bill Hanks Lumber and grown a passion for wood related products.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 Winner Brian Grabski, owner of Designed & Made, Minneapolis, is a design and fabrication visionary. He is a master at dramatic classic kitchens, and his home entertainment center design projects are amazing. Grabski has also broken new ground for the industry in capturing and sharing his work visually in photography and especially in digital video, where he transcends boundaries in his presentation. This also plays into a highly unique sidelight for Grabski, building motion casegoods, a classic genre with a centuries old lineage in automata. Grabski's playful intelligence is on display in these projects, with interlocking doors and drawers controlled by wooden gears. Grabski has begun marketing his Hidden Drawer design projects for others to replicate.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

 

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40 Under 40 winner Carly Boudreau is president of Coriander Designs, a family-run office furniture and casegood manufacturer out of Woodinville, Washington. For over 35 years, the company's business model has been fully focused on sustainability and on manufacturing all of its products here in the United States. After taking over Coriander in 2009, Carly has brought her own skills to the company, as well as maintaining the values set forth by her father. With a keen eye for timeless design and an understanding of contemporary demands, Carly's success has only just begun.  

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Ethan Abramson is the owner and head designer of Ethan Abramson, a New York-based, environmentally-friendly, handcrafted furniture manufacturing firm. As a member of 1% for the Planet, a network of businesses who donate 1% of their profits to environmental groups, Ethan uses wood from reclaimed sources or sustainable foresting whenever possible. His designs and shop practices are built around the ideas of minimal waste, re-purposing, environmentally conscious production methods, and creativity in both design and function.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
 
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40 Under 40 winner Doug Hague (center) is the education director of the Architectural Woodworking Institute (AWI) - a non-profit dedicated to providing education and collaborative opportunities for woodworkers. Before AWI, Doug was a professor of wood technology at Pittsburgh State University, for which he won the 2015 WMIA Wooden Globe Educator of the Year award. AWI Executive VP Phil Duvic says "Doug brings a proven track record of university level career and technical education, broad-based industry involvement, and a passion for adult education. He will certainly challenge AWI's education programming to reach new levels of excellence and quality."

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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Jonathan Zublena is Director of Sales & Marketing at Sauder Woodworking, and was instrumental in the successful launch of  WoodTrac, a line of modular home interior panel and closets products. Truly a "sales engineer," Zublena helped develop a lead generation tool that increased online sales by 384 percent in one year. He outsourced some sales functions to save $150k annually and increased sales by more than 200 percent year over year. He also cut customer acquisition costs 75 percent by altering paid search tactics and increased website unique visitor traffic by 78 percent with combined SEO, paid search, social media and database marketing activities. He has been with Sauder Woodworking since 2007.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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Blake Zalcberg is president of OFM, LLC,  a family-run office and school furniture manufacturer and distributor headquartered in North Carolina with distribution centers there and in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Kansas and Washington state. Zalcberg has injected added vitalty into OFM's product designs, and to its marketing and sales efforts to businesses, and government, health care and educational facilities. OFM designs furniture and outsources manufacture, selling through online dealers including Staples, Wayfair, Overstock, and National Business Furniture. 
 
The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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40 Under 40 Winner Adria Torrez, Assistant Education Director for the Associaton for Woodworking & Furnishing Suppliers, Anaheim, California,runs its bi-annual trade show education program, the Fresh Wood student woodworking competition and is on the SkillsUSA California Board of Directors and coordinates the California regional and state cabinetmaking and introductory woodworking contests. Torrez executes the “Meet the New Face of Manufacturing" campaign to update the image of careers in wood manufacturing. With a BS in Finance and an MBA in Marketing from California State University, she worked in commercial banking and inventory management before coming to the wood industries in 2007.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

 

