Frank Miller Lumber Appoints Susan Mathias Maurais as President and CEO

Posted by Chelsea Timmerman on

Union City, Ind., October 10, 2024—Frank Miller Lumber is proud to announce the appointment of Susan Mathias Maurais as President and Chief Executive Officer as of August 1, 2024. Maurais has an extensive background, having served as a board member since 1996 and advancing to Vice Chair in 2017. Upon Martha Miller Mathias’s retirement in 2020, Maurais took over as the Chairman of the Board. Taking on the additional role as President and CEO in 2024, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a fourth-generation member of the family-owned business.

As part of the family legacy, Maurais is deeply committed to maintaining Frank Miller Lumber’s tradition of producing high-quality quartersawn hardwoods. “It’s a tremendous honor to lead a business that has been part of my family for generations,” said Maurais. “I am dedicated to upholding our strong traditions while driving innovation and growth for the future.” In her new role as President and CEO, Maurais will focus on expanding Frank Miller Lumber’s global market presence, advancing sustainability initiatives, and driving innovation across all areas of operation.

“We are proud to announce Susan Maurais as the President and CEO of Frank Miller Lumber while she continues to serve as the Chairperson,” said Frank Miller Lumber’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Tyler Johnston. “Her expanded roles will enhance our ability to innovate and grow while upholding the values and legacy of Frank Miller Lumber.”

Frank Miller Lumber: Global Reach and International Presence

Posted by Chelsea Timmerman on

We take satisfaction in our extensive history and commitment to delivering the finest hardwood lumber to customers worldwide. As a trusted name in the industry, we have built a robust international presence that allows us to service clients across the globe with the same dedication and quality that our local customers have come to expect.

A Legacy of Excellence

Established in 1903, Frank Miller Lumber has grown from a local sawmill to a global leader in the hardwood lumber industry. Our dedication to quality, sustainability, and innovation has allowed us to expand our reach far beyond our roots in Indiana. We proudly serve customers in 5 continents and 40 countries, delivering the highest-quality hardwoods to meet diverse needs and applications.

Strategic Partnerships and Global Distribution

Our success in the international market is built on strong partnerships and a well-established distribution network. By collaborating with trusted partners worldwide, we ensure that our products are available to customers wherever they are located.

Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Frank Miller Lumber. As we expand our international presence, we remain committed to responsible forestry practices and environmental stewardship. Our hardwoods are sourced from sustainably managed forests, and we adhere to stringent standards to ensure that our operations positively impact the environment. This commitment not only preserves our natural resources but also meets the growing demand for eco-friendly products in the global market.

Looking Ahead

 As we expand globally, we strive to continue pushing the boundaries in the hardwood lumber industry, guaranteeing our customers have access to the finest products and services worldwide. We are excited about the future and look forward to continuing our journey as one of the leading providers of premium American Hardwoods.

Whether you are in North America, Europe, or Asia, Frank Miller Lumber is here to meet your hardwood needs with unmatched quality and service. Contact us today to learn more about our products and how our global expertise and reach can support your projects.

Kauffman Center for Performing Arts: Helzberg Hall

The Truth About Quartersawn Red Oak!

Posted by Frank Miller Lumber on

Quartersawn Red Oak has increasingly found its place as a premium hardwood choice for flooring, cabinetry, millwork and furniture. It is readily available and affordable.

The straight grain of quartersawn Red Oak will restrict its shrinkage to the thickness of the board as opposed to width.

Our forest has an abundant supply of Red Oak, which has a stronger growth trajectory than popular alternatives.

Medullary rays are shorter in Red Oak resulting in subtly figured “quartered” boards and “rift” boards that display straight grain with minimal flake.

This also minimizes warping and cupping. Its inherent qualities of stability, beauty, and durability places Red Oak in the company of other premium American hardwoods.

  • Kauffman Center
    Kauffman Center for Performing Arts: Helzberg Hall
  • Private Residence
  • ‘Fugu’ by Jasper Morrison Studio
  • Kauffman Center for Performing Arts: Helzberg Hall

Unusual Myths about the Lumber Industry.

