Page 9 - Helena Chamber B2B Spring22

2021 Small Business of the Year
Marks Lumber
Like many small businesses, our Small Business honoree this year be- gan as a family-owned business and over the years has grown to a crew of 24 at peak seasons. The nomination for this business came from their entire staff. Their family has been in the manufacturing business for over 75 years and this business has been continually operated since 1988. This innovative and successful small business has persevered through difficult and volatile times. Our 2021 Small Business of the Year is Marks Lumber of Clancy, owned by Steve and Laura Marks.
Here is a condensed list of their achievements and contributions:
• Marks Lumber advocates for the timber products industry and responsible forest management, including fire mitigation.
• Continuously looking to improve, they realized that railroad cross-ties, boards and timbers used for agriculture could easily be used in any building. Today, all of their products (timbers, lumber, siding and flooring) boast a unique circle sawn texture providing a product that epitomizes the authentic “Montana look”. Products can be found all across Montana and even across the U.S. Everything from barns, cabins, resorts and multimillion dollar mansions contain their materials.
• Marks Lumber successfully utilizes the whole log and generates revenue from previously non-performing wood fiber
investments. This reduces the carbon footprint of their process.
• Their top priority is to be a responsible steward of Montana’s forests, and have a strong commitment to the long-term viability of the Montana timber products manufacturing industry. (This is why they exclusively buy logs harvested in an ecologically sound fashion.)
• Many awards have been won including: Gov’s Inaugural Forest Products Award, Montana Wood Products Assoc.’s Communicator of the Year, Montana Tree Farm System’s Logger of the Year.
• They support many state, national and local organizations including the Helena Chamber.
• Marks Lumber partnered with the Helena Food Share and donates a portion of sales.
• Helped assemble a pavilion for the City E. Helena’s Main Street Park.
• A partnership with the US Forest Service and MT. Dept. of Natural Resources & Conservation on a project for reclamation work and fire mitigation of a wildland-urban interface just south of Helena will help protect the city from wildfire risk.
• Their business has a strong philosophy to provide a high quality of life for their employees. They provide competitive wages mea- sured against both industry averages and national median income. They are always implementing new ways to lead, motivate and encourage employee growth.
Please join us in congratulating Marks Lumber of Clancy as our 2021 Small Business of the Year!!
Small Business of the Year award winner Marks Lumber. Owner Steve Marks pictured. Photo Credit: Gary Marshall, IR
2021 Special Recognition
Cathy Burwell
of the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce
2021 Board Chair Bob Heberly selected Cathy for this award because of her more than 23 years of commitment to the
Chamber and to the Helena Community. Heberly cited her leadership, dedication, and exceptional work ethic. He noted that her leadership has made the Helena Chamber the best in the state and thanked her for all she’s done.
2021 Special Recognition award winner Cathy Burwell pictured with (L to R) Bob Heberly and Byron Stahly. Photo Credit: Gary Marshall, IR
SPRING 2022 B2B - A Publication of the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce 9