The Team

Larry is the son of Hickman Lumber founder, Harry Hickman, and the brains behind the success of Hickman Lumber. He began working for another sawmill following lumber grading school, making $100 a week. In 1963, after 2 years selling lumber for someone else, he decided he could ramp up production at his father’s small mill and be successful on his own. His wife Gayle was terrified of Larry leaving a secure job. She had a baby, Denny, and their mortgage was $69 a month! Thankfully everything worked out and Larry successfully operated and grew the sawmill. Always a passionate woodsman, he began purchasing timberland in the mid-60s. He was mindful of forest sustainability long before any hardwood industry sustainability talk. He managed the forest like his gardens, picking the weeds to create a healthier overall forest and harvesting the trees only when they were ready. For example, he wouldn’t harvest all cherry trees just because the cherry price was high. When we have our annual FSC audits, forestry professors from various universities are always impressed with the quality of our timber stands. Larry implemented practices in the forest never taught in forestry schools. He learned from spending countless hours in the woods observing Mother Nature’s work. Larry is technically retired, but still actively involved in all business aspects. He lives half the year with his wife Gayle at their home in Florida and they spend the summer in PA. He spends his time turning wooden bowls, fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, and playing with his great-grandchildren.