The largest private timberland owner in the nation, the Emmersons’ Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) has long been recognized as one of America’s leading forest-products companies. Founded in 1949 by Curly and Red Emmerson, SPI currently owns and oversees more than 2.4 million acres of sustainably managed forestland in California, Oregon, and Washington. SPI’s holdings form the backbone of an integrated operation that includes a conifer-seedling nursery, biomass-powered cogeneration facilities, 16 sawmills, two millwork plants, and five window- and door-manufacturing plants in Alabama, California, and Wisconsin.

Long-Term Stewardship

Rooted in long-term stewardship, SPI plants millions of trees annually and manages its forests for timber production, recreational use, wildlife habitat, water quality, and wildfire resilience. The company manages its lands and manufactures products in a responsible and sustainable manner that provides quality wood products and renewable power for consumers.

This commitment extends beyond the family’s own timberlands. Across Northern California, SPI is currently building a network of fuel breaks not only on its own lands but also on those of adjacent US Forest Service land. (The two organizations share more than 6,000 miles of fence line.) The goal of this multiyear effort is to protect timberlands and the communities they surround from the catastrophic wildfires that have plagued much of the region.

Sierra Pacific Foundation

This ethic is also embodied in the Sierra Pacific Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, which was established in 1979 by Curly Emmerson and is now run by his granddaughter, Carolyn Dietz. What began as a way to support employees and local communities has grown into a cornerstone of SPI’s legacy of giving back.

Education has been a focus of the foundation. Since its founding, it has awarded more than $10 million in scholarships to the children of SPI employees. In 2025, it awarded more than $600,000 in scholarships to 202 students pursuing degrees at trade schools, colleges, and universities.

The foundation also invests in youth programs, community nonprofits, volunteer organizations, and initiatives that enhance quality of life. Over the past decade, it has contributed $23 million to organizations ranging from youth sports and after-school programs to hospitals, fire districts, and conservation projects — supporting the communities that anchor SPI’s workforce and operations.

75-Year Record

“Looking back on more than 75 years in the business, I’m grateful for how far Sierra Pacific has come. We got our start milling lumber in the 1940s. Today, we sustainably manage our own timberlands, and we manufacture quality products that people use every day. But the real measure of our success has always been our people: providing steady jobs, working together, and giving back through scholarships and community support,” says SPI founder Red Emmerson.