hm - May13 - cover.indd - National Hardwood Lumber Association

The ChangingFace ofLeadershipBy Crystal OldhamTwice a year, members of the NHLA Board of Managers gatherto work for the good of the North American hardwood lumberindustry. The synergy created through this meeting dates back to1898, but as time progresses, so do the faces of the lumbermenaround the board table. In fact, three of them are technicallylumber-women.Sally Johnson of Batey, LTD in Mount Pleasant, Ia.; StephanieVanDystadt of DV Hardwoods (Pictured above) in Fassett, Qué.and Kim Vollinger of W.M. Cramer Lumber Co. in Hickory, N.C.certainly add beauty to the table, but it’s their knowledge andknow-how that got them there and demands respect among theirmale peers.Sally Johnson of Batey, Ltd.Johnson, a second generation lumberman, is currently President ofBatey, Ltd., but she is quick to point out that it’s just a title to her.“That title and 50 cents may get you a cup of coffee, unless yougo to Starbucks. I, like all of my co-workers, do whatever it takesto get the job done. In a smaller operation like Batey, Ltd, weall wear many hats. My day may take me from the slab deck tolumber sales to cash flow projections. I know that the day I planis rarely the day that ends up happening. To me, the most excitingthing about my job is that it is ever-changing and evolving,”Johnson said.8 MAY 2013 HARDWOOD MATTERS WWW.NHLA.COM