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40 Under 40 winner Corbin Clay's Azure Furniture Co. in Denver collaborates with local sawmills, the Colorado State U. and the U.S. Forest Service to transform beetle kill pine trees into elegant, heirloom quality furniture and kitchen cabinetry. In five years, he and his company have reclaimed over 100,000 feet of dead pine, and made blue-tinged wood trendy. Through adept social and media marketing - he won a Kettle 1 Vodka $100,000 grant, was featured in GQ, Huffington Post, Wall St. Journal - Clay makes a craftsman's career look awesome. 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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"I've never turned down a challenge, at work or in my personal life," says Jennifer Wolff, 40 Under 40 winner, senior manager of material planning at Masco. She was once charged with closing down a Masco cabinet component plant, and swiftly identified which Masco or third-party facilities should take over which portions of that plant's output, then complete the transition. No components could go out of stock, or excess inventory pile up.With detailed follow-up and visits to receiving plants, Wolff emerged victorious and received acclaim from management. "Jennifer brought extraordinary value to our company," said her manager Joe Ceccholi. The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Phillip Crabtree is a seriously serial entrepreneur, having founded Cabinotch, the snap-together RTA cabinet system sold only to the trade. After selling that still thriving business to Columbia Forest Products, Crabtree has launched FastenLink, among the new generation of fasteners that makes assembling RTA furniture and building cabinets easier. Based in Ownesboro, Kentucky, Crabtree's video pitch is so compelling it's no doubt he will succeed in his newest venture. 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Phil Bowers took over as president of Advanced Cabinet Systems, Marion, Indiana, after putting a lifetime into his job - at the advanced age of 21. Starting out in the proverbial role of sweeping floors, Bowers worked his way through many roles at this sister firm launched by JG Bowers construction. Phil has ventured into architectural cabinetry, retail environments, and K-12 educational environment, expanding Advanced Cabinet Systems' core business in manufacturing retail store fixtures and plastic laminate casework for schools and hospitals. "We are committed to the entire environment our furniture goes into," says Bowers. Pursuing an MBA and planning for his wedding, this go-getter also launched Outback Storage, a self automated chain of personal self storage units. In August his firm will outfit 120 Verizon store interiors in California.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Sean Dineen founded Iron Age Office, Kennesaw, Georgia, creating modern industrial office furniture from reclaimed wood and iron. Iron Age Office is a joint collaboration between Sean Dineen, a native of Sheffield, England, and Michael Stephens, a second generation steel fabricator in Atlanta. Being open to continuously learn more about the design industry, Dineen has rapidly taken Iron Age Office from its humble beginning as “desk builders” to furnish entire workspaces across America.
 

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40 Under 40 winner Jared Patchin founded J Alexander Fine Woodworking, in part to take payroll pressure off his family's large scale wood window shutter business during the downturn. Through great custom woodworking and skillful marketing, he has grown his new business. An excellent communicator, Patchin has also shared his business insights, and discoveries - revealing in honest portraits the ups and downs of his business -  as well as his fabrication process in popular blogs at his own site, and at WoodworkingNetwork.com where he has become a trusted guide to hundreds of fans in his generation of  woodworkers. 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 Winner Jake Garner has been making an innovative product to fill a growing market with few options: He makes wood caskets out of white pine with natural muslin cloth linings that are totally natural, without toxic finishes, toxic glues or synthetic fabrics - all natural materials that will biodegrade without harming the environment, even more important for caskets burned at crematoriums, typically made from toxic materials like MDF and polyester, resulting in toxic air pollution and plastic residue in the ashes. "Jake stands out  not just for his skills and a well made product with great market potential, but also because he has the right business sense," say David Hurwitz, his nominator. "It's a great combination of skills and vision."
The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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40 Under 40 Winner Brian Steorts' veteran group launched Flags of Valor to bring jobs to ex-military. It's turning them into real woodworking craftsmen, too. Steorts was a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne. As he recuperated from combat injuries, he decided to move into woodworking, with something that became an obsession. He was also motivated to produced something "Made in America." Steorts says veterans who come to work at Flags of Valor develop deep skills in wood craft and finishing. The Ashburn, Virginia company has also received strong support from DeWalt.
 
The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 Winner Matt Buell operates Matt Buell Design, and was nominated by a number of devoted fans, who cited his extreme craftsmanship and joinery done without nails.  "He has brought the craftsmanship back into woodworking in our area," said one nomination. "His installation in city hall in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is a beautiful art installation as well as being a functional council chamber desk set that will last for decades to come." 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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40 Under 40 winner Guy Bucey is a 30-year old decorated Marine who served for three deployments in Iraq. He has been working at Inova, a manufacturer of fold-down beds, for five years, starting as a team leader in subassembly, and is now plant manager at the Albany, New York, firm.

In nominating him, company owner Loren Sherman said, "Guy is clearly on his way to being the COO as we grow. Guy has done a beautiful job of teaching and modeling the best leadership and team behavior and has had a super positive impact on me and all of our employees."

