Ben A. Moyhew Retires As President After Fifry Yeors Wirh The Fordyce Lumber Compony

With 53 years of service to the lumber industry, one of the south's leading lumbermen, Ben A. Mayhew, retired last month as president of the Fordyce Lumber Company, Fordyce, Arkansas. He was succeeded bv E. C. Gates.

The retirement came as Mr. Mayhew completed 50 years of service with the Fordyce company. Edward C. Crossett, chairman of the board, announced the retirement at a commemorative dinner for Mayhew at Santa Barbara, California, July 20.

"While Mr. Mayhew is retiring from active day-to-day management of the company, he will continue to serve at a policy-making level on the board of directors," the announcement said. He will also continue to serve on the board of directors and as a vice-president of the Crossett Company, an organization affiliated with the Fordyce Company.

Ben Mayhew was first introduced to the lumber industry in 1901 when he became a stenographer, bill clerk and general office man with the Forest Hardwood Manu- facturing Company in Little Rock. That December he moved to the Amos Kent Lumber & Brick Company at Kentwood, La., and, after seven months, he moved to a better position with the Gifford Lumber Company, Gifford, Ark. The Globe Lumber Company at Yellorv Pine, f,a., was the place of his next employment and then he moved to the Trinity County Lumber Company at Groveton, Texas. When he left there in July of 1904 he became a stenographer for the Fordy.ce Lumber Company. Here he remained for 50 years, serving in more than half a dozen capa,cities.

In 1925 Mayhew became assistant manager of the Fordyce Company, and 10 years later moved up to acting manager when D. C. Gates lesigned as manager. In January, 1936, he was made manager, the fifth person to hold that title in the history of the company.

When he moved into the manager's chair, he had long been acquainted with all phases of operations. Nearly I 5 years before he had taken over the purchase of land and timber for the company, and during the time he rvas charged with this responsibility, both the land and the board feet of timber were more than doubled.

In 794I-42 he also served as acting manager of the Crossett Lumber Company. It was in 1950 that Ben IVlayhew was elected president of the Fordyce Company. He is a member of the board of directors and a vice-

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