Ben Crim, Vice President of Engineering & Environmental Management for Hood Industries, is set to retire at the end of this month after a 30-year career with the wood products manufacturer and distributor. Hood Industries is an SFPA Lumber Manufacturer Member, and Ben Crim was active with SFPA and served on SFPA Expo Committee for many years.
Ben joined Hood Industries on Valentine’s Day of 1990 as the Director of Engineering & Environmental Services, becoming corporate employee “number 8” when he joined the team. During his career, he has worked for all three Presidents of the company – John Galloway, Sr., Don Grimm, and Jay Galloway. Ben was a single person department until 2011, when Jason Byrd joined the company as Corporate Maintenance & Reliability Manager. He was named Vice President in May of 2012 and currently leads a team of seven Project Managers and Engineers.
Ben’s career in wood products spans nearly 49 years. After graduating from LSU in 1971 with an Industrial Engineering degree, he went to work for the Hines Lumber Company in Hines, OR. Prior to joining Hood Industries, Ben spent 13 years with Temple Inland as a Staff Engineer before taking on a role in operations as a Plant Manager.
During his career with Hood Industries, Ben has held a number of committee and advisory roles with the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA), Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and the Mississippi Engineering Society. He was a past Chairman of the Title V Advisory Council for MDEQ, having been appointed to the council by former Lt. Governors Phil Bryant and Tate Reeves. Ben has also represented the company at a number of American Plywood Association (APA) events.
Upon his retirement, Ben plans to play golf, spend time with his 12 grandchildren, and travel with his wife, Vicki. When asked about his favorite memory from his time with Hood Industries, Ben said, “By far it’s the people. Hood is a great company and a well-kept secret, although the secret is starting to get out. I’ll miss the people the most – I’m already starting to miss them.” Ben added that he never saw this as a job. He was always doing something different and had fun every day. Upon announcing Ben’s retirement, Hood Industries President Jay Galloway said, “It has been a privilege for me to work with Ben at different levels throughout my career. He has been a true professional and valued colleague. I wish him all the best in this new phase of his life.”