Hanson named Logger of Year Teddie Hanson of Cotton Valley in Webster Parish, was named Logger of the Year by the Louisiana Loggers Association, at its annual membership meeting April 24 in Winnfield The Association hosted members and their families for their 16th annual seafood feast at the Winnfield Civic Center on the Winn Parish Fair Grounds, in conjunction with the annual Louisiana Forest Festival held April 23 and 24. Operating as Teddie Hanson Logging, Inc., Hanson is a 30-year veteran in the industry. He worked at the International Paper Co. mill at Springhill. When the mill shut down, he bought a Log Hog skidder and hired a saw hand to begin logging. "It just grew," he said, and now his operation runs three shears, two skidders, a delimber, and employs a contract trucker with three trucks and a loader. Hanson Logging, Inc., works under a contract with Weyerhaeuser Company, hauling primarily to its Emerson, Arkansas sawmill and plywood mill. He mainly harvest large timber, and clear cuts in Webster, Bossier, and Claiborne parishes in Louisiana. The Logger of the Year attended the LLA meeting with his wife, Barbara, who he married 35 years ago. "We've known each other since grade school," she said. Mrs. Hanson teaches business courses at the Minden High School, a job she took after teaching in several schools in Northwest Louisiana. The Hansons have two sons, age 32 and 30, one a banker in Minden, the other a computer technician. A daughter, 26, graduated this term, from the University of Houston with a degree in optometry. here are a grandson, and 9, and a granddaughter, age six, to occupy their spare time. Asked if he has any advice to potential young loggers entering the business, Mr. Hanson paused before saying, "Make sure you've got your mind really made at the start." Louisiana Loggers Association director Tony Lang introduced speakers on the program, including Ian Barlow, with the U.S. Forest Service, working on a special project of removing sunken logs from Saline Bayou in the Kisatchie National Forest, and Carey Blanchard, safety consultant who reviewed safety regulations with loggers. Louisiana Loggers Association manages a Self Insured Fund providing workers compensation insurance for member loggers. The Association recently distributed a payment of $1,400,000 to members from premiums and earnings. Board members are Michael Franks, Tony McManus, Robert Franks, Steven Gaar, and Don Tant. |