This award is given annually to a select group of Hancock Lumber employees whose positive attitudes, commitment to quality and focus on customer service combine to serve as a living example of the core values of our company. Employee of the Year award recipients are held in high regard by their peers and set a standard for enthusiastic and effective work for others to respect and emulate. By recognizing them with this award, Hancock Lumber is thanking them for their exceptional contributions to our company and looking to them as a leading example of what the Hancock spirit represents.
Morgan Sweetser – BETHEL SAWMILL
Ever since joining the company in January 2017, Morgan Sweetser has been an integral part of Team Hancock Bethel. Morgan began his career in the sawmill, and quickly became an efficient operator, learning almost every piece of equipment by the end of his first year.
In 2019, Morgan came to a crossroads where he had an opportunity to join the maintenance department or continue down the path of a lead role in sawmill operations. Morgan has a passion for hands-on work, including working on vehicles and other equipment at home as a hobby. After much consideration and with this in mind, Morgan took the opportunity to become a millwright—and never looked back!
Morgan’s positive attitude, backyard skillset, and intuitive manner have helped him develop into a top-notch mechanic. Additionally, the operational skills he has to fully understand the equipment combine to make him and effective and successful millwright. On top of that, Morgan is one of the most positive people you could ever work with—no matter what the task, he always approaches it with a smile and can-do attitude!
Thank you, Morgan, for your strong dedication, great personality, and your daily contribution to the team. None of this goes unnoticed! Congratulations, Morgan, on being Bethel’s Employee of the Year!
Tom Cary – BRIDGTON
Tom Cary is the ideal for dependability. His work ethic is as strong as steel. He the first in to open the gate in the morning and often the first to clear it. From Rangeley to Raymond and Franconia, NH to Farmington, ME, Tom covers a vast territory. He travels thousands of miles each year delivering Hancock Lumber millwork to our customers. When Tom shows up, our customers know they can expect a true professional with a positive, can-do attitude combined with a strong commitment to safety and customer service—traits the entire Bridgton team conveys.
Tom has more hustle and grit than many men half his age. He is also flexible and willing to take on whatever unique and challenging requests there are to do. He’s even been known to successfully sit in the shipper’s chair from time to time. Nearly a two-decade Hancock Lumber veteran, Tom is exactly what we hope any aspiring new employee strives to become. Hancock Lumber is undoubtedly a better place by having Tom on the team.
Congratulations, and thank you, Tom!
Jeffery Franklin – CASCO RETAIL
It is with great pleasure to announce that Casco Retail + Bargain Barn’s 2020 Employee of the Year is Jeffery Franklin. Jeffery Started his career with Hancock Lumber in November of 2018 as a Yard Pro. He quickly stood out as a safe, hard-working, dedicated team player. Additionally, Jeffrey always demonstrates a great work ethic and communicates well with his fellow employees and customers.
He was promoted to Safety Coordinator in July of 2019 where he has helped turn Casco into what it is today—a Safety Pro site! Jeffrey became Casco’s Yard Foreman shortly after his 1 year anniversary. He helps keeps our yard clean and safe at all times. He offers top notch customer service and a positive attitude each and every day. Jeffrey is the type of guy who always is willing to help others, and never expects anything in return. It is not uncommon to see Jeffrey check in vendors, work the register, stock pine or shovel snow on any given day.
“I knew from the very first time I met Jeffery that I wanted to hire him to work for me. The Casco team is very grateful to have you on our team! Thank you and congratulations on earning such a great honor!” –Mark Morisette, Casco Retail GM
Tony Wolfe – MAINELY TRUSSES
A member of the Mainely Trusses team since January of 2012, Tony continually works at improving himself, others around him, and ultimately the entire organization. Extremely versatile and a valuable contributor in all areas of the truss manufacturing process, Tony sets an example for everyone around him. His productivity in the cutting and assembly operations are among the best, all while maintaining excellent safety and quality standards!
Proactive in sharing his observations and ideas, Tony is always looking for ways to make Mainely Trusses safer. Whenever a “little extra” was needed in 2020, Tony was always willing to contribute. Tony is extremely reliable and respectful, communicates well, and has a positive attitude that always brings morale up.
Tony is the type of person you rely on and depend upon—we are lucky to have him on the team. Congratulations, Tony, for earning this Employee of the Year accolade!
Nick Milose – WINDHAM
Nick joined Hancock Lumber Windham in 2016 as a Driver Pro. Always a team player and safe operator, Nick really stepped up in 2020 to help by training on the boom truck as well as passing his crane certification exam. In addition, Nick has also trained several other new Driver Pros company-wide. Nick always takes the extra time and effort to make sure new Driver Pros know how to do things safely and with customer service top of mind.
