We are always in the business of celebrating our own people! Every year Team Hancock recognizes an Employee of the Year per Hancock location, and we are excited to announce the 2023 recipients. Congratulations to all of those being recognized for their hard work, loyalty, positive attitudes and commitment to our company culture and customers! Read about each employee and what their teammates had to say about them.
Hancock Location: Madison Mill
Employee of the Year: Tim Healy, Maintenance Supervisor
Tim is the Maintenance Supervisor for the facility and exhibits every characteristic Team Hancock looks for in an employee—he is engaged, personable, and dedicated. Fully committed to ensuring our equipment is in good working condition, always open to new ideas or alternatives, and constantly seeking the input of those around him—Tim does it all with a smile. Tim has shown tremendous growth in the years he has been at Madison Mill, while continuing to develop his management and leadership skills. Tim is a pleasure to work with—congratulations, Tim, on earning Employee of the Year!
Hancock Location: Kennebunk
Employee of the Year: Mark Finnegan, Order Coordinator
As a member of our operations team, Mark is willing to put in the extra time when we are busy and, more importantly, understands the impact on the bigger picture if things are not done accurately and on time. Mark is an example of a great team player with a positive attitude and his teammates find him a pleasure to work with and be around. Mark additionally takes on tasks outside of his normal duties and applies himself with the same enthusiasm to complete the task. Lastly, he always displays motivation and ambition to learn new responsibilities outside his role, so he can grow and develop. He is a great asset to Hancock Lumber and our team in Kennebunk. Congratulations, Mark!
Hancock Location: Brunswick
Employee of the Year: Ryan Storey, Account Manager
Ryan has been with Hancock Lumber since 2005, bringing 18 years of natural leadership to our Brunswick location. Ryan has held multiple positions ranging from Yard Pro and Logistics Manager to Inside Sales Support. He is now one of the top-performing Account Managers, with a large book of business. Ryan is always willing to support his teammates’ growth while advocating for them to learn and grow in our busy day-to-day operations. He is a prime example of a young and driven professional who many look up to in Brunswick. Congratulations, Ryan!
Hancock Location: Casco Retail
Employee of the Year: Ryan Asendorf, Yard Pro
Ryan joined the team in October 2022 and, in just one year, has proven himself to be a worthy recipient of this distinction. Ryan moved from Long Island with lumber and building materials experience, however, he’s brought so much more along with that! Ryan demonstrates what it takes to be a true Hancock Lumber brand ambassador. Not only does he maintain a positive attitude and have a great work ethic, he also goes above and beyond, demonstrating pride in his work and taking initiative to ensure progress is being made. One of Ryan’s best attributes is that he does a great job communicating and is willing to share ideas and processes he feels could be beneficial. Ryan is typically the first to respond to radio calls, always willing to help customers and his fellow teammates. No matter the task, you can always count on his positivity and comedic personality—he is the type of person who just makes you smile and feel better. And, customers rave about Ryan, sending compliments every week saying how helpful and knowledgeable he is. Safe, positive, reliable, hardworking, dedicated, respectful, and a true teammate, Ryan exhibits all the qualities you want in an employee. Thank you, and congratulations!
Hancock Location: Damariscotta
Employee of the Year: Ashley Martin, Counter Pro
It’s always hard to pick one person who stands out among the rest when you have a crew of great performers. This year was no different, but Ashley really elevated her performance to a new level. She took on several new tasks such as supporting the kitchen sellers, backing up receiving, and even issuing credits. Ashley is always working to improve herself and looking for opportunities to learn and grow. She has a great demeanor and never gets bogged down in the details. Ashley has shown tremendous growth and is truly deserving of this award. Congratulations, Ashley, on being named Damariscotta’s 2023 Employee of the Year and thank you for all that you do!
Hancock Location: Wolfeboro
Employee of the Year: Jim Colbroth, Account Manager
Jim has continually delivered a winning customer experience that has led to many loyal and devoted builder customers. His solid relationships have led to loyal customers, which has turned into continued success for the Wolfeboro branch. Jim’s customer following is a direct result of his attention to detail and service-first attitude—all things that our customers demand. Jim continues to work well with the team to get results. His hard work and effort has earned him the Wolfeboro 2023 Employee of the Year recognition. Congrats, Jim!