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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Eben Bayer, CEO is co-founder (along with COO Gavin McIntyre) of Ecovative, a biomaterials company that adapts natural processes to create sustainable engineered wood, using the approach to produce adhesives for manufacturing engineered wood, and culturing board from mushroom-based mycellium, among other products. Furniture makers Gunlocke and Steelcase use Ecovative products; the EPA cited Ecovative as a solution to meet its new formaldehyde standards. Bayer has evangelized for bio-based manufacturing at TED Global, PopTech, and Davos, and Ecovative was recognized as a Tech Pioneer by the World Economic Forum.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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Will Spencer, owner of Spencer Cabinetry in Monroe, Washington, is among the Wood Industry 40 Under 40 winners this year. Spencer LLC is the Northwest region's fastest growing manufacturer of make-to-order kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets and vanities, home theater and interiors.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>> 

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40 Under 40 winner Adam Kessler was nominated for his work at DatesWeiser Furniture, Buffalo, New York. After winning the 2011 AWFS Fresh Wood award, Adam began a 5-year career at DatesWeiser, as an estimator, engineer, in new product development, and as project manager for high-profile clients Conde Naste, Cadillac, HBO, and many other prestigious clients. While there, he was involved in several patents: one for a line of folding training tables with a cart system.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>> 

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40 Under 40 winner Brady Lewis is a trailblazer in technology, launching Allmoxy to link buyers and sellers of wholesale wood products, and to help woodworking companies optimize their operations. Allmoxy is a cloud-based small business software for woodworking, cabinet door and furniture manufacturers to sell their custom products and to automate internal operations. He and his brothers are also involved in the family's heritage business, Lewis Cabinets. Lewis is a creatively strategic thinker and business visionary.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>> 

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40 Under 40 winner Martin Goebel launched Goebel & Company in St. Louis in 2012. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Goebel was the poster boy, literally, for the New Face of Wood Manufacturing initiative from AWFS, aimed at promoting the industry as a career path. He also was named Young Woodworking Pro by Woodworking Network. Accolades aside, Goebel is even more celebrated among designers, and is the consumate craftsman, a practical buinessman, and a highly effective marketer. Goebel is the total package: he can articulate his creative vision and aesthetic, can slice up trees, and he knows how to drive a CNC.  

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>> 

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40 Under 40 winner Christian Smedberg is Vice President of Osborne Wood Products, a Toccoa, Alabama, manufacturer of wood components.  Christian Smedberg’s work as vice president of Osborne Wood Products has helped the components manufacturer to expand its online offerings, including an active Amazon selling site, and used smart SEO practices to gain more business. “Christian seems driven by a focus on quality, customer service, networking, and a sincere desire to see members of this industry prosper,” said one nominator.
 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>> 

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Chris Harding is a key member of the teaching staff at Peyton Woods Manufacturing Program in Peyton, Colorado.  He provides high school students with hands-on training in woodworking and cabinetmaking, and has made finely crafted crafted pens and artistic frames on his own. Peyton is an important partnership between education and industry to train woodworkers.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>> 

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Todd R. Herzog chairs the Public Policy Committee of the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America, which oversees the associations legislative counsel in representing the Association's position on legislative and regulatory matters affecting the wood industry, as well as keeping members informed of developments that will impact their businesses. Herzog also has a day job: Vice President/Director of Sales of custom high-speed CNC router manufacturer Accu-Router. Markets include aerospace, boating, and upholstered furniture. Herzog is also responsible for marketing strategy, graphic design and web properties for the firm, whose factory is in Warren County, Tennessee.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Jeremy Seykora, Showplace Wood Products, led the manufacturing team for a successful launch of the Evo frameless cabinetry line, in a prupose built factory across the street from the parent business. Seykora, ShowplaceEVO’s 30-something production manager, leads a new team is largely comprised of employee-owners from the millennial generation. “We’ve got a great team of experienced managers,” says Seykora. “We may look young, but don’t let that fool you. We’ve been successfully making cabinets and taking care of customers our entire adult lives. I feel like I was born for this. We learned the business from a team that is arguably among the best in the industry and they still work right across the street if we need them."

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Les Holland is Director of Engineering at Zepsa Industries. He has been at the forefront of complex modeling, digital fabrication and advanced CNC programming for over 15 years. His dedication to the trade started in 1993 at Worcester Vocational Technical High school and continues to this day.  He is constantly focused on incorporating new technologies into his and his team's workflow.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Nick Barnick is head of Barnick Wood Design, a manufacturer of residential and commercial custom cabinetry. The winner of two Best of Houzz awards, Nick's shop pre-finishes cabinets in-house, and does all of its own installations. Nick's customers refer to him as very professional, a pleasure to work with, very patient, and a real pro. 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Nathie Katzoff is an award-winning staircase, furniture, and furniture maker. As one of the youngest members of the Staircase Manufacturers Association, Nathie and his firm NK Woodworking & Design swept the Association's 2014 awards. The 28-year-old's company is the only firm to win four out of five possible awards in a single year. 
 
