The Team

Thank you for building more than a company. You built a legacy of family, forestry, and American hardwoods that continues to grow through future generations.

Harry Hickman Jr. (1912 – 1997)

Founder of Hickman Woods. Harry laid the foundation for a company built on hard work, family values, and a deep respect for the forest.

Larry “Pop” Hickman (1937–2025)

Larry helped grow the sawmill and expanded the company’s vision into timber management, strengthening Hickman Woods for future generations.

Dennis “Denny” Hickman (1960–2025)

Known for his expertise in lumber drying, Denny carried the family legacy forward and founded AMHF, leaving a lasting mark on the hardwood industry.

Jake worked summers in high school and college at the sawmill. He went to Penn State to study history and then worked on the road in construction for a few years before deciding he wanted to return and continue with the family business. Like Larry and Denny, he graduated from NHLA Lumber grading school and worked his way up through the sawmill, from stacking boards to grading lumber. He spends his days at the sawmill managing Hickman Lumber. Jake helps with Allegheny Mountain, ensuring we have the quality lumber we need for our flooring.

He also attends various flooring trade shows. Jake was selected as one of the initial 40 under 40 emerging leaders in the National Wood Flooring Industry. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Venango Area Chamber of Commerce. Jake enjoys golfing, softball, fishing, and spending time with his growing family: his wife, Kendall, and their three sons.

Jessica was born into the family business and helped during summer vacations, but never expected to have a career with the company. A graduate of Westminster College, with a double major in International Business and Spanish, she has lived, worked and studied in Costa Rica, England and Argentina. Following the 2008 recession, her father Denny asked her to help update the company website and work on sales and marketing. Jessica promised her father 3 years, but soon realized this was the best job for her.

She currently lives in Pittsburgh and enjoys traveling to trade shows and presenting lunch and learns to architects and designers while helping homeowners select the flooring of their dreams. Jessica was selected as one of the initial 40 under 40 emerging leaders in the National Wood Flooring Industry (NWFA). She serves on various committees in the NWFA and is on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Forests Products Association (PFPA). Out of the office, she enjoys spending time with her husband Josh and children, as well as mountain biking, camping and trail running.

Pat has been with Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring since the very beginning. In fact, one of the first floors ever produced by AMHF went into his very own living room. Pat is a member of the extended Hickman family, and prior to joining his in-laws flooring company, worked as a carpenter and chef. If you stop at the plant to pick up your floor you’ll likely be greeted by his dog, Odie.

He enjoys spending time with his three children especially at his camp along the river. That’s where you’ll find him all summer. He’ll be there fishing, diving into a great read and enjoying a good beer or two.

Buddy first joined Hickman Lumber in 1999 after graduating from the NHLA Inspection School in Memphis, Tennessee.

Today, Buddy oversees daily sawmill operations and works closely with our team to ensure we produce the highest-quality hardwood lumber possible. In addition to managing employees and maintaining production standards, he continues to grade lumber and lend a hand wherever needed.

What Buddy appreciates most about Hickman Lumber is the trust placed in him to help run a family business and the great people he works with every day. He believes the company’s family-owned culture and reputation for exceptional quarter-sawn lumber set it apart within the industry.

Outside of work, Buddy enjoys sports, camping, and spending time with his family. He takes pride in creating a workplace where everyone feels appreciated and respected, believing that every employee plays an important role in the success of the company.

Zach has been with the company since 2017. He started working in the flooring plant while in college, worked his way to sales and now to sales manager.

Zach has enjoyed meeting new customers and building relationships with them while growing partnerships along the way. He was recognized as one of the top 40 people under 40 in the National Wood Flooring Association and is currently on the Emerging Leaders Board for the NWFA. In his free time, Zach enjoys golfing, hunting, and, most importantly, spending time with his wife and kids.

We are excited to welcome Jodi Welsh to the Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring team. As one of the friendly faces you’ll see when you visit our showroom, Jodi enjoys greeting customers, answering the phone, and helping ensure everyone has a positive experience from the moment they walk through our doors.

Outside of work, Jodi has a passion for gardening and preserving the fruits of her labor through canning. She loves spending time outdoors, especially kayaking on the beautiful Allegheny River. Family is also an important part of her life, and when she’s not at work, you’ll likely find her spending time with her loved ones and her two dogs.

Linda has been with Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring since 2011. You’ll likely speak to her when you call the office, especially to make a payment. Regularly she can be heard enthusiastically singing a theme song by Rhianna about accounts receivables or laughing out loud at the bosses jokes. Linda leads the office and works with both Hickman Lumber and Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring. She spends a tremendous amount of time preparing paperwork for the FSC audit each year and enjoys working for Hickmanwoods, especially from her new sit to stand desk.

Linda loves the team culture at Hickmanwoods and the flexibility the company offers, allowing her to balance work with her son’s baseball game schedule. Linda is most proud of her two children and husband but admits she probably loves her dogs most of all.

Rita is the newest member of the Hickmanwoods office team, starting the summer of 2018. Rita was born in Pittsburgh, but moved to the country in 1995 after meeting her now husband.

Rita enjoys spending time in her flower garden and working with Hickmanwoods, where she has gained an incredible understanding of the hardwood industry. Rita has graciously said her new position with us is very different from any other office she has worked at before, which we are honored to take as a compliment.

Mike has worked with Hickman Lumber for more than 25 years, and helped develop its Forest Stewardship Council program in 1999. Mike received his Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Science from Penn State University in 1982. He is also a member of Society of American Foresters. Mike is a huge asset to our annual Hickmanwoods tour. He does a great job educating people about the importance of forestry.

When he is not working in the woods, he enjoys hiking the Appalachian trail with his family.

Jim is the newest member of our forestry team.  Jim started in the industry while attending Clarion University in the early 90’s. He started out contract cutting and skidding for sawmills around the area. In 1994 he accepted a position with the United States Forest Service as a Timber Marker. While there he was a Wildlands Firefighter and Forest Law Enforcement Officer. He was employed by Danzer Lumber North America for several years. Jim was their Log Yard Manager and Overseas and Domestic Veneer Sales Manager. After the company was sold in 2021 he joined our company as a member of our forestry team.

He currently serves as an Officer for The Pennsylvania Fish And Boat commission. He enforces fishing and boating regulations as well as environmental law. Jim is an avid outdoorsman and  loves spending time with his wife and three daughters.

Terry has been working in the forest products industry since the 1990s. He has been with the Hickman Companies since 2008. He lives in Indiana County, PA with his wife. He’s the proud father of three and grandfather of one. He went to Indiana University of PA and graduated with a BS in Mathematics.

For fun he likes to hunt deer, rabbits and rattle snakes. He enjoys spending time out doors with family and friends and especially loves being “Poppa” to his granddaughter Rory!

Meet Beth Ace, our newest Forester here at Hickman Lumber.

Beth joined us in January and is already making a big impact. If you’re a landowner looking for sustainable forest management plans, Beth is the expert you want by your side. She brings a deep respect for the land that perfectly aligns with our family values of caring for the forests.

With experience as a Park Ranger and Forestry Technician, she doesn’t just see timber: she sees the whole ecosystem. When she’s not working in the woods, she’s likely exploring them. Her main hobbies include mushroom hunting and nature photography! She’s a long time member and Identifier for the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club she also leads educational walks with the public.

Alongside working as a Forester, she will be contributing her interpretive programming and photography skills to spread her love and knowledge of our forests and to show you all the great things we do here at Hickman Woods!