VERO BEACH — As Luke Brochu stood up, the entire crowd stood up with him, applauding so enthusiastically that they nearly left Brochu speechless.
“You’re going to bring me to tears,” Brochu finally said. “Goodness, gracious, thank you so much.”
At an awards ceremony in Bar Harbor, Maine, Brochu recently received the prestigious Alfred D. Nutting Award from the Maine Forest Products Council for his leadership, integrity and many contributions to Maine’s forest economy.
Outgoing MFPC President Mark Doty explained what it takes to win the Alfred D. Nutting award, which commemorates the many contributions to Maine forestry made by Nutting, who was director of the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine, Maine Commissioner of Forestry and a founder of the Maine Forest Products Council in 1961.
The recipient must have “demonstrated recognized qualities of leadership and integrity as well as a commitment to the values both public and private, generated from the working forest. His or her experience will reflect concern for the sound environmental use as well as the economic value of the forest to industry and to the community at large.”
“The award has been presented annually since 1990 to a remarkable group of individuals, each of them truly unique,” Doty said, “but with a common commitment to Maine and its forest industry. Luke is certainly a worth recipient and worthy of joining the impressive list of those who have gone before. He has led multiple industry organizations in the past, including this one. His involvement in Haitian missionary work is incredible and to top it all off he’s one of the kindest people that we know.”
Brochu’s accomplishments include: General Manager and part owner of Stratton Lumber Company, 1981-2004. President and part owner of P1easant River Lumber, based in Dover-Foxcroft, from 2004-2013. During his tenure as President, Pleasant River acquired and restarted Crobb Box in Hancock 2011 and Lavalley Lumber in Sanford in 2012. President of the Maine Forest Products Counci1, 1999-2001. Chairman of the Board of the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers’ Association, 2005-2007. Chairman of the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports, 2012 to 2014. Board member and founding member of the Forest Products Group Trust (workers comp).
Brochu thanked his wife, Pam, his nephews, Jason and Chris Brochu, now co-presidents of Pleasant River Lumber, and all the friends and colleagues who have helped him over the years.
“I was really taken aback when I received the phone call as to whether or not I’d be a willing recipient of this honor, of such a prestigious award,” Brochu said. “I’m truly humbled. And as I look around this room I see so many familiar faces who helped me find the courage to speak out and be present and accounted for. And it wasn’t easy for me. It was always out of my comfort zone.”
For more information, contact Roberta Scruggs, MFPC communications director, rscruggs@maineforest.org or (207)-622-9288.