Meet Our Members: Ryan Gatiss
Tell me about yourself. What is your background and how did you get involved with wholesale lumber?
I am a 25-year-old Panel & Lumber buyer for Weston Forest Products, and I have been in the industry for just under a year and a half now. I graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies. I play a lot of golf and I’m a big hockey fan as well. Towards the end of the pandemic, I was laid off from my previous non-lumber job and began looking for something new. A friend of mine buys lumber from Weston Forest Products and her sales rep mentioned that they were hiring a buyer, so I applied. A year and a half later, here we are! I didn’t really know what to expect when becoming a part of the lumber industry because it wasn’t something that I had heard of before, but I couldn’t be happier that I came across the opportunity. I have loved it since I started.
What motivates you to continue on this career path and be a part of the wholesale lumber industry?
I get a lot of motivation from the purchasing team that I work with here at Weston. We all work toward common goals and are driven and committed to what we do. Having like-minded people around me motivates me to want to do better and not let the team down. It also makes it a lot of fun to go to work! Further, I believe that the wholesale lumber industry is an awesome space to work in, and it can be very lucrative, which is also a great motivator. I plan on staying in this industry for years to come, and I am excited to see where it takes me.
What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far? Are there any “wow” moments that particularly stand out to you?
The most rewarding aspect of my career so far has been the relationships that I have made along the way. I have met great people through NAWLA events like Wood Basics and Traders Market as well as through everyday business. Work is a lot more enjoyable when you like the people that you work with!
Tell me about your involvement with NAWLA. How long have you been a member and what made you want to join?
I have been a NAWLA member through my company since I started here about a year and a half ago and last year I went to Wood Basics and Traders Market. The NAWLA events that I have been to have been great experiences for me. From the knowledge that I gained about the industry at Wood Basics to the connections that I made at Traders Market; both are great events. I am also a member of the NAWLA marketing committee as well as a 10 Group, providing me with valuable experiences throughout my time as a NAWLA member.
What advice would you give to a new NAWLA member?
The biggest piece of advice that I could give to a new NAWLA member would be to participate in as much as you can and get your name out there. I have met some amazing people through NAWLA, people that I now talk to regularly for both business and friendship. NAWLA is a great place to meet like-minded people within the wholesale lumber industry, which is a massive benefit to people like me who are new to the industry.
What’s been your favorite NAWLA moment?
I have had a couple of great NAWLA moments since I joined, but my favorite was experiencing the tradeshow floor for the first time at Traders Market last year in Columbus. It was an exciting experience, and it gave me the chance to put some faces to the names of people that I had been doing business with. I got to meet multiple people within the industry as well, which was great.