Forest Resources Association
Contributor
The Forest Resources Association (FRA) and STIHL Incorporated honored Gray Logging, LLC., of Madison, as the National Outstanding Logger at FRA’s 2021 virtual annual meeting on Wednesday, May 19. A large group of family, friends and colleagues attended the virtual meeting to watch former FRA Chairman Lee Alexander of International Paper honor Jerry Gray during the Zoom session. Gray received an honorary wooden plaque and a $1,000 check from STIHL. Gray Logging was one of five regional finalists for the prestigious national award.
Jerry thanked Chairman Alexander and FRA and stated it was a great honor to receive the National Outstanding Logger Award for 2021. He praised his father, W.C. Gray, who started the business in 1971, and his wife, Ginger Gray, who is active in the business’s day-to-day operations. “I’ve always said that I have the best employees in the Southeastern U.S., and now I can say that I have the best employees in the Nation,” said Gray. “It is a great honor, and I’m so proud and humbled.”
Jerry is a 40-year veteran of the timber industry, a Florida Master Logger and a Certified Tree Farmer. He is the current vice president of the Southeastern Wood Producers Association and a member of both the Florida Forestry Association and the American Loggers Council. The entire Gray family is active in their local community by sponsoring a college scholarship fund, a week-long hunting and fishing trip for combat marines and their children (including a tour of local logging operations and consuming mills) and routinely sponsoring Fellowship of Christian Athletes and little league ball teams. Furthermore, Jerry was the driving force behind the creation of a CDL Driving School at a local community college, and he actively contributes to the Log a Load for Kids program.
Gray Logging, LLC was “Florida District Logger of The Year” in 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2010. In 2010, Gray Logging, LLC was recognized as “Florida Logger of the Year.” The company was also awarded the FRA Southeastern Region Outstanding Logger Award in 2010 and 2020.
FRA’s Outstanding Logger Award program is designed to raise the visibility of professional logging contractors and to encourage other loggers to adopt the performance of the award winners. The Regional Award winner becomes a nominee for FRA’s National Outstanding Logger recognition. For over thirty years, STIHL Incorporated has served as sponsor of FRA’s Regional and National Outstanding Logger Awards.
The FRA promotes the interest of forest products industry members in building federal public policy engagement, enhancing supply chain relations and addressing forest operations challenges. It is the only national association to represent all sectors of the wood supply chain, and members are represented in 49 states and 377 Congressional Districts.
Employees at Gray's Logging, LLC consist of Josh Ensminger, Ashton Day, Kyle Cilio, Steve Shults, Richard Hunter, Edward Hutchinson, Dean Tuten, Andrew Hodge, Greg Hackle, Jonie Taylor, Wayne Hunt, Roland Brumbley, Archie Edwards, Alan Horne, Anthony Ivory, Gus Williams, Brian Kennedy, Rudy Koon, Coleman Garrison, Danny Kersey, Frankie Hodge, John Needham, Ray Coker, Scott Wheeler, Terrance Watts, Tommy Blackshear and Coleman Garrison.
The company is owned and operated by Jerry Gray.
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