This lumber company keeps it all in the family

Kalesnikoff Lumber spans years and generations in the forestry business

Krystle, Ken and Chris Kalesnikoff are proud of their family-owned and operated business. —

Photo courtesy Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd.

Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd. is a long-time (think seven decades!) family business in Thrums, B.C., about nine miles north of Castlegar and 15 miles south of Nelson in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. Or, put another way, it is about half-way between Calgary and Vancouver on Highway 3A, strategically located near the Canada-U.S. border. Kootenay Business caught up with Krystle Kalesnikoff, who was kind enough to take our questions.

Your name(s):

Krystle Kalesnikoff, Chris Kalesnikoff, Ken Kalesnikoff

Position with the company:

I am the finance manager, my brother, Chris, is the sawmill supervisor, and my dad, Ken, is the president.

Number of employees:

We have 175 employees at the sawmill and an additional 40 logging contractors.

How many years has Kalesnikoff Lumber been in business?

My great-grandfather and his two brothers started Kalesnikoff Lumber in 1939, so our family has been in this business for 70 years!

Past lives:

Chris and I both had summer jobs here as teenagers and then went away to university. After I graduated, I worked at a financial institution for about three years. Eventually we were both drawn back. As Ken always says, "We have sawdust in our blood."

What products and services does Kalesnikoff Lumber offer?

We've based our business model on high-end specialty products. We know we are working with a very valuable resource so we aim to get the most out of every log that we harvest.

What makes your business special or sets it apart?

I think it is the fact that this is a family business. Chris and I grew up around the mill so it's not really just a business to us; it's our heritage. And it is something myself, Chris and Ken are very passionate about. We also really try to carry on that "family" feeling throughout the whole operation.

Describe a typical day on the job:

Chris spends the day in the mill, working with the crew and making sure everything is running properly. I work on financial analysis to ensure we are making the best production decisions, and Ken oversees things and works with all the departments. We usually have at least one meeting a day, as Ken is big about communication and collaboration.

What do you like most about your work?

I think it's great that my family can work together all day and still feel like talking to each other by the end of it!

How would you describe the company's business philosophy?

That has been passed down through the generations and Ken has been instilling it in us today: you take care of your employees, you take care of your community, and, like our slogan says, "Take care of the land and the land will take care of you."

Where do you hope to be five years from now?

We hope to be able to continue doing what we do best. We would also like to modernize the mill and explore new market opportunities.

What is your proudest achievement?

Most recently, it is the fact that we have been able to stay running on two shifts during this economic downturn and keep our employees working.

What are the special challenges of your business and how do you deal with them?

I think that it's very well known that the B.C. forest industry has been experiencing many challenges lately. We have an excellent team of people and we manage the issues as they come. I think that has really helped to work through the difficulties of the last few years.