Prince George, B.C.- West Fraser is preparing for the retirement of three of its key personnel.

 

Martti Solin, Executive Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Development and CFO, Gary Townsend, President, Solid Wood Products and Bill LeGrow, Vice-President, Transportation and Energy will retire at the end of this year.

 

The three will be missed, says West Fraser’s President and CEO Hank Ketcham, "Martti, Gary and Bill have each made enormous contributions to West Fraser over their long careers with us. We will miss their wisdom, good judgment and sense of humour and we wish them all the best in their retirement. They will always be close friends of West Fraser."

 

Effective January 1, 2009:

 

Gerry Miller, currently the Company's Executive Vice-President, Operations will become the Executive Vice-President, Finance and CFO.

Ray Ferris, as Vice-President, Solid Wood Products, will have responsibility for the lumber, plywood and LVL businesses of the Company.

Larry Hughes, Senior Vice-President and Secretary, will assume primary responsibility for Corporate Development in addition to his other responsibilities in the Company.

Peter Rippon, Operations Manager, Mechanical Pulp and Energy, assumes primary responsibility for energy initiatives in the Company in addition to his responsibilities for the Company's mechanical pulp business.

And Mark Thomson will become General Manager, Transportation assuming primary responsibility for transportation matters for the Company.

 

Ketcham says the succession plan started more than two years ago “We have a deep talent pool at our senior management level which will ensure a smooth and orderly transition."