Hancock Lumber Announces New Incoming Chief People Officer

Hancock Lumber announced that Chief People Officer, Wendy Scribner, is set to retire in April following nearly 40-years at the company. With her retirement scheduled, Team Hancock is excited to announce and welcome her successor, Anna Russo.

After a career spanning nearly four decades and a range of roles, it’s hard to adequately describe the impact Wendy has had on the organization and the gratitude the company has for her contributions. Hancock Lumber truly has been blessed to have Wendy Scribner on their team. When she first discussed her transition into retirement, it was no surprise that more time with family—specifically with her four grandsons—was the driving force. The level of care, integrity, sincerity, and love she’s provided throughout her tenure is unmatched, but perhaps no more present than it has been with her leading the search to find the right person to oversee Team Hancock’s HR department, strategy, and vision into the next generation.

Wendy led the process with an unprecedented level of stewardship, ultimately bringing the company’s executive team incredible final candidates. It was evident how important it was for her to have someone she unequivocally believed in for this role—and, following the executive team interview process, the decision was unanimous. Team Hancock is thrilled to announce that Anna Russo is the incoming Chief People Officer, who officially joined Team Hancock in mid-January!

“Anna absolutely impressed me during our interview time together!” commented Kevin Hancock, Chairman and Managing Owner. He continued, “While we had great finalists, Anna’s communication skills, her intuition about how to communicate, her ability to bring love, clarity and toughness, and her affinity for blue collar workers blew me away.” 

Starting this role is a bit of a homecoming for Anna, as she is no stranger to Hancock Lumber. Anna began her HR career at Hancock Lumber when Wendy hired her in 2000 during their Bethel mill acquisition and transition. After eight-years in HR—ultimately serving as the Sawmill HR Manager—Anna moved on from Hancock Lumber on a path that led her to a variety of HR roles including HR Director, Safety Compliance Officer, and HR Senior Business Partner with several companies throughout Maine, always with an affinity for blue-collar industries and always with strong connections at Hancock Lumber.

Wendy Scribner shared her thoughts on Anna joining the team, “Anna is one of the loveliest humans you’ll ever meet. In addition to her strong HR technical skills, she has an appreciation, comfort, and love for manufacturing + retail environments. I’m beyond excited for Hancock Lumber and for Anna. She is as genuine a human being as they come with fantastic people skills—simply put, I could not be happier that she will be joining our team again!”

While there will never be another Wendy, Hancock Lumber could not be more excited about Anna rejoining and becoming a leader on their executive team. Anna is an impressive cultural fit who will be aligned with their leadership team and priorities from day one, while bringing her unique experience and perspective to lead the HR team into the future. Wendy will remain through April to oversee the transition and Anna’s onboarding as she gets reacclimated to their people, locations, and partners.

“My prior time with Hancock Lumber was so positive and one of my favorite professional experiences,” incoming Chief People Officer, Anna Russo, commented. “I’ve enjoyed following the company’s employee-centric culture and I look forward to seeing how it continues to evolve.  It’s hard to articulate how excited I am to be back on Team Hancock, and I look forward to being a part of our continued growth and success.”

Please join the Hancock Lumber community in welcoming Anna Russo back to Team Hancock and sending a heartfelt thank you to Wendy Scribner for her tremendous dedication and positive impact throughout her career!

Source: Hancock Lumber Company, Inc.