John A. Campbell (lumber executive)
Encyclopedia
John Aloysius Campbell was a timber executive who served as president of the Pacific Lumber Company
in the 1990s.
, outside of Sydney
, Australia
. His father was a recreational sailor who helped American ships navigate near the Great Barrier Reef
, as part of assistance he provided to the United States Navy
during World War II
.
He obtained his early education in a one-room schoolhouse and later attended North Sydney Technical College.
, his world travels included journeys to England, where he surfed off the coast of Cornwall
, and was said by his son as having introduced the sport to the area. He traveled on to New York City
, working at the Australian consulate there. He met his future wife Cynthia Carpenter in San Francisco, California
in 1966.
In 1999, Pacific Lumber's parent, Maxxam Inc., signed the Headwaters agreement, in which Pacific Lumber sold 10000 acres (40.5 km²) to the federal government and the State of California for $480 million, and The firm agreed to stricter environmental restrictions on logging on its remaining land. In October 2001, Pacific Lumber named Robert E. Manne as president and CEO replacing Campbell, who became the chairman of the firm's board of directors.
. He was elected to the Fortuna council in 2006, and was selected by his fellow councilmemebers to serve as mayor, a position he held until his death.
Pacific Lumber Company
The Pacific Lumber Company, officially abbreviated PALCO, was one of California's major logging and sawmill operations, located south of Eureka and north of San Francisco. The once storied company and its historically positive relationship with conservationists begun in the 1920s was altered...
in the 1990s.
Early life
Campbell was born on June 20, 1941 in Leura, New South WalesLeura, New South Wales
Leura is a suburb in the City of Blue Mountains Local Government Area 109 km west of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the series of small towns stretched along the Blue Mountains railway line and Great Western Highway that bisects the Blue Mountains National Park. It is...
, outside of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. His father was a recreational sailor who helped American ships navigate near the Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
, as part of assistance he provided to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He obtained his early education in a one-room schoolhouse and later attended North Sydney Technical College.
Travels
Campbell won a national life-saving competition and was an experienced surfer. After service in the Australian ArmyAustralian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
, his world travels included journeys to England, where he surfed off the coast of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and was said by his son as having introduced the sport to the area. He traveled on to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, working at the Australian consulate there. He met his future wife Cynthia Carpenter in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
in 1966.
High ranking executive
Campbell was hired by Ed Carpenter, one time company president and father of Campbells then wife, to work the green chain. In time and through changes in administration he worked his way up the ranks to executive vice president in charge of forest products by 1985 and was named as the firm's president after the company was the subject of a hostile takeover by Charles Hurwitz. Campbell was named chief executive in 1993. In order to pay off the costs associated with the $900 million purchase of the company, Pacific Lumber increased the pace of cutting on the more than 300 square miles (777 km²) of timber it owned which included groupings of old-growth California redwoods. This more aggressive logging incurred the opposition of environmental groups, which staged protests aimed at stopping Pacific Lumbers logging efforts.In 1999, Pacific Lumber's parent, Maxxam Inc., signed the Headwaters agreement, in which Pacific Lumber sold 10000 acres (40.5 km²) to the federal government and the State of California for $480 million, and The firm agreed to stricter environmental restrictions on logging on its remaining land. In October 2001, Pacific Lumber named Robert E. Manne as president and CEO replacing Campbell, who became the chairman of the firm's board of directors.
Personal life
Campbell divorced his first wife, and was survived by his wife of 18 years, Margaret R. Campbell, whom he married in 1991. He died of cancer on October 19, 2008 in his home in Fortuna, CaliforniaFortuna, California
Fortuna is a city in western-central Humboldt County, California, United States. The population was 11,926 at the 2010 census, up from 10,497 at the 2000 census. The city lies on the northeast shore of the Eel River , and is on U.S...
. He was elected to the Fortuna council in 2006, and was selected by his fellow councilmemebers to serve as mayor, a position he held until his death.