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Author H. Charles Pyron got right the point in his characterization of Milton Herbert in the first few paragraphs of "The Mellow Maverick." He begins by telling about himself in 1967 as a young associate professor of management at the University of Oregon School of Business.
"I had long hair, a beard and a strong belief that through education the world could become a better place to live and work," he said. He admits in that era of protest there was an especially strong hostility toward business so in the 1960s it was difficult "to show my students any examples where organizational improvement was happening in Oregon.
In the business world there was deep suspicion, even antagonism, toward the University of Oregon and its "fuzzy-minded liberals," Pyron wrote.
That was before he met Milton Herbert. Milton gladly invited the students to visit his Douglas County timber operation and to ask tough questions. "Milt Herbert not only showed my students the mill, but he let them talk to the workers and patiently answered all their tough, confrontational and sometimes hostile questions."
Pyron recalled that when his students returned to the campus they reported they couldn't believe what they had seen and heard -- it challenged all their stereotypes about business.
His openness and non judgmental attitude changed the students' outlook on business. That encounter was 40 years ago, but that ability to lead is what made Milt a giant in the timber industry and a leader in Douglas County.
Book titles always intrigue me. Pyron explained why he titled his book "The Mellow Maverick." He wrote:
"When you talk with Milt, it doesn't take long before you hear or see an example of his basic philosophy of leadership, which is 'Never say it can't be done -- always find a way to do it.'"
He chose that quote as a title, but a friend who read the manuscript said it was too long and suggested "The Mellow Maverick." Pyron didn't agree until the friend read the definition of "mellow," an adjective and "maverick," a noun and "those two words summarized Milt."
Regardless of all the accolades Pyron piles on Milt, it is obvious from Milt's own telling of the story, he could not have achieved this leadership role without his life partner, his wife Arlene. Milt and Arlene have always been very close. She helped run the business and jokingly says when they got married she had saved $300 and he only $100 so "I always said he married me for my money," she quipped.
The Herberts had two children, Billie, a daughter (now married to Tom Davidson) and Lynn, a son who is now running the lumber mill. Pyron traces Milt's pioneer roots and the work ethic he learned from his father, Ellis and from his forebearers, particularly his grandfather, Amos, was nine years old when the Herbert family came west on a wagon train from Missouri and settled along Long Tom River west of Eugene in 1846. Ellis as a young man settled in Elmira. Milt was born there on February 11, 1927. As a youth worked in his father's business, one he describes as a grocery store, feed store, gas station and restaurant. That was where he first learned the philosophy of running a business.
Interestingly, he and a friend, Chuck Hunnington became partners in a sawmill in Springfield in 1947 when he was only 19 years old. They logged with horses because "we couldn't afford anything else," he said. Eventually, Hunnington sold his partnership to Fred McKee, but when stumpage reached $16 per thousand, the two decided to move the operation to northern California where timber could be bought cheaper, but instead stopped in Canyonville when they learned they could buy stumpage for $5 per thousand.
They picked a site there and set up their portable sawmill. Milt bought McKee's interest and Herbert Lumber Co. was born. Later he moved its operation to Riddle where it is today, operated by Herbert's son, Lynn. In the ensuing years, Milt Herbert assumed a quiet leadership that led to Douglas County becoming the timber capital of the world.
One of his greatest contributions to Douglas County was his vision that helped organize what was then South Umpqua Bank and today is a mega bank simply called Umpqua Bank. Milt said he noticed that his workers were cashing their payroll checks in grocery stores and taverns in the south county and discovered the lone bank in Myrtle Creek didn't trust the timber company payroll. He talked other business leaders into organizing a bank that would give full service to the people of the region.
Pyron's book is a different type of biography. It is definitely about Milton Herbert, but it is also about Douglas County and how this county has been a mover and shaker in the state, not just some rural entity at the tail end of the state. The author collected quotations from anybody and everybody of note in Douglas County about the influence Milton Herbert had on their lives.
It is a book that is not only a great tribute to the amazing life of Milton Herbert and a story about great leadership, it is also a tribute to all those who have made this county so livable. Sadly within weeks after his book was published, Pyron died.
