Recognizing growing opportunities in America’s lumber market, Vaughn Woodward (Woody) and Keith Messamaker came together to create Frontier Forest Products in November 2005. Much has changed in the industry over the past 20 years, but Frontier’s commitment to its customers, vendors, and partners remains stronger than ever.
“We want to see prosperity at every level,” affirms Rusty Arnold, who wears multiple hats at Frontier, including Co-Owner, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Executive Officer. “We want to be prosperous; we want our customers to be prosperous, and we want mills to be prosperous. The only way you can achieve that is by working together and communicating.”
Believing in open, honest, face-to-face communication, Arnold continues to uphold Frontier’s mission and values: do what’s right, do it effectively and efficiently, ask questions and communicate, QTIP (“Quit Taking It Personally”), and stay humble.
Founded on experience
Prior to establishing Frontier, Woodward and Messamaker devoted much of their careers to the lumber industry. They worked at other lumber distribution companies serving the Kansas City market, eventually landing at Continental Timber based out of Wichita but with a facility in Kansas City. After a decade and a half, the duo created Frontier Forest Products with the blessing of Continental’s owner.
In September 2015, Arnold joined the company after working at a competitor that was a nationwide company and owned by a fund. He saw the writing on the wall! “I wasn’t built for the corporate world; that wasn’t my forte,” he says. “I hold my people in higher respect. People aren’t numbers and I believe in trust with the FFP team while holding myself and my co-workers accountable. We are a team and teams work together.”
Woody retired in 2021, with Messamaker and Arnold buying out his share.
To this day, Arnold is grateful for making the move to Frontier and being afforded the opportunity to work for a company—and an industry—he loves. He speaks about Woody and Keith with great respect. “They’ve been fantastic bosses and partners, and I can’t thank them enough,” he says. “They’ve given me the opportunity I always wanted as an entrepreneurial spirit. It’s been a fun run so far, but there’s so much more to do.” Rusty and Keith are currently working out details of the next buyout, which will see Rusty as the majority owner.
Forward-thinking
Rusty Arnold is dedicated to Frontier’s growth and stability not only today, but also into the future. “I intend for my leadership team to have share ownership, and over the next 16 years to put it in a position so the company will thrive as the younger generation takes the helm. Seeking to be the best leader possible for the company’s employees, he is committed to taking the company to the next level and educating the younger leadership group.
When he joined the company, it had one location in Kansas City. In 2017, Frontier opened its office and yard in Tulsa/Sand Springs, Oklahoma. The years to come saw additional sites in West Des Moines, Iowa and an office and warehouse in Wichita/Valley Center, Kansas.
To ensure customers get the products they need quickly and efficiently, Frontier Forest Products works with many well-known vendors, such as Roseburg Forest Products, Louisiana Pacific, Vaagen Bros., Georgia-Pacific Wood Products, Sierra Pacific Industries, Stimson Lumber, and West Fraser, to name a few. Lumber products supplied by the company include boards, treated wood, plywood, studs, oriented strand board (OSB), dimension lumber, and rebar.
Partners in success
“One key to success as a business, a partner, and a vendor, is respecting one another,” says Arnold. “We will always give a straight answer and have products for our customers at a fair price. We will make each other profitable, and Frontier Forest Products will be known as a sustainable, legacy company.”
No matter the type of business, it is important to support one another for long-term prosperity and survival. This ties into Arnold’s three-point vision of knowledge, trust, and faith. By constantly talking to the lumber mills, his team gathers firsthand information about the industry, where the market is trending, and how to best navigate it. FFP employees are always working to identify market opportunities and take these opportunities to the customer, believing in working with mills to help move their products.
“We hope they use the market information to their benefit, and appreciate the value we provide, versus seeing us as trying to close a sale,” he says. “We want to see them thrive, and we hope they want to see us thrive. The same goes for the mills. We should all be talking to mills daily and asking, ‘How can I help you today?’”
He believes that this includes maintaining human connections instead of relying solely on technology. In an industry that used to be driven by in-person meetings and phone calls, many are now pushing artificial intelligence (AI) instead of building on personal relationships. Too many mills want to do everything online instead of having genuine conversations. Even with young leadership, this is an old-school value that Frontier Forest Products embraces.
“What I’m seeing out there is a lack of communication and relationship-building,” states Arnold. “This industry is so fast paced that if you make a call to a mill at 8:30 in the morning and you don’t hear back until 1 o’clock, I’ve already lost the business. Sometimes I get an email five or six hours later, or don’t even get an email back. I grew up talking one on one—that’s how you develop a gut instinct that enables you to navigate a company.”
Being in a fast paced, high-commodity industry means it can be critical to hear someone’s voice and better glean what they are thinking. “I think we are allowing technology to lead us down a path that destroys that human connection,” says Arnold. “It can be utilized equally and be good for everybody, but I think we are potentially losing sight of how best to use it.”
A big believer in respect, Arnold says it is vital to treat customers, vendors, and industry partners well, which extends to Frontier itself. “The new motto I am slowly integrating into our company is: ‘Serving Large and Small Alike.’ I don’t care if you’re big or if you’re small; you’re getting the same treatment. I don’t believe in treating anybody differently… when it comes to servicing, everybody gets the same treatment.”
Internally, respect and loyalty go a long way at Frontier Forest Products. When Arnold says he wants employees to have a well-balanced life, he means it. This includes workers going to see their kid play baseball at two in the afternoon if their work gets done. Every week, Arnold posts a Thought for the Day emphasizing responsible leadership, shining a light on the company, and highlighting its positive culture.
“We constantly strive to be on the forefront of what’s coming in the lumber industry, and do what’s best for our customers,” he says. “Helping each other comes full circle; hopefully, by doing that, we can gain trust, build faith, and implement the promises we set out to achieve. Those steps—knowledge, trust, and faith in delivering on our promises—are the long-term goals of any company. Our customers who appreciate those three things come to us for those reasons.”
