Carolina Women In Timber
3rd Annual Conference
The Front Porch, Richburg, SC ~ December 7, 2022
Summer Ruff
Manulife Investment Management
National Insurance Coordinator
Summer’s presentation about commercial insurance in the timber industry was extremely educational for the group!
2022 Guest Speakers
Traclynne Allison (left)
Lori Walker (center)
Summer Ruff (right)
Traclynne Allison
Domtar
District Procurement Forester
Traclynne gives her audience a very informative presentation on her role at Domtar as a District Procurement Forester!
3rd Annual Conference Recap
The 3rd Annual Conference was held at the Front Porch in Richburg, SC.
26 women were in attendance. We had 2 amazing guest speakers, Summer Ruff and Traclynne Allison who taught us a great deal about their experience and knowledge they shared with us.
This was meeting was special for many reasons.
We had new members attend whom we had never met!
The meeting almost didn’t happen. Be sure to read the write up below “Never Give Up.”
I am so grateful for each woman that participated this day. I am overwhelmed from the support I have received in keeping this organization alive. Thank you to every member who took time to attend this special meeting.
YOUR TIME TO SHINE!
Michelle Stines
Myers Timber Company
And the winner is…….Ashley Davidson!
Ashley is an Account Manager at Orbis, Inc.
The Turkey Fryer was donated as a “special raffle gift” by
Palmetto Stump & Brush Cutting
Timmy & Summer Ruff
2022 Sponsors
Bellwether Forest Products, Matt Moldenhauer
“The timber industry in the Southeast continues to grow but is also changing fast. To successfully adapt and continue to grow we must encourage and welcome talented women to join in all the major roles from office to woods to road to shop. Additionally, we must recognize and celebrate the women that already contribute so much to a male-dominated industry. Bellwether sponsors Carolina Women In Timber because it is a grassroots effort to build a community of women who we desperately need to make our business more diverse, dynamic, and competitive today and in the future.”
Clearcut Hunt Club, Mike Groulx
Clearcut Hunt Club is located in McKean County, PA leasing approximately 1,150 acres to 12 members. “We at Clearcut Hunt Club are honored to contribute to Lori and support her journey to encourage women to appreciate the importance in our forests and timber industry. Lori managed our lease for mega years. We are proud to say she was and is the best. Thank you for allowing us to support your cause!”
Foothills Forest Products, Butch & Lorraine Green
“Foothills Forest Products is proud to be a sponsor for the 3rd Annual Carolina Women In Timber Conference. We think that this is a great organization which gives these ladies a wonderful opportunity to meet and enjoy fellowship and discuss the various job responsibilities each one has, and for many of them, it allows them to put a face with the voice that they talk to weekly! Thanks to Lori for all the hard work and hope ya’ll have a great meeting!”
Jeremy & Betsy Kessinger
“I am a former colleague of Lori’s and had the pleasure of working with her for 5 years. I supported her efforts to establish the Carolina Women In Timber organization while at our former employer. My wife Betsy and I have become close friends with Lori over th years. When she let us know she planned to continue and hold the 2022 Conference, we wanted to continue to show our support to the wonder endeavor of the Carolina Women In Timber.”
Myers Timber Company, Paul Davis
“Myers Timber Company is proud to support a group of women who care about the logging industry and support Lori’s pioneering efforts to bring more awareness to Women In Timber!”
Palmetto Stump & Brush Cutting, Timmy & Summer Ruff
Timmy and Summer Ruff graciously donated a raffle gift for our group for a give-a-way. It wasn’t just a raffle gift. It was an Amazing Give-A-Way! Thank you Timmy and Summer!
Seven Hills Forestry, Brandy Gammon
“Seven Hills Forestry is a 50% woman owned reforestation company with over 20 years of experience in primarily tree planting and seedling harvesting. Having the annual Women In Timber conference that brings together other women in the forestry and forest products industry helps to encourage growth and awareness of an industry that is a vital part of the economic stability of many states, especially South Carolina. I am glad to participate with any group that seeks to add diversity to its ranks. I am encouraged to see that there is a place and group that come together annually to broaden the reach of this industry, especially among young women. I appreciate the handwork and effort Lori Walker has put and continues to put into making this conference successful every year.”