Posted by Frank Miller Lumber on

When pondering over the current state of our environment, many people begin to envision a futuristic world consisting of chrome and steel. In this version of a future reality (often seen in post-apocalyptic films and TV shows), humanity has wiped out forests in their entirety. Land that was once full of life is now a desolate wasteland. Natural geography is vastly unrecognizable from what it was long ago. Construction and development needs are put above the ecosystem — but now, it’s too late to go back and warn everyone of the dark path ahead. Learn more about the unusual myths about the lumber industry below. 

We understand — it is not easy to be optimistic. But remain calm! In reality, the forests of the world, especially in the United States, have proven to remain sustainable and usable for the foreseeable future. Specifically, the lumber industry — though seemingly contradictory — has created clear initiatives to ensure that this haunting vision of a post-apocalyptic world won’t happen.

Still, many misconceptions remain. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest myths about forest management and the lumber industry’s impact on our environment. We hope that by the time you’ve finished reading, your perception of the future will change for the better.

Unusual Myths about the Lumber IndustryMyth: Cities and urban areas are taking over forests and trees

Fact: The volume of U.S. hardwoods has actually increased by more than 90 percent in the last half-century while forest acreage has increased by 18 percent. And despite a 165 percent growth in population since 1920, U.S. forest acreage has continued to remain stable.

Myth: The only easy way to obtain wood is through clear-cutting entire forests

Fact: The preferred method of harvesting hardwoods is in fact single-tree selection, as opposed to clear-cutting. With single-tree selection, trees are carefully selected for harvest, most of them aged to maturity. This careful removal of selected trees creates openings in the forest canopy, allowing more precipitation, nutrients and sunlight to reach the forest floor. Seedlings are then free to sprout and grow naturally. This results in a much more sustainable outcome than solely using the clear-cutting method.

Myth: Using steel, aluminum, and concrete for construction is better for the environment

Fact: Wood represents 47 percent of all raw materials used in the US, but the energy to produce wood products accounts for just 4 percent of the energy used to make all manufactured materials. In fact, using materials like steel, aluminum, and concrete require significantly more energy to produce, install and dispose of at the end of their natural life cycles as compared to American hardwoods.

Unusual Myths about the Lumber Industry

Myth: Wood may have been a great choice in the past, but we’re in the future now

Fact: Sometimes, the oldest way is the best way. To this day, wood proves to be the best material for construction. Of course, we don’t use the same old tricks anymore — modern wood manufacturing processes have become extraordinarily efficient. Virtually every part of the log is used as lumber or valuable by-products, while finished wood products are reusable, recyclable and biodegradable. Forest sustainability organizations now reach far and wide.

The Verdict

American hardwood harvesting is efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. We know it sounds contradictory, but it is the truth — using lumber from America’s lively forests can actually help save the world as a whole.

Frank Miller Lumber is dedicated to this idea of sustainable forest management. Our FSC-certified lumber is used in many projects that meet LEED standards and we continue to run a “zero-waste facility” at our sawmill. Not only does our lumber come out beautiful, authentic, and durable, it also adds to our mission of sustainability.

Hopefully, this cleared up a few misconceptions about the lumber industry and the use of wood products. Next time you build a new home or simply buy a new desk for your study, remember: you could have a role in saving the environment.

For more information on sustainability initiatives within Frank Miller Lumber and the American hardwood industry, go to our Sustainability page.

The Year of the Case Study

Posted by Criswell Davis on

In this forum I have told the story of the process of Quartersawing and why its use creates beautiful and stable hardwoods for some of the world’s most iconic projects.  Frank Miller Lumber has been used in some very high profile buildings as well as beautiful homes around the world.  I have set a goal for myself in 2015 to obtain the rights to tell the stories of some of those projects.

One such project is 432 Park Avenue in New York City, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere.  All of the quartersawn white oak flooring in that building was fabricated from Frank Miller quartersawn lumber.  Some other projects are the Fogg Museum at Harvard, 56 Leonard in New York City, The Walker Tower in New York City and The Chancery Court Hotel in London.  One of the more unique projects is a replica of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello built in Connecticut featuring floors made from Frank Miller quartersawn white oak.  All of these projects would make excellent case studies but it is always a challenge to get all of the required approvals for the necessary photographs and interviews.