Hancock Location: Saco
Employee of the Year: Marty Ney, Yard Pro
Marty has been a wonderful addition to the Saco team. A retired police officer, there is little that Marty is not ready and able to handle. He understands the importance of safety and has embraced our strong culture of watching out for each other. Almost from the day he started, our customers began asking for him when picking up material. They enjoy connecting with him while he assists them to quickly get on their way. He has done a good job helping keep the yard orderly and clean, helping create a safe environment. After being here only a few days, the drive-thru was remarkably cleaner and shelves were becoming even better stocked. He also collaborates well with the order coordinators in getting deliveries ready. His positive, can-do attitude is an inspiration to us all. On challenging days when there is much to do and only a few team members available, he gets the job done and is a role model to all around him. We are fortunate to have Marty and he is most deserving to be the 2023 Saco Employee of the Year!
Hancock Location: Yarmouth
Employee of the Year: Ryan Barnhart, Counter Pro
Ryan has been a great addition to the Yarmouth team. Just in his first full year, Ryan has already established himself as one of the go-to guys in the yard. Any time we are down a driver, a receiver, or order coordinator, Ryan steps up to help the team. He also takes great pride in keeping up the appearance of our warehouse. Ryan consistently demonstrates great customer service and is always willing to go above and beyond to help customers and his fellow employees. His everybody leads mentality, work ethic, and positive attitude make Ryan a valuable asset to Hancock Lumber. Congratulations, Ryan!
Hancock Location: Augusta
Employee of the Year: Jim Ranks, Yard Pro
Jim is a splendid example of what a good teammate looks like. He always has a smile on his face and is willing to help anyone out. Jim, or as we call him “JR,” builds loads to prepare product for jobsite deliveries, but is always willing to learn and do every job in the yard. He greets customers with a smile and provides them with a wonderful customer experience by answering their questions. JR encourages his teammates to work together, and he is always looking for ways to create efficiencies in the yard. He genuinely cares about his role here at Hancock Lumber and it shows in his everyday actions. Congratulations, JR—proud to have you on Team Hancock!
Hancock Location: North Conway
Employee of the Year: Ron Carr, Counter Pro
Ron started with Hancock in 2017 as a Yard Pro. In 2022, Ron moved inside to fill a Counter Pro position that became available. Ron is always eager to learn and grow his skills, no matter what position he’s assigned. Most recently, Ron has been learning the role of Inventory Manager to assist as a back-up, completing cycle counts, learning the ordering system, as well as receiving trucks. He has excellent customer service skills and has received several compliments from customers because he’s gone above and beyond to help them with their project. Ron is a true team player—the first to volunteer to fill in where help is needed or to share knowledge or jump in on a task, always while keeping a positive attitude. North Conway is lucky to have Ron on the team—congratulations on being named the 2023 North Conway Employee of the Year!
Hancock Location: Home Office
Employee of the Year: Cindy Gaudin, Credit Manager/Kitchen Business Development
Cindy is the ultimate team player, Hancock Lumber brand ambassador, positive human, and always willing to help. Cindy goes above and beyond in all she does, and currently manages both Kitchen Business Development and our credit management, handled by the Accounts Receivable team. Cindy and the AR team have been instrumental in the rollout of our online customer payment options for Hancock Online and Cindy herself has been a cheerleader and advocate of that process! She has taken on many roles with a high-level of energy, focus on outcomes, attention to detail, and always a positive attitude. Thank you for a job consistently well-done, and congratulations on earning the Employee of the Year accolade!
Hancock Location: Pittsfield Mill
Employee of the Year: Zach Lamb, Maintenance Lead
Zach has been an asset to the sawmill division with his problem-solving approach, his eagerness to learn, and his drive to get the job done. He is very knowledgeable and is always working to improve mill flow. Zach is a natural leader who is detail oriented and has the respect of the crew. Recently, Zach began training on the boiler and has earned the new position as Maintenance Lead. Congratulations, Zach, on your promotion and earning the 2023 Employee of the Year achievement!
Hancock Location: Bethel Mill
Employee of the Year: Andy Bean Sr., Planer Operator
Andy has been working at the Bethel site since December of 1997. Back then, Andy worked in the old Woods Planermill which stood between the boiler house and train tracks. Andy has held several positions in the last quarter century, but has spent most of his time here operating, setting up, and grinding heads for our planers and moulders. One of Andy’s more recent endeavors has been taking on the mentor role for new employees in the Finished Products departments. He is very knowledgeable, approachable, and genuinely enjoys seeing people succeed in their new roles. When we created the mentor role position several years ago, Andy was a natural fit—and, he has now mentored over a dozen new hires, helping them navigate the first few months of employment and beyond. Andy is also an active member of the Bethel Safety Committee that meets monthly and helps lead our Safety PRO culture. Andy is an amazing resource for all his coworkers and is always willing to jump in and help or offer advice. Andy is well respected among his peers due, in part, to his positive attitude, experience, and work ethic. Congratulations, Andy, on being Bethel’s 2023 Employee of the Year.
