The Team

John is involved in the day-to-day operations and is very committed to finding and developing new markets and products. He got his start in the transportation sector and then spent several years as a lumber and hardware retailer. John enjoys traveling to foreign countries, working in his woodshop, and volunteering his time for various projects within the community. He and his wife, Ruth, have four children and are the proud grandparents of 18 grandchildren.

A dedicated employee since 1998, Barney started with our company working in the planer. In 2007 he moved from the yard to the office as our Safety Coordinator, then to Pellet Sales in 2011. As of March 2015, Barney has taken the position of Sales Manager, ensuring the quality production and delivery of lumber, pellets, and shavings. When he’s not in the office, Barney can often be found fishing, golfing, or camping with his family.

After 10 years of home construction, David joined our team in 2017 and has been striving to keep the family business strong and successful. David’s most enjoyable aspect in the role of Pellet Sales Manager is building relationships with people all over the world. He especially enjoyed meeting a customer in Italy. When not at work, David can be found working around the house or planning the next big trip to escape the cold winter.

Aaron graduated from Forest Technology and started his Forestry career as a Ranger for Alberta. In 1997, he moved to La Crete Sawmills Ltd. and became the Woodlands Manager. Aaron has gained considerable practical experience in the management of most fields of forestry and other natural resources – and still enjoys it! With the help from Gerry, he effectively handles the responsibility of tenure and forest management, including planning, log procurement and operations. Correspondingly, Aaron ensures that production forecasts are met to supply our needs. With the help of our partners on the FMA, we have commitment to be leaders in Sustainable Forest Management. Aaron also oversees our dedication to Forestry certification, environmental management, contractor safety, and stakeholder relationships. Aaron finds it particularly satisfying to learn something new in local area knowledge – the people and the land and is a bit of a history buff. On a personal level, Aaron still likes to lay rubber on the weekend, and hates clichés.

Gerry leads the supervision of the planning, design, layout, and operations of anything related to forestry, as well as supervision of harvest operations. Gerry’s love of the outdoors led him to pursue a career in Forestry, graduating from the NAIT Forest Technology School in 1993 and has continued to be involved in this field of work since graduation. Gerry first started with the company in 1995 and after pursuing other forestry related jobs, returned full time to La Crete Sawmills in 2011. He has had many different roles in his lifetime including tree planting, lumber piling, cut-block layout, and regeneration surveys. Gerry enjoys physical work although the changing needs of the industry has him spending more of his time in the office. Gerry has a love for God’s creation and as such wishes to do what it takes to ensure that our activities on the land will be done in an accountable, responsible, and sustainable manner with a common-sense approach while ensuring our company will continue to be profitable and competitive. In his spare time Gerry will be found with his family, enjoying outdoor activities such as fishing, camping, and an occasional trip with basically any kind of off-road vehicle.

Cornie first began working at La Crete Sawmills in March of 1991. He returned in 1997 and currently oversees all engineering and design of the yard, as well as supervising both the welding and mechanic shops. Cornie organizes, prioritizes, and implements all construction and maintenance jobs while upholding the company safety policies. In his personal time, Cornie enjoys working on his yard, traveling, studying, and researching various topics.

A member of our team since 2017, Peter stepped into the role of Truck Supervisor in the Fall of 2021. Peter has many years of experience since starting his trucking career in 2006. Peter serves as the dispatch for our own fleet of trucks. He schedules and assigns drivers to chip, pellet, and lumber loads that make their way across the province and into the Northwest Territories. He ensures that all trucks are properly registered, insured, and reach their destination in the safest way possible. Peter enjoys the different challenges that come with his role as a Truck Supervisor and strives to maintain a strong team. In his personal time, Peter enjoys fishing, camping, running the hobby farm and enjoying time with his wife and seven children.

First hired for planer maintenance in May of 1998, John has moved on to become a certified heavy equipment technician and the head mechanic for our mobile equipment shop. As the head mechanic, John’s job is to diagnose equipment issues, provide cost estimates, prioritize maintenance, keep detailed records and to keep adequate supply of parts, oils, and grease. John enjoys working on his hobby farm, camping with his family, and treasures every moment he is able to spend with his 2 granddaughters.

