What a year! 2023 had a lot to offer: from eight new team members and a new CEO to tons of hard work, fun, and team bonding. Here are some of the highlights from our year!
After 40+ years, Craig Johnston retires from his position as CEO of our AIFP’s parent company, Forest City Trading Group (FCTG), North America’s largest wholesale lumber products distributor. During Johnston’s tenure, FCTG became an employee-owned powerhouse in the building materials industry. In fact, one in every ten houses in the U.S. is built using FCTG’s products. While he’ll be stepping down from his role as CEO, Johnston will continue to share his wisdom and business acumen.
While we’re sad to see Johnston go, we couldn’t be more excited to be lead into the future by Derrick Coder. Coder started at FCTG as the Chief Financial Officer in 2007. Since then, he’s served as Chief Operating Officer and President of FCTG, proving again and again his strong leadership skills and financial expertise.
In 2023, AIFP welcomed three new traders to our team: Ben Ailstock, Jake Rudolph, and Jael Stein. Because our paid apprenticeship program provides all of the training you need to succeed, we’re able to welcome trainees from many different backgrounds, including graduates right out of college and more seasoned workers looking to make a career change. Jael Stein, for example, comes from a 20-year stint in the financial industry.
We also couldn’t be more appreciative of our admin staff, who offer valuable support that keeps our business running smoothly. This year we hired six new admin team members, including John Herbert: Inventory Financial Operations Manager, Tom Djergain: Import Assistant, Mina Nguyen: Steel Admin Assistant, Nate Post: Inventory Coordinator, and Nicole Nikolas: Executive Assistant. Their roles cover everything from offering admin support to traders to ensuring timely delivery of building materials, and we’re lucky to have each and every one of them on our team.
AIFP team members are thriving in more areas than just work! In fact, two of our traders welcomed children this year. Panel Trader, Alex Schilling and his wife welcomed their first child, baby boy Cash, while Nick Baumann, an Import Admin, welcomed their second child, baby girl Hailey. Parker Riser, one of our Southern Yellow Pine Traders, also purchased his first home with his fiancé.
At AIFP, we believe in the importance of recognizing hard work. Whether it’s celebrating our team members with milestone anniversaries, sending our Gold Traders on a trip to Cabo, or planning a fun weekend retreat for our admin team, we do everything we can to honor the hard work, effort, and determination we see in our employees every single day.
At AIFP, we believe that our job is building relationships, which is why we love the opportunity to visit our customers and suppliers wherever they are, including at industry conferences across the country.
Our community goes beyond AIFP. That’s why we’re always looking for ways to give back to our local nonprofits. Whether it’s hosting a BBQ for our friends at St. Mary’s Home for Boys or hosting a workshop for the Oregon State University Sales Academy, we’re happy to provide value for our community all year long.
Our Work Hard Play Hard company culture means we’re all about celebrating with the team throughout the year. From our Pi Day desserts to decorating the office for Christmas with the team, you’ll catch us celebrating whatever we can.
It’s not just holidays! At AIFP, we understand the importance of team bonding. Whether it’s hitting the links with the team or having a tailgate lunch for the Super Bowl, we love spending time together outside of the office.
Looking for a sales job at one of the best places to work in Portland, Oregon? Look no further than a commodity trading career at AIFP!
Hoping to partner with a wholesale lumber supplier? Whether you’re a building materials supplier in need of offloading stock or a consumer looking for lumber and steel products, contact our knowledgeable traders today so they can help your business thrive.
In the meantime, check out our blog where we cover everything from what AIFP traders think you should know about paid trader training program to the answers to your frequently asked questions about pressure-treated wood. As amazing as 2023 was, we’re already so excited to see what 2024 has to offer!
Up for the challenge? We'll give you the tools to excel. AIFP is continually growing. We recruit new traders year-round.