Hancock Location: Casco Mill
Employee of the Year: Tom (TJ) Givens, Maintenance Millwright
Tom joined Hancock Lumber in 2005 and has been at the Casco Mill during all 18 years of his tenure. Tom started his journey here as a Pine Manufacturing Pro in the Planer Mill. It did not take long for us to see his talents and he soon became one of our key planer operators. Tom is very gifted mechanically and, after serving as a very efficient operator for several years, he moved into the finished products maintenance role, where he has grown his talents and become a big part of our success. Today, Tom services all the finished product departments including the planer, moulder, ProFinish facility, and kiln + boiler. With his continued training, Tom has become very efficient troubleshooting electrical and PLC issues. In 2023, he trained and sat for his high-pressure boiler license and passed with flying colors. No matter what the task is—from electrical, mechanical repairs, project planning, or fabrications—Tom is our go-to guy in the finished products departments. We are very happy to have Tom as part of our team and are honored to name him the 2023 Employee of the Year! Great job and thank you for all that you do!
Hancock Location: Bridgton
Employee of the Year: Toni Vacca, Kitchen Inside Sales Support
Toni originally came to us as a Driver Pro, but we quickly realized that her driving skills were just the foretaste of her many talents. After earning the respect of her fellow drivers, readily handling every type of truck and delivery with great skill and competence, she decided to strike off in a new direction. When the opportunity came to take on the role of kitchen coordinator, she passionately sold us on why she was the right person for the job. After having her take on that new role, she proved very quickly that she was. Toni’s hard work, nearly perfect attention to detail, dedication to excellence, and commitment to teamwork and customer service has not only increased the profitability and performance of our kitchen department, but has also earned her the honor of being named this year’s Bridgton Employee of the Year. Thank you, Toni! We are so blessed to have you here!
Hancock Location: Mainely Trusses
Employee of the Year: George Carter, Driver Pro
In the world of professional achievement, there are standout individuals who not only meet but exceed expectations, while leaving an indelible mark on their workplace. George’s unwavering dedication, exceptional work ethic, and positive attitude sets the bar high! George joined our team 19 years ago, instantly becoming an integral part of our delivery team. From day one, his vast experience and skills as a professional class A driver were obvious! One of George’s most remarkable qualities is his ability to tackle challenges with creative and innovative thinking. No task is too daunting, no jobsite too challenging, and he consistently finds quick solutions to complex problems. His ingenuity has not only streamlined processes within his department, but has also inspired those around him to think outside the box. Naming George the 2023 Employee of the Year award is a small token of our appreciation for his tireless efforts and significant contribution to the company. His lead-by-example style encourages each member of our team to strive for excellence and embrace a positive, can-do attitude. Congratulations, George!
Hancock Location: Windham
Employee of the Year: Kabe Micklon, Inside Sales Support
Kabe has been chosen for this award for his outstanding contributions and exemplary work ethic. Throughout the year, Kabe consistently demonstrated a high level of dedication, team spirit, and professionalism. His ability to take on many challenging tasks with enthusiasm has significantly contributed to the success of fellow employees, as well as the entire location. Kabe’s positive attitude and collaborative spirit have not only fostered a productive work environment, but also contributed greatly to the growth of others. Kabe is amazing in helping newer team members learn and be successful in their roles. His exceptional performance and commitment to our location make him a deserving recipient of this award. Earning this award helps us recognize and appreciate Kabe’s significant impact on our 2023 success—we look forward to his continued contributions in the future. Congratulations to Kabe, Windham’s well-deserved Employee of the Year!
Hancock Location: Retail Operations Center
Employee of the Year: Will Bailey, Help Desk Coordinator
Will joined Team Hancock in 2020 as a Driver Pro and pivoted soon after, when the company reconfigured its technology team and Help Desk system. Anyone who has interacted with Will knows what an invaluable member of the team he is—responsive, an effective communicator, and always positive. Will has fielded over 2,200 help desk tickets since 2022, each one with the same level of care and attention as the next. Will has helped transform the company’s Help Desk process and customer service—he’s an unsung hero for the way in which he approaches his work and the sense of urgency he has to help all of our team members with their technical issues. Thank you Will, and congratulations on earning the well-deserved honor of Employee of the Year—we are all thankful you’re on Team Hancock!
