GENE COLLINS LOGGER ACTIVIST AWARD Robert O. “Bob” Lussier, Jr. & Great Woods Companies, LLC Bennettsville, SC he 2017 Gene Collins Logger Activist Award is T proudly presented to Bob Lussier and Great Woods Companies, LLC for their sincere commit- ment to professional timber harvesting, supporting the association, participating in community and industry activities, practicing sustainable timber harvesting, promoting education and positive pro- motion of professional business practices. Great Woods Companies is a conscientious, pro- fessional business understanding the value of rela- tionships with customers, employees and their in- dustry, environmental stewardship and promotion of a positive image as a professional logger. As a thirty-five year veteran in the timber har- vesting business, Bob has witnessed the evolution duced for local and export markets. of the professional timber harvesting industry from Bob purchases timber from local forest landown- chain saw felling to total timber harvesting mecha- ers and will occasionally harvest tracts provided by nization. other companies. Their operations specialize in op- Originally from Connecticut, Bob moved to South erator select thinning and logging for pulpwood and Carolina 2009 when the Northeast wood receiving higher valued log products. markets began to decline. He heard of an opening Operating a lean, efficient business works very for a timber harvesting crew in well for Great Woods Compa- the Darlington area and decided nies. The two crews’ equip- to give it try for six months. So ment spread consist of a CAT he and the business moved feller buncher, a Tigercat feller south. And behold, Bob and buncher, a CAT track feller Great Woods Companies found buncher, a CAT grapple skid- a home in the Palmetto State. der, a Tigercat grapple skidder, Great Woods Companies op- a John Deere grapple skidder, erates two mechanized crews two CAT knuckleboom loaders focusing on thinnings, logging, equipped with pull through total harvests, chipping, and delimbers, a CAT bulldozer, a forestry mulching on private Trelan chipper, a Woodsman landowner pine and hardwood tracts in Marlboro, chipper and a Peterson debarker. Dillon, Florence, Darlington, Lee and Chesterfield The company’s truck fleet is comprised of six counties. The operation has the capabilities of pro- truck tractors, eighteen double deck log and chip ducing “clean” wood chips for the paper mills and van trailers and two lowboys. The company does “dirty” wood chips for energy production when use a regular contract hauler and others as needed. wood receiving markets need these products. Log Eleven employees including Bob and wife Cindy length pine and hardwood products are also pro- make up the company. Cindy is the business admin- istrative manager and Bob serves as company Presi- look, change, adapt and improve our wage and driv- dent. er benefits and do our best to promote our industry Great Woods Companies owns their own shop and attract qualified, safe drivers to want to work in and office and performs ninety per- our timber harvesting transporta- cent of their mechanic work on tion segment.” trucks and woods equipment and all Great Woods Companies deliv- maintenance. Bob says, “It’s an im- ers longwood and wood chip prod- portant part of keeping a job running ucts to International Paper, smoothly. If your equipment or Georgetown, WestRock, Florence, trucks are down, then no one is mak- Domtar Paper Company, Bennetts- ing money.” ville, Georgia Pacific, Alcolu, Sono- Bob says, “Guys that work with co Products Company, Hartsville, me, I truly appreciate each one of and longwood products to Canfor them. Each one is a professional and Southern Pine, Camden, Conway conducts themselves as a profession- and Darlington, Edwards Woods al because each one of them is proud Products, Marshville, NC, Cox In- of what they do for forest landown- dustries for poles and grade logs to ers, our company and our industry. Lampe & Malphus, Smithfield, NC. They help make our company suc- Bob and Cindy are active forest cessful. It’s all about team work. Most of all, it is the landowners. They manage, harvest and reforest support of Cindy and her efforts for the company their 375 acres in Marlboro and Chesterfield Coun- that makes Great Woods Companies possible. Be- ties. They are sustainable forestry believers and hind every successful man is a better woman and practice sustainable forestry on their own timber- that lady is Cindy.” lands. As Bob Average weekly production delivered to wood and Cindy receiving markets has been 3,500 – 4,000 tons per say, “We are week with the capability of producing 5,500 – 6,000 professionals tons per week. Weekly production has been down in the timber mainly due to contract trucking and driver availabil- harvesting ity issues. industry and As Bob stated, “Qualified, safe and dedicated practice sus- drivers are hard to find. This is a major challenge for tainable for- our business and the timber harvesting trucking est manage- industry as a whole due to the overall lack of availa- ment