Women have long been an important part of the woodworking and wood products marketplaces. Now their role is expanding at every level, from production through design, marketing, and operations management.

For most women, choosing a wood industry career is not an obvious career choice. Once there, they may face unique challenges, but also bring fresh insights as they establish their footing in this exciting field.

In this forum, Women in Woodworking: A Conversation, a range of professional women will recount their experience. By sharing their stories, the goal is to to foster a conversation around opportunities, challenges and the future for this important part of the workforce. 

 You'll hear the stories of women in woodworking:

• How they got their start in the business
• Opportunities and challenges in their career path
• Was there a mentor or advocate along the way
• Advice for other women considering the wood industry

Who Should Attend:

Business Owners, Human Resources Managers, Operations Managers,
Business Development Managers, Women in Woodworking, and anyone interested in opening the door to other women to enter this field, which is hungry for people of talent.

Our Panelists:

Marcia Dixon
General Manager
Flexsteel, Dublin, GA

A personnel management graduate of the University of Georgia, Marci Dixon worked from 1976 to 1984 with Rockwell Automations as Assistant HR Manager until joining Flexsteel Industries in 1984 as part of a startup team to service the Southeast with Flexsteel Upholstered Furniture in Dublin, GA. In a dual role of HR Manager and Purchasing Manager, her responsibilities recruitment, safety, AAP, Benefits, & Policy Administration.
    After a year on a management team at the New Holland compact tractor plant start-up, she returned to Flexsteel in a new role as General Manager for the Dublin Plant, the first General Manager of any plant at Flexsteel Industries. The plant has a maximum employment capacity of 430 associates.

Kari Bunting
 President,
Component Solutions, Menominee, MI

Kari Bunting is founder and president of Component Solutions LLC, a hardwood lumber vendor and supplier, and a sister company, Menominee River Lumber, a hardwood lumber customer and a hardwood dimension supplier specializing in door stiles, rails, kitchen cabinet panels or any special width or length sort. The facilities are co-located at the Menominee, MI site. Before starting her own business, Kari also managed sales and marketing at Wolf River Lumber, New London, WI. She is also a cheerleading coach and has been president since 2004 of BABES, a child abuse prevention program.

 Megan Offner 
Co-founder and Owner,
New York Heartwoods,
Warwick, NY

Megan Offner co-founded New York Heartwoods - community-based sustainable sawmill - that reclaims and processes of end-of-life, diseased, and downed trees, producing dimensional lumber, live-edge slabs, reclaimed barn wood, and custom wood products for architects, designers, woodworkers and retailers. In addition to creative direction and management of NYH, Offner organizes educational programming (i.e. chainsaw safety training courses, internships and volunteer opportunities), lectures (i.e. SUNY-Orange, The Last Weekend) and writes (i.e. Diner Journal, Dirt Magazine, Wood-Mizer Way) about the work her company does. 

Moderator:

Bill Esler
Editorial Director
WoodworkingNetwork.com

Bill is responsible for coordinating content for Woodworking Network website and magazine, related newsletters, and conferences and trade shows.