VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 25, 2008) - West Fraser (TSX: WFT.TO) announced today that Martti Solin, Executive Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Development and CFO, Gary Townsend, President, Solid Wood Products and Bill LeGrow, Vice-President, Transportation and Energy will retire at the end of 2008.
The following organizational changes will be effective January 1, 2009: Gerry Miller, currently the Company's Executive Vice-President, Operations will become the Executive Vice-President, Finance and CFO. Mr. Miller, a Chartered Accountant, came to West Fraser in 1986 as Corporate Controller and has had various executive responsibilities in finance, administration and operations over the last 23 years. Ray Ferris, as Vice-President, Solid Wood Products, will have responsibility for the lumber, plywood and LVL businesses of the Company. Mr. Ferris has been with the Company since 1997 and is currently the Company's Vice-President, Lumber Operations. He holds an engineering degree and has extensive manufacturing experience in the forest industry. Larry Hughes, Senior Vice-President and Secretary, will assume primary responsibility for Corporate Development in addition to his other responsibilities in the Company. Mr. Hughes was a senior partner of the law firm of Lang Michener LLP in Vancouver until he joined West Fraser in 2007. Peter Rippon, Operations Manager, Mechanical Pulp and Energy, assumes primary responsibility for energy initiatives in the Company in addition to his responsibilities for the Company's mechanical pulp business. Mark Thomson, reporting to Chris McIver, Vice-President, Lumber Sales, will become General Manager, Transportation assuming primary responsibility for transportation matters for the Company. Hank Ketcham, Chairman, President and CEO, said, "Martti, Gary and Bill have each made enormous contributions to West Fraser over their long careers with us. We will miss their wisdom, good judgment and sense of humour and we wish them all the best in their retirement. They will always be close friends of West Fraser." Mr. Ketcham added that, "These retirements and successions are part of a planned process that began over two years ago. We have a deep talent pool at our senior management level which will ensure a smooth and orderly transition." West Fraser is an integrated wood products company producing lumber, LVL, MDF, plywood, pulp, linerboard, kraft paper and newsprint. The Company has approximately 9,000 employees and operations in western Canada and the southern United States. This news release contains historical information, descriptions of current circumstances and statements about potential future developments, in particular, changes in the Company's management. The latter, which are forward-looking statements, are presented to provide guidance on expected developments but are subject to change. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. West Fraser shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol: "WFT". ContactsHank KetchamWest Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
Chairman, President and CEO
(604) 895-2700
Martti Solin
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
Executive Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Development
(604) 895-2700
Gerry Miller
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
Executive Vice-President, Operations
(604) 895-2700
Larry Hughes
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
Senior Vice-President
(604) 895-2700
(604) 681-6061 (FAX)
Website: www.westfraser.com
