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WMIA welcomes new chairman on the board

 Tuesday, April 30, 2019

In the annual member meeting Jim Besonen, was elected as the new chairman of the board at the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association. Besonen joined the woodworking machinery industry in the early 20s for manufacturing machines and building products. With his defined experience of more than 20 years in the domain today he has thorough knowledge in distribution, machine sell, dealership etc. Later in the age of 35, he founded Wood Machinery Systems, that soon evolved as one of the largest equipment dealers in the Midwest.

Bensonen was active in both WMIA and WMDA, and he also served the Education Committee and three terms as a board member before joining the Association’s Executive Committee as a secretary in 2015. “My goal for the next two years is to expand the educational offerings Dave [Rakauskas, now chairman emeritus] started with the WTII and Pittsburg State University, and create new programs aimed at attracting young men and women into the wood products industry as well as leadership positions in WMIA,” Besonen said.Since 2008, Bensonen was involved with WMIA.


He was associated with Education as well as Technology Committee and he was the board member since 2013. “I have been involved with WMIA for many years and have learned a lot about the association and IWF,” Doucet said. “I’m looking forward to working with the staff and the other members of the Executive Committee because I think we have a great team and we can get a lot of things accomplished in the next two years. IWF is on a growth path and we need to be sure the show keeps moving in the right direction.”

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