We See Value Where Others See Waste

Mike founded New York Lumber in 2009 after a career in commercial construction left him frustrated by the sheer volume of quality wood being sent to landfills. A third-generation carpenter from Astoria, Queens, Mike learned woodworking from his grandfather in a garage shop in Ditmars. He holds a degree in Construction Management from Pratt Institute and spent twelve years managing demolition projects for a major NYC general contractor before launching New York Lumber with a single pickup truck and a conviction that there had to be a better way. Mike oversees business strategy, major client relationships, and sourcing partnerships. He sits on the advisory board of the NYC Materials Exchange and speaks regularly at industry conferences on circular construction economics.

Sarah joined New York Lumber in 2016 to formalize and expand the company's environmental mission. She holds a Master's in Environmental Science from Columbia University and previously worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council on urban waste reduction initiatives. Sarah developed our carbon tracking methodology, manages our sustainability certifications, and leads our policy advocacy efforts with the NYC Department of Buildings. She created our material passport system — now considered an industry model — and publishes an annual sustainability report detailing our environmental impact. Sarah also runs our community education program, organizing over 50 workshops and speaking engagements per year at schools, architecture firms, and industry events.

James runs the day-to-day operations at our Long Island City facility, overseeing everything from inbound logistics to milling to delivery. A veteran mill operator with 22 years of experience, James spent a decade at a commercial sawmill in the Pacific Northwest before relocating to New York. He brought deep technical expertise in wood species identification, milling optimization, and equipment maintenance that transformed our processing capabilities. James manages a team of 14 production staff, maintains our equipment fleet, and developed our proprietary quality control protocols. Under his leadership, our processing throughput has increased 260% while maintaining a zero-workplace-injury record for over 1,400 consecutive days.

Anika is the first point of contact for architects, designers, and contractors working with New York Lumber. With a background in interior architecture from Parsons School of Design and five years at a high-end millwork firm in Manhattan, she brings a designer's eye to every client interaction. Anika manages our key accounts, conducts on-site consultations for major projects, and helps clients navigate species selection, finishing options, and budget planning. She has managed material sourcing for over 200 commercial projects across the tri-state area, including restaurant fit-outs, boutique hotels, corporate offices, and residential renovations. Clients consistently cite her responsiveness and product knowledge as reasons they return to New York Lumber.

David is our senior wood specialist, responsible for species identification, grading, and quality assessment of all incoming reclaimed material. Trained as a traditional furniture maker in Seoul before immigrating to New York in 2003, David brings an unmatched eye for wood quality and character. He can identify over 90 North American and tropical hardwood species by sight and touch. David holds certifications from the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) and the American Lumber Standard Committee, and he developed our proprietary reclaimed wood grading system that accounts for both structural integrity and aesthetic character — a dual-standard approach that has become a reference point for other reclaimed dealers nationwide.

Maria ensures that every order reaches its destination on time, intact, and properly staged for installation. She manages our fleet of delivery vehicles, coordinates with third-party freight carriers for long-distance shipments, and handles site-specific logistics for challenging NYC delivery scenarios — narrow streets, walk-up buildings, rooftop projects, and crane lifts. Before joining New York Lumber in 2018, Maria spent eight years in logistics management for a building materials distributor serving the New York metropolitan area. She implemented our route optimization system that reduced fuel consumption by 23% and delivery times by 18% across our service area.

Tom heads our deconstruction team — the crew that carefully dismantles structures to maximize wood recovery rather than demolishing them. A licensed contractor with specialized training in selective dismantling, Tom spent fifteen years in the demolition industry before recognizing that deconstruction was both more sustainable and more economically viable for projects with high-value timber. His team has deconstructed over 120 structures across the five boroughs and the tri-state area, recovering an estimated 1.8 million board feet of reusable lumber. Tom is certified by the Building Materials Reuse Association and trains all new deconstruction crew members in safety protocols, historic material identification, and non-destructive removal techniques.