Rebecca’s horse, Gunner, photobombs her selfie at her home and ranch outside Columbia Falls.
A fifth-generation Montanan, Rebecca Hamilton spent nearly 30 years working in Seattle. Her journey home to Columbia Falls began with a visit to her aging parents in 2014, when she coincidentally met her future husband, Olen. Soon after, she decided to move back permanently.
“I was uncertain about my next job in Seattle,” Rebecca says. “Luckily, there was a job opening at our MDF mill that fit my experience. I’d worked there just after high school, when it was run by Plum Creek, so I knew about the site already. Coming home was an easy choice for me.”
Today, Rebecca reflects on that decision made 11 years ago with confidence it was the right one. She and Olen have settled on a small cattle ranch outside town, where she works in a sales support role at the mill.
“At work and at home, I feel so grateful,” she says. “I’m really satisfied with how everything has turned out. I’m looking forward to many more years with this fantastic company, in this great town in this great state.”
A close-up of Rebecca’s garden reveals the passion, care and creativity she invests in her favorite hobby.
MEET REBECCA
Your title is MDF customer service representative. Tell us what you do.
I support our internal sales team, which sells the medium-density fiberboard produced at our Columbia Falls MDF plant. We have four sales reps on-site, along with one in Oregon and another in Florida. I’m one of three customer service reps. Our main responsibilities include entering orders for production at the mill, answering customer calls, and ensuring that sales, production and delivery remain coordinated so we can meet and surpass customer expectations. Over the years, we’ve established a high standard of service excellence for our MDF customers across North America. Our product is regarded as the industry’s gold standard for quality and it’s highly valued for use in various applications, including kitchen cabinets and furniture.
Have you always done this type of work?
My career has been rooted in customer service. When I first worked at the Columbia Falls mill after high school, I was here for four years. When I first moved to Seattle I supported transportation and logistics for marine and rail shipments to Alaska through two different companies. Then I also worked in a logistics role at Starbucks during a time of rapid expansion.
Throughout my career, I’ve frequently worked for and collaborated with industry leaders. It’s rewarding to be the top performer in the MDF world, but I know we can’t rely on our reputation to keep the top spot. We have to continually find ways to improve.
Tell us what your day is like.
It mainly involves emails! I check on orders and ensure they ship on time during our typical two-week production cycle. If there’s a delay, I want to know about it before the customer does, so I can work with the mill and scheduler to find a proactive solution for the customer. I also spend a lot of time monitoring inventory at the two field warehouses that I support (we have 8 warehouses across the U.S.), ensuring customers receive what they need promptly. Not having enough stock affects our customers and their supply chains. At the same time, managing inventory also means avoiding excess stock, so we keep a close watch on that as well.
Rebecca, in the center wearing a white apron, and her Columbia Falls team members gather during a barbecue and taco bar volunteer event at the Montana Veterans’ Home.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Satisfying customers. If they call to ask about an order or want to place one, it’s nice to be able to say with certainty, “I’ve got it and will ship it to you.” It sounds so simple, but it really does brighten their day — and mine, too.
You must have some challenges. What are they?
If the mill has production challenges, those cascade to us, too. We strive to maintain sufficient inventory to accommodate potential production delays or staffing shortages. We’re a great employer with excellent benefits, and we have a great location just outside Glacier National Park, but we sometimes face staffing shortages that become production challenges.
Tell us something about your job that might surprise people.
A surprise in the Weyerhaeuser world: Sales and customer service staff are now present at the mill. This helps us resolve customer issues quickly. For example, if a customer complains about sanding, we can speak directly with the sanding operator. We also have an instant view of production, as we can walk to the office window and see the mill. We regularly hold face-to-face meetings with other teams at the mill, and sales representatives are included in daily key performance indicators meetings.
What advice would you give people who want a job like yours?
It’s pretty straightforward: Pay attention to details, learn the materials, be able to describe them to customers, understand logistics and know what customers want.
Members of the MDF sales and customer service team take a break at their office in the mill. The mill co-location allows for real-time problem solving with mill personnel and streamlined communication. From left (moving clockwise): Debbie Skalsky, Marla Chappell, Rebecca, Patrick Cowan and Sandy Webb.
Who are your customers?
The mill, first and foremost. It has incredible cut-to-size capabilities to produce over 3,000 different products, and it’s essential to ensure the right one is selected and fed into the mill’s production schedule. Doing so ensures the mill runs smoothly — when the mill operates efficiently, customers are satisfied.
What do you appreciate about your team?
I value the diversity, including a mix of men and women, different levels of experience and a variety of backgrounds from other industries. Everyone contributes something unique.
When you were young, what did you want to do?
I didn’t have a distinct career choice, but my mother says I was organized and bossy (in a nice way!). She always knew I’d find a place where I could take control and make good things happen.
Tell us about your other interests. What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
I live just outside town, where my husband raises cattle and I maintain large vegetable and flower gardens. Gardening allows me to be creative while enjoying the outdoors. I’m also involved with the Columbia Falls Food Bank, a cause close to my heart and supported by many Weyerhaeuser employees as well as the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund. Food security is easy to take for granted, yet too many in our community struggle to put food on the table.
