Richard Baxter Named President At Family Firm

Richard H. Baxter has been named president and chief executive officer of J. H. Baxter & Co., San Mateo, Ca-, as part of a major reorganization of the l0Gyear-old company.

Baxter's sister, Georgia BaxterKrause, was named vice president and Michael Spies, director of operations. N. V. "Nick" Poletika, retiring president and ceo, will remain as a consultant to the company through the end of 1995. C. L. "Chuck" Stoddard, who has 30 years experience in the industry, joined the company Nov. I as manager of engineering services.

Sande Lavino and Bill Yuen also are on the management team.

Promotion of Baxter, 33, to the company's top post carries on a mdition initiated by his great grandfather who established the business with his brother in the late 1800s. Baxter learned the business from the ground up, once typical of family businesses, but somewhat rare today. At age 18, he began work for the company as a pole framer and forester.

He later was a general laborer and equipment operator at Baxter's Arlington, Wa., plant. In 1984, after taking time out to attend Menlo Business School, Menlo Park, Ca., he became a forestef at the Baxter plant in Eugene, Or. As he progressed in the company, he had a myriad of responsibilities, including forestry, sales, sales service and treating supervisor. He was promoted to corporate headquarters as assistant o the presidentin1992.

Baxter-Krause, 30, was graduated from Stanford University, Palo Alto, with a BS in environmental policy in 1990 and joined the fanily company as an environmental technician. As vice president of technical and environmental services, she will be re-

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