Thanks to each sponsor listed above for their kind, generous support of our organization! We are so appreciative to have each one of them in our corner!
TESTIMONIALS
“I loved both speakers! I thought the most educational part of this was learning what everyone’s biggest challenge was. It helped me understand everyone and their needs currently. It allows me to potentially help them!”
“What I enjoyed most was sharing our humanity with each other. I will definitely be attending future meetings!”
“My take away from this meeting is that we are not alone. Everyone is experiencing the same good and bad in the industry. I loved hearing what each woman brought to the table!”
“I wish this was open to a whole-day event and would love to expand the membership!”
“I was most amazed by Dana Bloome today. Her courage to rise and have her own logging business was impressive! Plus I loved her children's book she wrote!”
“The favorite part of these meetings are learning about the other women. I love listening to what they have to say. I seem to learn something from each of them. They are all amazing assets to their companies!”
Way to Represent!
Representatives attending from:
American Forest Management
Bellwether Forest Products
Clemson Extension
Domtar
Family Tree Forestry
Foothills Forest Products
Forest Value Chain
Forestry Association of South Carolina
Manulife Forest Managment
Miliken Advisors
Mulberry Plantation
Myers Timber Company
Orbis, Inc.
Seven Hills Forestry
WilRidge Forestry
2023 Carolina Women In Timber Gift
Embroidered Carolina Women In Timber Apron
Our featured model is Dena Winton!
Dena is the Controller, for Property & Management Accounting for Manulife Investment Management and is located in the Charlotte, NC office.
Each year, Southern Panache of Inman, SC, helps me with selecting a Thank You gift for each member. It is a small token of my appreciation for what all of them do for this group!
Dena says she loves sporting her apron around the kitchen…but she also wears it while gardening! You wear it well Dena!
NEVER GIVE UP
The 3rd Annual Women In Timber Conference was one that I truly thought would not happen.
It was late September 2022. My phone rang. It was Summer Ruff calling to say hello as she often did. She asked me when the upcoming annual conference was going to be.
I had not even thought about preparing or organizing the event.
I had lost my job with GreenWood Resources December 31, 2021. An unexpected blow.
I had taken a job with “The Plant Truck” in Spartanburg, SC in June 2022 as the Operations Manager. This was a wholesale foliage company. I loved my boss Carla Fuller, and liked my job, but it wasn’t the timber business. I wasn’t “home.”
The day Summer called, I remember saying to her, “how in the world can I lead a group of women in the timber business when I am not even employed in the business myself any longer?”
Summer simply said this to me very softly. She said “Don’t give up Lori.”
I listened to her. Thank God I did. The 3rd Annual Conference was held on December 7, 2022.
Summer made this sign for me and gave it to me at the meeting. It’s displayed beautifully in my home. Every time I look at it, I recall the details of our conversation and always remember her kind words and the time she spent with me, encouraging me - to never give up.
Yes, it is very rewarding that I pushed on, that I pursued, that I didn’t give up and I was able to put the conference together in less than 2 months.
But it is 1000 times MORE rewarding to know that I have made such caring, amazing, devoted, wonderful friends through this organization who BELIEVED IN ME, ENCOURAGED ME, WHO STOOD BEHIND ME, WHO SUPPORTED ME, WHO WOULDN’T LET ME GIVE UP, and who helped me through some really difficult times.
This is a heartfelt THANK YOU to all the Carolina Women In Timber who let me lead them through the conference that day.
What they may not realize is, IT WAS THEM LEADING ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
Love to you all,
Lori Walker, Founder and President ~ Carolina Women In Timber
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
A personal Thank you from me to so many that helped me prepare and organize the 3rd Annual Conference.
To the Generous Sponsors, both personal and professional! Thank you!
To the gifted Guest Speakers, Summer and Traclynne! You made a difference today!
To Joe & Libby Gaston - Owners of The Front Porch
To Southern Panache - for making the wonderful apron for each member and to Dena Winton for modeling it well!
To Jennifer Miller - for your help with this meeting and loyal friendship!
To Betsy Kessinger - for your additional contributions to help make ends meet and for your true friendship!
To Summer Ruff - for your profound words that I needed to hear that day, “Don’t give up!”
To all the incredible Carolina Women In Timber who continue to show up and support our Mission!
Lori Walker, Founder and President
Carolina Women In Timber