Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) was pleased to present its 2024 Awards of Excellence at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa yesterday, with Tolko Industries’ Brad Thorlakson being awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates visionary leaders who have made remarkable and sustained contributions to the forest products sector.
"Brad Thorlakson’s impact on the forest sector and on FPAC has been profound. He has guided Tolko Industries, a proud BC-based family business, for many years with visionary leadership and a deep commitment to Tolko employees, community well-being, and sustainability," said Derek Nighbor, FPAC President and CEO. "Brad’s decades of leadership and engagement have benefited the sector well beyond Tolko. Through his many years of volunteerism on the FPAC Board of Directors, our staff and his peers have witnessed his commitment to promoting the good work happening in Canada’s mills and forests and advocating for government policies that will better support forestry workers and their families,” Nighbor added.
Brad Thorlakson served as Tolko’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from 2010 to 2024 before transitioning to the role of Executive Chairman.
He began his career at the Lavington Planer Mill, rising through the ranks to become Vice President of Marketing and Sales before assuming the role of President and CEO. As the third generation of the Thorlakson family to lead Tolko, Brad has been instrumental in guiding the company’s growth while maintaining its core values of safety, sustainability, and excellence in product delivery.
In addition to his role at Tolko, Brad has been an active and influential member of the forest industry community.
He serves as a member of the Forest Products Association of Canada, Director and Co-Chair on the BC Lumber Trade Council, and is an active participant in the BC Manufacturers’ Advisory Group (MAG) CEO Safety Committee. Brad also represents Canada West on the Softwood Lumber Board, further demonstrating his dedication to the industry.
"My grandfather began our legacy in the forest industry 68 years ago. As a generational, family-owned company, I feel incredibly proud to continue and grow what he and my father built; a company committed to safety, with people who are passionate about sustainable forest management, while delivering incomparable products to our customers," said Thorlakson. "It is an honor to be recognized by FPAC as being a leader in sustainable forest management," Thorlakson added.
FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. As an industry with annual revenues exceeding $97B, Canada’s forest products sector is one of the country’s largest employers operating in over 600 communities, providing 200,000 direct jobs, and over 370,000 indirect jobs across the country. Our members are committed to collaborating with Indigenous leaders, government bodies, and other key stakeholders to develop a cross-Canada action plan aimed at advancing forest health, while supporting workers, communities, and our environment for the long term.
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