A forester by trade, Wade Zammit has worked in the industry for over 35 years. He has touched upon different fields, including business development, sales and marketing, and managing both sawmill and timber operations for large forestry companies.

Seeing tremendous potential in EACOM’s culture, its team, and its opportunities, Wade joined in early 2018 as vice president and chief operating officer. His goals include developing the company’s potential as a leader in the industry and an employer of choice. He notes that it also the right time to take advantage of the exceptionally strong wood products market to drive core competencies and competitiveness in preparation for growth.

“EACOM’s culture and values were a major factor in my decision to take on this opportunity. I believe that when good values are championed by senior management and embedded in a company’s culture consistently, there is an inherent trust built, accountability, and ownership that bears significant value to all stakeholders,” said Zammit.

A great culture is also crucial for attracting a limited workforce in remote areas with competing industries. The average age of EACOM’s mill workers is in the mid to late-forties. As many begin to think about retirement, the company is gearing itself towards welcoming the next generation of employees. “EACOM is a fun and challenging place to build a career, a place where an employee can grow professionally and personally. If we can offer a more engaging work environment than our competitors, we can better attract and retain new talent” Wade explains. The company is committed to developing and promoting internally, to creating a sense of belonging and stability, and to building its success with its people.

Vision for the future

With high demand and record prices for EACOM’s products, Wade is enthusiastic about the future. “We are seizing this opportunity to invest in our operations, in our people, in our brand” he adds. “Wood is the building material of the future. It is sustainable, renewable, innovative and it has the least environmental impact relative to competing materials. The market is beginning to see what we have known to be true about the total life cycle benefits of wood products”.

Wade considers that conditions are optimal for preparing for growth in this traditionally cyclical industry. “We operate in one of the most challenging wood baskets in North America. Success here will translate to unlocking value in future opportunities for EACOM” he concludes.