Boise Cascade announced that long‑time CEO Nate Jorgensen will retire effective March 2, 2026, and that Chief Operating Officer Jeff Strom will become president and CEO effective March 3, 2026. The transition follows a deliberate succession plan designed to preserve continuity of strategy and operations.
Strom, a 34‑year veteran of the building‑materials industry and former EVP of Boise Cascade’s Building Materials Distribution (BMD) division, has been with the company for 19 years and became COO in January 2025. His promotion signals a continued emphasis on the integrated model that blends engineered wood manufacturing with wholesale distribution, a core driver of the company’s revenue mix.
The announcement, made on December 4, 2025, came after Jorgensen’s notification of retirement on December 1. Jorgensen, who led Boise Cascade for six years, will remain on the board as a director, providing continuity during the transition.
Management highlighted that the decision not to backfill the COO role reflects a streamlining of the executive structure, allowing Strom to focus on both operational oversight and strategic initiatives. Chairman Tom Carlile praised Jorgensen’s leadership through the pandemic and growth period, while Strom emphasized the company’s commitment to people and operational excellence.
The CEO change occurs amid a challenging market environment for the building‑materials sector, with elevated interest rates and housing affordability pressures dampening demand. Boise Cascade’s Q3 2025 results showed a 75% year‑over‑year decline in adjusted earnings, driven by a loss in the Wood Products segment and a drop in the BMD segment’s income. The transition is therefore positioned to reinforce the company’s focus on its high‑margin distribution business while navigating headwinds in manufacturing.
Analysts expect the new leadership to maintain the company’s integrated strategy and to pursue disciplined capital deployment. Strom’s deep experience in BMD is viewed as an asset for sustaining revenue growth in the distribution arm, while the company’s ongoing cost‑control initiatives aim to mitigate margin compression in the wood‑products segment.
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