on our ble qualified, safe drivers and an aging driver popu- own timberlands, but we strive and want to edu- lation as well as drivers willing to be employed and cate our timberland owner customers we do busi- drive unmanu- ness with to practice sustainable forestry and con- factured forest tinue to grow, manage, harvest and reforest their products trucks timberlands.” Bob states, “I think we should treat in our industry. every tract of forestland like it was our own. Myself It’s a tough chal- and our company, want to do it the right way and lenge for offer- make every tract better than it was when we began. ing competitive I won’t ask my crew to do anything I wouldn’t do or driver wages and couldn’t do myself on my own forestland.” employee bene- Bob and Great Woods Companies was awarded fits to compete the Forestry Association of South Carolina’s 2016 with other truck- Outstanding Logger of the Year Award. He was ing segments. named runner-up for the Forest Resources Associa- However, we as tion Southeast Technical Division 2016 Logger of the an industry have Year Award. The company participates as a sponsor to continue to for the Log A Load For Kids golf tournament. Bob has participated and won Log Loader competitions harvested cut logs at equipment shows and donated the cash winnings for Canadian mar- to Log A Load For Kids. Bob and his company’s in- kets and Colum- volvement in local, state and community activities is bia Forest Prod- a tribute to their commitment. Great Woods Com- ucts. panies is an active SCTPA timber harvester member Bob and Cindy and Forestry Association of South Carolina member. made state case Bob, Cindy and Great Woods Companies strive to law in a lawsuit educate forest landowners, the public about our against the town sustainable forestry and professional timber har- of Pomfret, CT vesting industry. They recognize there is a greater when the town need for the critical public to understand our indus- tried to prohibit try is dedicated to environmental stewardship and them from harvesting their own timber by bringing maintaining our sustainable, renewable and healthy forward unnecessary environmental restrictions. forest resources for the many prod- They won the case in court and was ucts made of wood, for wildlife and able to harvest their timber. wildlife habitat, for clean water, for Bob has a passion for his busi- recreation and for aesthetic values. ness and profession. He says, “We The company emphasizes and all have different issues, many of maintains a safety first goal, sustaina- which could be fixed, but the tim- ble harvesting practices, complying ber harvesting industry needs and with SC Timber Harvesting Best Man- must be more involved, pro-active agement Practices and works consci- and not re-active, in our state asso- entiously to meet landowner expec- ciations and our own profession.” tations through exceptional environ- He says too, “I appreciate the work, mental, harvesting and business prac- representation and leadership the tice standards. SC Timber Producers Association Bob and foreman Terry Hannan and the Forestry Association of are SFI TOP Trained. Company trucks are equipped South Carolina provide for our industry and appreci- with GPS and on-board cameras. He and Cindy mon- ate the relationship the two associations have with itor drivers’ performance each day and have a driver each other.” safety incentive program to maintain driver safety Understanding the responsibilities and im- with driver evaluations performed every thirty days. portance associated with how professional loggers Drivers perform pre-trip and post-trip truck and contribute to their local and state economies, how trailer inspections. Stringent pre-employment professional loggers must work with landowners, screening is done for drivers and other employees. wood suppliers and wood receiving companies in Bob and Cindy are Pee Dee Landowner Associa- cooperative, mutually beneficial partnerships, pro- tion members. Bob, being an avid hunter, belongs to moting and practicing sustainable forestry, edu- the National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Moun- cating the critical public regarding professional tim- tain Elk Foundation and Ducks Unlimited. He was a ber harvesting, demonstrating a stewardship atti- board of director for the Connecticut Professional tude about our sustainable and renewable forest Timber Producers Association, served on the Town resources and our environment are all important of Pomfret, Connecticut’s Conservation Commission issues to the company’s business and operational and Green Team. He served on Caterpillar Forestry’s standards. Advisory Committee for the development of the CAT As an industry leader with a sincere commitment 535 D-series skidder. to professional logging, sustainable forestry, com- Bob has a history in the wood business. He began munity, family and the principles of outstanding working with his father cutting firewood and work- business, SCTPA is proud Bob Lussier and Great ing with his father’s friend who owned a sawmill.