Scott Gascho began his career in the wholesale lumber industry over 25 years ago, getting his start the old-fashioned way at Stimson Lumber through a blind ad in the newspaper. Today, he serves as the Vice President of Sales at Hampton Lumber. Get to know Scott, including what motivates him to continue a career path in wholesale lumber, how he has seen the industry change over the years, and his best advice for new NAWLA members, in this member spotlight.

Tell me about yourself. What is your background and how did you get involved with wholesale lumber?

I graduated from Oregon State in 1990 and have been in the lumber industry ever since.  I got my first job at Stimson Lumber as a management trainee in the old-fashioned way by answering a blind ad in the newspaper. After a year and a half, I moved into a sales role before transitioning to a career at Do It Best.  Four years later, I secured a position at Hampton Lumber, where I have held various roles in my 25 years here and am currently the Vice President of Sales.

What motivates you to continue on this career path and be a part of the wholesale lumber industry?

It has been pretty easy to wake up every day and be excited and motivated to go to work and see what each day brings.  A lot of that has to do with the people that you get to work with, both co-workers and customers.  There is a new challenge every day, so the job is never boring.  It has helped to be at Hampton where we are always looking for new business opportunities.

In what ways have you seen the lumber industry evolve over the years?

Our business has definitely evolved during my time.  The most notable changes have come on the information and technology front because there is so much information almost instantaneously available to us now helping us to make better decisions for the company.   Phones are used way less than they used to be in sales but are still a valuable tool.  The industry used to be heavily populated by experienced industry members who had been around for many years. It has been a good change that there are a lot more young people and women as part of the industry. 

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 part of my career to date is the relationships that I have formed.  This includes relationships with co-workers, suppliers, and customers.  I feel our industry is unique in that you can have business and personal relationships intertwined and both suppliers and customers come away from transactions feeling like they were treated fairly.  When you talk to people in other industries, they are surprised about how business is conducted with such close relationships and that everyone trusts each other.

Tell me about your involvement with NAWLA. How long have you been a member and what made you want to join?

I was never really involved with NAWLA until I was at Hampton.  I have been to numerous Traders Markets, Regional Meetings, and executive meetings.  In the last year, I have also joined a 10 Group. 

What advice would you give to a new NAWLA member?

The best advice I can give to a new member is something that is tried and true, you will get out of it what you put into it.  Don’t be shy, forge new relationships and get to know people in NAWLA, especially those who have been involved for a while.

What’s been your favorite NAWLA moment?

I can’t really say I have a favorite NAWLA moment, but for sure there have been a lot of good ones.  The most valuable moments have been those times when sharing a drink or dinner with a customer or supplier and getting to know more about their business and them as a person.