A true Hancock brand ambassador, Nick cares about what he does every day. He is always looking out for his coworkers, the company, and our customers. This year Nick’s flexibility and versatility also stood out, as there were many days he started his day in a box truck and ended it in a flat bed. We appreciate his great attitude and willingness to do whatever the team needs to make things happen for our location and our customers.
Great job, Nick, and thank you!
Cassidy Storey – YARMOUTH
I am pleased and extremely proud to announce that the Yarmouth Employee of the Year for 2020 is Cassidy Storey. At our location we asked all employees to select the top three candidates they’d choose for the award—and, Cassidy won this year. With little knowledge of this industry other than it was where her father spent much of his time, Cassidy began as a Counter Pro in 2015.
Over the past six years she has matured and taken on many roles and responsibilities while still being one of the friendly faces to greet our customers. Many customers express how enjoyable their experiences are when they come to the Yarmouth location because of the friendly and helpful counter staff.
Cassidy also embraces Hancock’s everybody leads culture and offers ideas and suggestions on how to improve the Hancock experience. She is an avid animal lover and created the “dog wall” with pictures and names of all the canine friends that have visited over the years. As more and more dogs were added, she had to shrink the size of their photos twice to make sure they all fit. Dogs love visiting, as they are greeted with affection and a treat. Last year Cassidy’s role expanded to help support our very busy Project Pro business by reviewing vendor order acknowledgements for accuracy. This has helped reduce order errors all while improving the customer experience.
Perhaps the reason so many employees felt Cassidy was deserving of this award is that she is a great teammate and is always willing to help her co-workers. Wise beyond her years, she has tremendous empathy for her teammates intuitively understanding what causes stress for her co-workers and how that is triggered. Team Hancock Yarmouth is stronger because of the caring and compassionate leadership Cassidy offers. –Harland Storey
Geneva Coleman – NORTH CONWAY
Hancock Lumber was very fortunate to have Geneva join the team a year and a half ago as an Inside Sales Coordinator in North Conway. Geneva came to us with both retail and wholesale lumber experience. She proved very quickly what a valuable team member she would be. The enthusiasm, energy, and outgoing personality she brings to work every day is a tremendous asset!
Geneva is always willing to do whatever is asked of her, is well respected, and works well with all of teammates. She has strong customer service skills and has been a valuable asset in building relationships with our contractor customers. Her attention to detail and the timely and efficient way she goes about her daily business are a few other reasons she has been awarded North Conway’s 2020 Employee of the Year.
Geneva, everyone at Hancock Lumber thanks you for all that you do! Congratulations on earning this well-deserved award!
Chris Harrington – KENNEBUNK
Chris is a member of the Kennebunk operations team and is always willing to put in the extra time. As an Order Coordinator, Chris understands the impact on the bigger picture if things are not done accurately and timely.
Chris is always a great team player who leads with a positive attitude. All of his teammates agree he is a pleasure to work with and be around! Chris willingly shares his knowledge and constructively advises others in the yard.
Motivated and ambitious, Chris continuously strives to learn new responsibilities outside of his primary role. Thank you, Chris, for being a great asset to our team in Kennebunk and helping make Hancock Lumber a best place to work!
Michael Michaud – BRUNSWICK
Michael started his career with Hancock Lumber in August of 2013 as a Driver Pro. He quickly proved his abilities as a safe, proficient, and skilled driver operating many different kinds of delivery vehicles. After his time as a Driver Pro, Michael joined the Yard team as an outside receiver/millwork receiver—a role he excelled at. Any time he was not unloading trucks, he pitched in to help out the yard crew with anything that needed to be accomplished.
After spending time in the yard, Michael decided to try his skills at the front counter. This is the role you will find him today when visiting the Brunswick store. Michael does a great job with customer service and is always willing to help customers with their projects. As a coworker, he is a great asset to the Brunswick team. He is a problem solver and will find a solution to almost any situation. Michael’s experience across multiple job roles combined with his willingness to always jump in no matter the task, make him an incredibly valuable team member.
Congratulations, Michael, on earning Brunswick’s Employee of the Year for 2020—we’re so fortunate to have you on our team!
Jeff Myles – DAMARISCOTTA
While 2020 was a challenging year for our business on many levels, our people continued to shine. Despite the obstacles, our people rose to the occasion and tackled every challenge head on—no one served as a better example of that than Jeff Myles. Jeff started his Hancock career as a Counter Pro in the fall of 2018 and has excelled ever since. His welcoming personality, quick wittedness, and extensive background in material sales made him a big hit with our builders.