A part of our team since February of 2006 and a licensed electrician since March of 2011, Kurtis serves as our electrical supervisor at La Crete Sawmills. He oversees obtaining all electrical permits, scheduling and prioritizing jobs in correspondence with construction, ordering materials and maintaining his stock of supplies. Off the job, Kurtis enjoys the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing.

David has been involved in wood manufacturing since 1987. He started working at La Crete Sawmills in 2006 as a Millwright and became a Sawmill and Kiln Supervisor for Production/Quality in 2007. David’s training and certification includes Kiln drying, certified Millwright and a grading certificate with AFPA. David most enjoys being involved in the day-to-day operation to provide quality and consistent production. David enjoys the outdoors hunting, fishing, camping and trail riding. He and his wife live on an acreage a few miles from LCSM and have a wonderful family with three children and one grandchild.

John supervises the overall operation of the Pellet Mill since July 2018 and has previously worked at the sawmill as a Maintenance Supervisor. John has taken many leadership and management courses and has his Second Year Heavy Duty Mechanic Certificate. John also has experience working in oil and fuel distribution and as a Journeyman Millwright. John most enjoys the dedication of the Pellet Mill crew to work together to be a strong team. He seeks to improve working conditions, relationships and make it as enjoyable as possible for his staff to come to work. In his personal time, John enjoys camping in the summer months and to spend time with his granddaughters. Hunting in the Fall is a highlight for John and his wife, as they enjoy the outdoors.

Andrew is involved in the day-to-day Planer operations, has earned his lumber grading certificate and is actively involved in the technical aspect of meeting manufacturing specs to obtain optimal production. Andrew oversees 30+ staff in a fast-paced lumber planing and value added products facility. He got his start with La Crete Sawmills Ltd. in the Planer in August of 2000 and has worked his way through various positions. When not at work, Andrew can be found working on small wood projects and fixing old trucks.

Our Payroll Clerk and Controller since July 1992, Helen is responsible for accounts payable, payroll, and general accounting as required. Helen’s mission in this position is to keep employees and vendors happy and thereby upholding the company’s reputation. When she’s not crunching numbers, Helen enjoys drafting floor plans, walking the local trails, bowling, and watching movies with her family.

Frank started with our company in September of 1998 and has spent time working in every department on the yard over the years. He became our Safety/Human Resources Coordinator in September of 2011 and is currently responsible for managing our COR (Certification through the Alberta Forest Products Association), safety training and WCB programs. Frank is in charge of reviewing employment applications, interviewing, hiring, and conducting tours of the yard. Frank is well known for his auction attendance. He enjoys camping, snowmobiling, and working hard on the family farm.

Lori first worked at La Crete Sawmills in 1999. She worked a few years before and between marriage and babies. Lori has taken on a variety of roles over the years including helping with Accounts and serving as the Receptionist, and has been working full time as the Office Manager since October 2018. Lori has a Certificate in Business Admin and is a previous business owner herself. She enjoys interacting with staff and being with her work family, as one can tell by her focus on engaging staff personally and enjoying a good laugh. Lori is an avid hockey mom and enjoys watching her two adult sons play sports. In the summer, Lori enjoys working on outdoor projects and camping with friends and family on whenever possible!

A part of our staff since August of 2014, Jake coordinates the log haul and is responsible for working with Alberta Transportation alongside owner-operators, in assuring the accurate registration of their trucks, as well as working with the Woodlands department and Alberta Forestry. During the off-season Jake also serves in our shipping department. When not at work, Jake can be found stock car racing at our local speedway, working on carpentry, or catching up on the latest hockey news.

Michelle is the friendly voice to greet you and direct your calls. She takes care of many office duties and is highly organized and efficient in her tasks. Michelle enjoys being part of the LCSM team and is fond of interacting and building relationships with fellow staff and customers alike. In her free time, Michelle can be found outdoors with her Husband and fur baby, regardless of the reason being yardwork, camping, hunting or long rides on their ATV.

Lanna-Marie has worked in administrative roles throughout her career, mostly in Education. She began working at LCSM in September of 2021 to assist with audits, Health and Safety, and the office staff in general. Lanna-Marie enjoys being part of a team, working on projects and assisting the office staff members. In her personal time, Lanna-Marie enjoys table games, trying new recipes, keeping things organized, being involved in her local church, and prefers summer over winter.