Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing great work to enhance our forests throughout British Columbia. This month, we feature Jake Power, President and Managing Director of Power Wood, an environmentally friendly cedar supplier and producer of customized value-added wood products based in Agassiz, B.C.
Jake’s interest in forestry began at a young age, growing up in a family with three generations of experience in lumber distribution and manufacturing. That early passion eventually led him to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Wood Products Processing from the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry.
“I grew up around Power Wood, as my parents started the company when I was twelve years old,” he said. “I actually left the university program early to work at Power Wood, and a few years later, after purchasing the company, I returned to complete my degree.”
As the current Managing Director, Jake leads Power Wood’s Executive Team. In addition to this, he is responsible for setting and maintaining the company’s vision and culture, managing and projecting capital needs and financing, as well as overseeing corporate development, which includes managing high-level relationships.
Above all, Jake appreciates the opportunities to collaborate with, mentor, and learn from his team of sixty employees and external partners daily.
“I feel grateful for the leadership opportunities that this role has given me,” he noted. “I love that we have been able to build a company that plays an important role in the economy and community we live in.”
Jake believes there should be greater public awareness of the lumber economy along the Fraser River in the Lower Mainland.
“The collaboration, value-add, and trade that happens within a few miles of the river to get the highest value for British Columbia’s best resources is very important to the province’s economy. It is somewhat hidden from the public, but I think any British Columbian who spent the day touring the river, along with the surrounding mills and remanufacturing plants, would be amazed at the vertical integration and efficiency of trade on par with the amazement and awe we all experience when we are immersed in British Columbia’s forests,” he explained.
For him, the lumber manufacturing ecosystem is an extension and reflection of the health of our forest ecosystem. While both are world class, they are both experiencing threats – the softwood lumber dispute, climate change, conflicting policies, and political and activist movements, to name a few.
“Proper forest management starts with a cohesive vision that recognizes that the threats won’t ever go away entirely, and we need to build forest management that is resilient to the threats and supports ecosystem health both in the forest and in the value-added manufacturing sector,” he added.
Thank you, Jake, for your leadership and passion for enhancing British Columbia’s wood resources through sustainable practices that benefit both our environment and people.