Over the course of 2020, in the face of a global pandemic and record-breaking demand for building materials, Jeff maintained his composure and sense of humor and never wavered in his approach to his day-to-day duties. Thank you and congratulations on being Damariscotta’s 2020 Employee of the Year!
Karyn Knights – HOME OFFICE
Hancock Lumber’s Home Office 2020 Employee of the Year award goes to Karyn Knights. A member of the finance team, Karyn first began working here in 1988. While she took time off in 1991, the company was fortunate to have her return in 2007. She’s been a key member of the Finance Team ever since. With a wide range of responsibilities including finance and operational leadership of Hancock Land, Hancock property LLC’s, Hancock Beach, and various finance functions for Hancock Lumber, Karyn provides excellent customer service to all internal and external customers. She is also always looking to safeguard the assets of the company.
Karyn has developed excellent working relationships with her peers and our external advisors including banks, attorneys, and auditors. Exemplifying Hancock’s culture of ‘everybody leads,’ Karyn needs little day to day direction. She is a self-starter who gets a lot accomplished in a day. She constantly thinks of others in the work that she does. In addition to her important finance team role, Karyn also monitors all of the key systems at the Home Office to ensure employees have a clean, safe, and comfortable environment. Thank you for what you do and how you do it, Karyn—congratulations on earning this honor!
Sue Merrill – SACO
Sue Merrill’s importance to the Saco team—and Hancock Lumber—cannot be overstated. Joining Team Hancock in February 2018, Sue was an instant success in helping support the Bridgton sales team. Her background in many lumberyard roles combined with her experience with modular housing gave her a unique and diverse understanding of our industry. When plans were underway to build our Saco location, Sue decided to transfer to that newest location.
In Saco, Sue has become the solid foundation the team needed. With her years of experience and abundance of knowledge—something she is always willing to share with her teammates. In addition to her role as Inside Sales Coordinator, Sue also finds time to help our front counter with customers anytime there are questions regarding product or sales. Sue’s ability to make personal connections with both customers and team members is exactly why she was a perfect fit to be Saco’s mentor to new employees.
We are very fortunate to have Sue on Team Hancock as she elevates everyone around her every day. Thank you, Sue and congratulations on being Saco’s Employee of the Year!
Aarron Hoyt – CASCO SAWMILL
May of 2021 will mark Aarron’s 15th year with Hancock Lumber. Aarron joined our team after graduating from high school and spent his first 12 years in the planer mill. Three years ago, an opportunity in our yard opened as we needed a forklift operator, and Aarron took it.
As soon as Aarron moved to the yard he started to shine. He has become one of the most flexible and talented drivers we have. Whether it’s being a part of shipping, the planer or moulder, kilns, bark and chip trucks, or loading shavings trailers, Aarron is versatile and efficient. With this role change three years ago, Aarron’s attitude and willingness to learn and grow has stood out.
No matter the task, he is always willing to do what is needed to help the team. It has been a great pleasure watching him learn. We all look forward to his continued growth for many years to come. Congratulations on earning the 2020 Employee of the Year award!
Ian Mallory – PITTSFIELD SAWMILL
Ian Mallory started with Hancock Lumber in November 2018 as a lumber handler in the planer mill. Because Ian showed a great willingness to learn and grow, he earned a promotion to moulder lead position in August 2019. During Ian’s time as the lead in the moulder, he was able to develop his team building skills. This experience that earned him the position of planer lead in November of 2019.
By February 2020 Ian exceeded all expectations as a lead and was promoted to the planer supervisor. In just three years, Ian went from a new employee to the supervisor level. He has always done his best and strived to meet and exceed any expectations set for him. In addition to his willingness to learn, grow and lead, Ian is respectful, caring, and encouraging to those around him. The relationships he has developed with the employees across all departments reflects how well he fits into the Hancock Lumber culture.
Everyone in Pittsfield is happy to have him on Team Hancock and looks forward to seeing him continue his success. Ian has become the go-to person in the planer mill. He takes great pride in the successes of his team members. If someone is having a bad day, Ian is still able to make them smile. In just a few years Ian has made a significant impact. Life here would not be the same without him. Thank you, Ian, for all you do for us every day!
Congratulations to all of our Employee of the Year recipients!
Read Chris Harrington's Story
Read Karyn Knights's Story
Read Tom Cary's Story