The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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40 Under 40 winner Richie DeMarco is not only the U.S. manager of Richelieu Hardware's closet segment, he's president of the Association of Closet & Storage Professionals (ACSP) and a featured blogger at Woodworking Network. Previously vice president of Eveready Hardware, DeMarco helped that regional hardware powerhouse increase sales every year, and was named Champion Distributor for Rev-A-Shelf. Now he's tasked with expanding and developing Richelieu's closet presence in the U.S.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 Winner Melissa Owens co-founded Next Wave Automation, Perrysburg, Ohio, in the garage in 2006. Its small format CNCs are changing the way both hobbyists and small shop professionals do their work. The newest machines print 3D, routs and laser engraves. As chief business and marketing force behind the company's engineering team, Owens has a gift of insight for enhancing people’s talents and strengths which has helped employees, customers, and distributors. Melissa and Next Wave manufacture all products in the U.S. and foster community philanthropy. Next Wave Automation has been able grow quickly and successfully in large part due to the leadership role that Melissa Owens fulfills as co-owner.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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40 Under 40 winner Casey Bell, COO, Bellmont Cabinets, Sumner, Washington, has led the operations of the company from the depth of the recession to a five-fold increase in sales. He has managed the employee growth from 85 at the bottom of the recession to 300 now. He has organized the plant and production systems to incorporate over $3.5 million in new equipment purchases over the past four years. Casey Bell has been a driving force in building Bellmont Cabinet Company into a world class, national, leading all frameless cabinet company operating at a greater than $60 million pace.

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

 

 
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40 Under 40 winner Ben Williams is part owner and Plant Manager of Millwork 360, launched in 2010 in Tampa, Florida. Williams has overseen the manufacturing processes of Millwork 360 since their inception, expanding the workforce from 4 employees to over 40, adding over $2 million in automated equipment, maintaining a 99 percent on-time delivery rate and kept the quality of the products as his main focus. Millwork 360 received AWI Quality Certification for Premium Grade Mouldings, Stile & Rail Doors, and Factory Finishing. Ben is constantly looking for more efficient processes, higher yields, and improvements in quality. Sales from $0 in July 2010 to over $9.6 million in 2015. 

The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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40 Under 40 winner William Wolff and his partners operate Colorado Wood Design in Denver, launched 18 months ago and already flourishing. Wollf researched a new category with a lot of buzz - customized IKEA cabinetry - and launched a new business line under a separate brand: The Cabinet Face. 
 
Also referred to by designers as "IKEA hacking," The Cabinet Face is selling an IKEA upgrade that takes the furniture retail giants' basic boxes, and wraps them in better-looking veneers or laminates, along with new doors and drawers in a variety of wood species. Doors and drawers precisely match the IKEA cabinet line dimensions and drill patterns. "We founded The Cabinet Face to bridge the gap between high-end design and mass production, and make custom furniture available to everyone," says Wolff. The company exhibited at the Denver Home Show in the spring. 
 
The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>
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40 Under 40 winner Emory Luth founded Midwest Precision Parts eight years ago, in Allterton, Illinois, when he was 20. He coordinated funding, acquired CNC equipment, and parts were being machined 3 months later. Now, 48,000 parts later,  Midwest’s components ship throughout North America every week, their work has retailed on five continents, and Luth continues to innovate, adding to the depth and breadth of services available to his clients.
 
Notable work includes historically accurate reproductions, museum installations, and even aircraft parts - which require very precise machining. Luth's original designs were featured on furniture that debuted in the New York Museum of Arts and Design.  He has been a guest lecturer for the MBA program at the University of Illinois. He recently partnered with a local high school industrial technology department to start an internship program. Philanthropic work includes local youth group mission trip craft supplies, local school projects, and set design and fabrication for events benefiting a local arts council.
 
The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

The 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 sought the next generation of people destined to make an impact on the wood products manufacturing industry in North America. From more than 135 nominations, 40 outstanding individuals were identified. Here are some of their stories. The celebration for 2016 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 takes place the afternoon of Thursday, August 25 at IWF Atlanta. See the entire list here>>

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About the author
Bill Esler | ConfSenior Editor

Bill wrote for WoodworkingNetwork.com, FDMC and Closets & Organized Storage magazines. 

Bill's background includes more than 10 years in print manufacturing management, followed by more than 30 years in business reporting on industrial manufacturing in the forest products industries, including printing and packaging at American Printer (Features Editor) and Graphic Arts Monthly (Editor in Chief) magazines; and in secondary wood manufacturing for WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Bill was deeply involved with the launches of the Woodworking Network Leadership Forum, and the 40 Under 40 Awards programs. He currently reports on technology and business trends and develops conference programs.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Bill supports efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities in the manufacturing sectors, including 10 years on the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation; six years with the U.S. WoodLinks; and currently on the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee. He is also supports the Greater West Town Training Partnership Woodworking Program, which has trained more than 950 adults for industrial wood manufacturing careers. 

Bill volunteers for Foinse Research Station, a biological field station staddling the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one of more than 200 members of the Organization of Biological Field Stations.