Donna Ritsema & John Rutkowski

May 7th, 2024 by Caleb Krugman

74 YEARS of commitment to our customers!!!

On December 7, 2023 Lumbermen’s celebrated the careers of Donna Ritsema (43 years) and John Rutkowski (31 years). Employee Owners, vendor partners, dealer customers, friends and family all gathered to congratulate these two on the positive impacts they have made for the company. Both of these individuals have been exemplary representatives our Mission, Vision, and Promise throughout their time with Lumbermen’s. To learn more about our MVP commitment, click here.

We wish Donna & John all the best on this next chapter!

Jack Sims – Custom Door Builder, Door Division

Jack recently shared that he plans to retire in 2026. While it will be difficult to imagine the shop without his steady leadership, he has certainly earned the opportunity after a lifetime of hard work. The good news is that he plans to return part-time to keep his skills sharp—and will even be working alongside his wife, who is also part of the Door Division.

Jayme Stauffenecker – Outside Sales Representative

An addition to our Minnesota-based team less than a year ago, Jayme is already making her mark in the building materials industry.

Celebrating a Legacy: Henry Bouma Retires After 50 Years with Lumbermen’s Inc.

After an extraordinary 50-year career at Lumbermen’s Inc., Henry Bouma is stepping into retirement—leaving behind a legacy defined by dedication, adaptability, and unwavering customer focus.

Ryan Hagan – Sales Consultant, Door Division

Ryan Hagan has grown significantly since joining Lumbermen’s, starting in the Door Division Service Department, and now moving to an Outside Sales role. His experience with the inner workings of operations has prepared him to be a problem-solver in the field.

Brandon Kitkowski – Sales Consultant, Building Materials

Brandon Kitkowski has seen his business card change in 2025, going from Field Sales Representative to now Outside Sales Representative. However, his commitment to service and our customers is his defining characteristic.

Cristina Wasel – Quality Management Supervisor, Door Division

Cristina Wasel leads our Door Division’s commitment to quality and getting things right. Her engineering expertise helps build tools and systems that work to prevent and solve issues on the production floor.

Thai Xiong – Commercial Vehicle Driver

Thai Xiong is part of a new group of Employee Owners in Minnesota, joining the company in April of 2024.

Lumbermen’s Inc Grows Building Materials Division Leadership Team

Lumbermen’s is excited to announce leadership growth within our Building Materials Division. Significant growth in sales, workforce, and expansion into new territories like Minnesota in 2024 has led us to make some changes to our leadership structure.

Terry Lynn – Facilities Manager

Terry Lynn joined Lumbermen’s in September of 2007, as a member of the Grand Rapids Building Materials division.

Steve Hanker – Customer Service – Grand Rapids Building Materials

Steve Hanker has been with Lumbermen’s since 1996, when he joined the company as a Customer Service Representative.