Howard Hedstrom on leaving the family-owned business

At the end of October, Hedstrom Lumber Company announced that after 43 years of service, including 30 years as president, Howard Hedstrom had retired from the family-owned business.

Howard is the last of the third generation of the Hedstrom family involved in the business.

A new leadership team of other longtime employees has taken the reins. They are Chris Hegg, president; Jeff Johanns, vice president; Tina Hegg Raway, finance/HR; and Hedstrom family fourth-generation members Matt Anderson, engineer/facilities; and Kent Anderson, mill consultant, took over the reins at the end of 2018.

Howard and his wife Bonnie Gay are looking forward to traveling and spending time with their three children and five grandchildren. They are active in the local arts community, and Howard remains very active in community leadership positions with the Chamber of Commerce, Grand Marais Art Colony, Great Expectations Foundation, and the Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority.  

In the announcement of Howard’s retirement, Tina Hegg Raway, speaking for the new leadership team, said, “Hedstrom Lumber employees are looking forward to the opportunities available in the constantly evolving lumber industry and overcoming the many obstacles involved in being a small but nimble player in the worldwide market. 

“With the strength of the next generation, the relative steadiness of the market in recent years, and hopefully no more fires, the future of Hedstrom Lumber is looking very bright indeed,” said Hegg Raway.

WTIP's Rhonda Silence caught up with Howard Hedstrom at the lumber mill.