Portland lumber heavyweight Hampton Lumber has parted ways with its chief executive and turned back to a familiar name to run the company, at least for now. The family-owned firm confirmed that longtime executive Steve Zika is serving as interim leader after the change, which was announced Thursday. The company offered no public explanation for the move and declined to discuss details when contacted, a quiet response that stood in contrast to the attention the shakeup drew given Hampton’s sizable footprint in the Pacific Northwest lumber market.
According to the Portland Business Journal, Hampton, which the outlet notes is the seventh-largest U.S. lumber firm, confirmed the leadership change but would not say why. The report says Zika is serving in an interim capacity while the board evaluates its next steps.
Portland firm with a wide footprint
Hampton describes itself as a fourth-generation, family-owned company based in Portland that operates nine sawmills across Oregon, Washington and British Columbia and employs roughly 1,700 people, according to Hampton Lumber. The site also states that the firm manages about 290,000 acres of Sustainable Forestry Initiative-certified timberland and lists its headquarters at 9600 SW Barnes Road in Portland.
Who just left
The CEO who stepped down was Randy Schillinger, who was named chief executive in mid-2023 after the retirement of longtime leader Steve Zika, as reported by HBS Dealer. Schillinger joined from Pacific Woodtech and had been steering Hampton through plant consolidation and expansion projects.
Why the timing matters
The leadership change comes as Hampton is juggling major investments alongside consolidation. In 2025 the company announced plans for a $225 million sawmill in South Carolina, according to Portland Business Journal, while in 2024 it closed a Banks, Oregon mill amid weak markets, as reported by Pulp & Paper. Those moves, a mix of expansion and retrenchment, leave the company facing strategic choices that often prompt boards to reassess leadership…