I will remain tenacious about obtaining those approvals in order to tell you the stories of those projects.  There is, in my opinion, no hardwood product in the United States more beautiful than quartersawn hardwoods.  In my AIA presentations I use photographs of amazing East Coast mansions from the late 1800’s.  These homes featured quartersawn white oak interiors.  The Garrett-Jacobs mansion in Mount Vernon, Maryland is a great example.  In the late 1800’s Robert and Mary Garrett hired Gilded Age architect Stanford White of the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White to help them realize their vision of a beautiful home that would compare with other Gilded Age homes in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Renovations of the original home would continue for thirty-two years.  Finally the house included over forty rooms, sixteen fireplaces, and one hundred windows.  In my presentations I show several pictures of the quartersawn white oak spiral staircase leading to a Tiffany dome.  It is truly spectacular and I point out to my audience that the house was built in the late 1800’s and the photographs were taken in 2010.  All of the joints are as tight as they were when the house was built.  These homes were built before there were “controlled environments” and in the case of the Newport, Rhode Island mansions, the windows were open to the ocean air during the summers.  These homes have stood the test of time, showing the lasting beauty of quartersawn hardwoods.

I am hopeful that I will get to tell the story of a large residential project in New York that is using Frank Miller Lumber quartersawn red oak for the floors.  New York City has been known for more than a century as a quartersawn white oak market.  The use of red oak is noteworthy and I have seen the floors in the sales offices.  They are beautiful and will last for generations, just as white oak would.

I am excited to be able to tell the story of these buildings and homes because each story is unique, even though they are all connected by the use of quartersawn hardwoods.

How Vertical Integration Can Be of Help to the Design Community

Posted by Criswell Davis on

A few years ago Frank Miller Lumber got involved with supplying the quartersawn red oak for the floors of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. I have written about the advantages of working with the mill source on projects like this, since in doing so the project team minimizes its variables. That project, for example, was never delayed due to lumber shortages. The same was true for the Barnes Museum in Philadelphia and several other high-profile projects.

About a year and a half ago, Frank Miller Lumber acquired a high-end architectural millwork company, Indianapolis Woodworking International (IWI) in order to offer millwork services to the design community. In the world of bespoke commercial and residential designs, IWI can help to make a designer or architect’s dreams a reality through collaboration and integration with a skilled millwork partner.

In my role with Frank Miller, I assist architects and designers in adjusting specifications to match the realities of the resource.  Likewise, Gary Riegle, president of Indianapolis Woodworking International, can do the same thing, moving the design process along with samples and advice. For the design community, this synergy can be of immense value, working directly with a high-end millwork company that can help make your vision a reality. Just as flooring companies can be specified for a project, a millwork company can also be specified.

I was in Dubai a couple of years ago talking with a millwork company that produced the First and Business Class lounges for Terminal 3 at the Dubai Airport. The construction of those lounges was a herculean task. To give you some perspective, the architecturally sequence-matched American walnut veneered panels cover more than 1.6 kilometers. By the time the design fell to the millwork company for production, the timer had already been ticking for quite some time. The pressure to obtain material for the project was intense, and the project would have moved along more smoothly with advanced coordination between the designers and the millwork company.

The team at IWI has decades of experience behind them and has produced some gorgeous millwork over the years. You can see examples of their projects at http://www.iwimillwork.com. Let IWI help you in the same way that Frank Miller Lumber helps architects and designers.

Who Is Criswell?

Posted by Criswell Davis on

I have 25 years of experience in the hardwood industry, 16 of which have been as a representative of Frank Miller Lumber, the world’s largest quartersawn hardwood sawmill.

For the past several years I have been on a crusade of sorts as a consultant to architects and designers across the U.S., teaching them about the wonders and realities of sustainable U.S. hardwoods and the most beautiful form of those hardwoods, quartersawn. I tell architects and designers that it is my job to inspire the use of U.S. hardwoods in their designs where such inspiration might not exist. Further, I will teach them the differences between plainsawn and quartersawn hardwoods, helping to find the appropriate use for both.

The challenge is to take the unbridled imagination of designers and squeeze it through the funnel of reality so that the vision can be realized in the end. As is true of humans, every tree is unique, and there are limitations that need to be taken into account during the design process. Just because you can imagine 10,000 square feet of rift white oak flooring with a 10-inch face, all color matched with no medullary ray, it doesn’t mean it is possible to produce.

I will keep you apprised of my travels, observations and cautionary tales here in these blogs and on my Twitter feed, @QuartersawnGuru.