Andrew Durfee

38 | Vice President, Bethel Mills Lumber
Residence: Windsor

Career highlight: While I’ve had many great moments throughout my career, what I’m most proud of is the everyday effort that goes into the journey and continuity of a long-standing Vermont business. I take a lot of pride in working alongside my father and brother every day as the current stewards of what generations before us built. Without our incredible team- past and present-none of it happens. I’m proud of what we accomplish together, the challenges we overcome together, and the future we’re building together.

Community involvement: Community involvement has always been an important part of small-town Vermont. We lived and learned it growing up in Bethel.
Today, I serve on the board of the Vermont Retail Lumber Dealers Association, supporting advocacy, workforce development, and housing affordability. I also serve on the Northeastern Young Lumber Executives board, helping develop and retain the next generation of leaders in our industry. But I’m most proud of the less visible things we do as a family, a company, and a community. Coaching our kids, supporting local teams and organizations, helping rebuild after disasters such as floods or fires, donating time, materials and trucks, and simply helping a neighbor when they need a hand. We also try to support the people who support our communities—whether that’s our volunteer firefighters, service members, young parents balancing work and family, or someone trying to get back on their feet. To me, that’s what our small Vermont communities are about. The most fulfilling involvement isn’t always something you can put on a résumé or social media post.

Motivation for living and working in Vermont: Vermont is home. Despite the headwinds we face, I still believe there is something special about raising a family here- four full seasons, small-town values, hard work, and neighbors who look out for one another. I want my kids to have the same opportunity to build a good life here that generations of my family have had.

Favorite part of your job: The people, without a doubt. I get to work every day with my family, our employees, customers, their families, and vendor partners—people from all walks of life. Many of our employees have been with us for decades and we have customers who have been with us for generations. It’s a great industry full of hard-working people and talented craftsmen, and you never quite know who is going to walk through the door or what story they’ll bring with them. I enjoy the relationships, the camaraderie, solving problems together, and having some fun along the way.

Favorite downtime activity: Downtime is a relative term in our house. My wife Morgan, son Chase, daughter Avery, and I are usually bouncing between three different activities in three different directions. Our downtime is chaotic & full speed all the time and we wouldn’t change a thing.

Favorite smell: Fresh pine and cedar in the lumber racks. It’s a smell I remember from walking through the yard as a kid, and decades later, it still brings me right back to where I started.