<i>Bill Duncan is editor of The Senior Times. He also writes a weekly column on the Opinion Page of The News-Review every Thursday.</i>
"I had long hair, a beard and a strong belief that through education the world could become a better place to live and work," he said. He admits in that era of protest there was an especially strong hostility toward business so in the 1960s it was difficult "to show my students any examples where organizational improvement was happening in Oregon.
In the business world there was deep suspicion, even antagonism, toward the University of Oregon and its "fuzzy-minded liberals," Pyron wrote.
That was before he met Milton Herbert. Milton gladly invited the students to visit his Douglas County timber operation and to ask tough questions. "Milt Herbert not only showed my students the mill, but he let them talk to the workers and patiently answered all their tough, confrontational and sometimes hostile questions."
Pyron recalled that when his students returned to the campus they reported they couldn't believe what they had seen and heard -- it challenged all their stereotypes about business.
His openness and non judgmental attitude changed the students' outlook on business. That encounter was 40 years ago, but that ability to lead is what made Milt a giant in the timber industry and a leader in Douglas County.
Book titles always intrigue me. Pyron explained why he titled his book "The Mellow Maverick." He wrote:
"When you talk with Milt, it doesn't take long before you hear or see an example of his basic philosophy of leadership, which is 'Never say it can't be done -- always find a way to do it.'"
He chose that quote as a title, but a friend who read the manuscript said it was too long and suggested "The Mellow Maverick." Pyron didn't agree until the friend read the definition of "mellow," an adjective and "maverick," a noun and "those two words summarized Milt."
Regardless of all the accolades Pyron piles on Milt, it is obvious from Milt's own telling of the story, he could not have achieved this leadership role without his life partner, his wife Arlene. Milt and Arlene have always been very close. She helped run the business and jokingly says when they got married she had saved $300 and he only $100 so "I always said he married me for my money," she quipped.
The Herberts had two children, Billie, a daughter (now married to Tom Davidson) and Lynn, a son who is now running the lumber mill. Pyron traces Milt's pioneer roots and the work ethic he learned from his father, Ellis and from his forebearers, particularly his grandfather, Amos, was nine years old when the Herbert family came west on a wagon train from Missouri and settled along Long Tom River west of Eugene in 1846. Ellis as a young man settled in Elmira. Milt was born there on February 11, 1927. As a youth worked in his father's business, one he describes as a grocery store, feed store, gas station and restaurant. That was where he first learned the philosophy of running a business.
Interestingly, he and a friend, Chuck Hunnington became partners in a sawmill in Springfield in 1947 when he was only 19 years old. They logged with horses because "we couldn't afford anything else," he said. Eventually, Hunnington sold his partnership to Fred McKee, but when stumpage reached $16 per thousand, the two decided to move the operation to northern California where timber could be bought cheaper, but instead stopped in Canyonville when they learned they could buy stumpage for $5 per thousand.
They picked a site there and set up their portable sawmill. Milt bought McKee's interest and Herbert Lumber Co. was born. Later he moved its operation to Riddle where it is today, operated by Herbert's son, Lynn. In the ensuing years, Milt Herbert assumed a quiet leadership that led to Douglas County becoming the timber capital of the world.
One of his greatest contributions to Douglas County was his vision that helped organize what was then South Umpqua Bank and today is a mega bank simply called Umpqua Bank. Milt said he noticed that his workers were cashing their payroll checks in grocery stores and taverns in the south county and discovered the lone bank in Myrtle Creek didn't trust the timber company payroll. He talked other business leaders into organizing a bank that would give full service to the people of the region.
Pyron's book is a different type of biography. It is definitely about Milton Herbert, but it is also about Douglas County and how this county has been a mover and shaker in the state, not just some rural entity at the tail end of the state. The author collected quotations from anybody and everybody of note in Douglas County about the influence Milton Herbert had on their lives.
It is a book that is not only a great tribute to the amazing life of Milton Herbert and a story about great leadership, it is also a tribute to all those who have made this county so livable. Sadly within weeks after his book was published, Pyron died.
<i>Bill Duncan is editor of The Senior Times. He also writes a weekly column on the Opinion Page of The News-Review every Thursday.</i>
