Pictured above, Tom Kazee

Owner of Woodland Security, Inc.

Tom has been a consistent supporter of the Carolina Women In Timber organization. He believes in our mission! Need proof? Read his own words! —————>

Tom was one of our Special Guests to be appearing at the conference to help serve all the members lunch, but due to the hurricane coming through his area, Tom had to decline attending our 2024 conference, and rightfully so. Nothing more important than safety!

It is because of sponsors like Tom, that we are able to be successful at what we are doing!

Thanks Tom for supporting us and believing in our Mission as we do!

and btw….you look good in pink!

WOODLAND SECURITY, INC., TOM KAZEE, OWNER

3 August 2024 ~ Women in Timber 2024, written by Tom Kazee

When I consider the role of women in the timber industry, there are three important points that immediately come to mind.  Those would be: 

We couldn’t do it without them.  For over forty years, I have worked with female foresters, administrators, accounting professionals, managers and executives.  In the absence of those essential people, the work could not get done.  Most people recognize the terrific value of diverse perspectives and backgrounds.  Women in the workplace add the greatest measure of diversity and innovation to our methods and outcomes. 

Working smarter not harder.  For the first three years of my forestry career, I charged ahead just like every other neanderthal forester before me.  Our crew of equipment operators, mechanics, foresters, loggers, and tree planters was 100% male and 100% set in our ways.  That lasted until Nancy came to work with us.  She was a rising senior at N.C. State and an intern with us for nine months.  She was terrifically smart, conscientious, and effective.  She was an athletic young woman, very fit, but not able to do the hard labor like the seasoned men.  But she didn’t have to.  She could do her job more effectively than most men and her potential for success in the industry was off the charts.  From that time forward, I had no doubt that women could be just as effective and successful as any man working in forestry operations. 

Courage, endurance, and determination are traits we might associate with cops, firemen, or combat veterans.  I have observed these traits in great abundance among the single moms that I have worked with over the years and around the country. 

Certainly, not all men share everything in common.  But many of us guys would struggle as home-makers and care-givers.  I know for sure that a stay-at-home mom with two or more kids has a tougher job than I do. 

But we have all known women who did it all.  And they did it all with grace and good humor.  If I commute to work for an hour, work a tedious nine-hour shift, and take care of kids before and after work, I must be dealing with a 14-16 hour day.  And those are permanent, full-time responsibilities.  Add a dose of financial stress and the trauma of divorce, then every single mom I know would qualify for sainthood.   

Obviously, then, Women in Timber would have, at least, these three things to be very proud of: 1) Forestry operations could not function without their contributions.  2) They might work in a different way, but at least as effective as their male counterparts. 3) The courage, endurance, and determination demonstrated by every single mom that I know.   

Thanks very much to Lori and the organization that put this all together.  Tom Kazee

Woodland Security, Inc.