Our team​

Brett Peterson, Regional Manager of Wood Procurement has been with Sappi since 2003. Brett holds a B.S. in Forestry from the Michigan Technological University. He serves as the Chair of the Training and Education subcommittee of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) State Implementation Committee for Wisconsin and is a member of the Michigan SFI® State Implementation Committee. Contact brett.peterson@sappi.com

Ross Korpela, Sr. Wood Procurement Manager has been at the Cloquet Mill site since 1996, joining Sappi in 2002. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, with a Major in Forest Management and Minors in Resource Management and Forest Recreation.  He also holds a Masters Degree in Management from the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, in combination with pre-MBA work from the University of MN Duluth. He is active in MN Tree Farm, Timber Producers Association of MN, Minnesota Logger Education Program, and the University of MN Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative. Ross purchases all of the open market wood and residue from Minnesota and manages the five Minnesota stumpage foresters. When not working, you may find him in the community coaching youth basketball, fishing Musky tournaments, or managing his own land for timber & wildlife. Contact ross.korpela@sappi.com

Chris Martland, Sr. Wood Procurement Manager. Chris is responsible for open market wood purchases in Michigan and Wisconsin along with management of the five stumpage foresters for the two states. Chris has cruised timber in every state south of the Mason-Dixon line during the winter and spent summers doing timber sale set up in Northern Michigan prior to joining Sappi in 2004. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from the Michigan Technological University, and a Master of Arts in Management from the College of St Scholastica. Chris is the Board Chair for Minnesota Log A Load. In the summer he spends a lot of time on his bicycles and motorcycles. Contact chris.martland@sappi.com

Cory Moderson, Manager Wood Chips & Timber Sales, joined Sappi in 2016. Cory will have overall responsibility for Sappi NA Lake States timber sales and managing chip quality. Cory has 12 Plus years of experience as a Log Procurement Forester, purchasing logs in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from Michigan Technological University. When not working, you can find Cory hunting or fishing in the Great Lakes region. Contact cory.moderson@sappi.com

Brian Johnson, External Woodyard Logistics Coordinator began his career at the Cloquet mill in 1995 working in the Construction and Engineering Department during the Pulpmill expansion, he has held various positions around the mill before landing in his current position.  He is now responsible for coordinating and managing all of Sappi’s external woodyards in the region.  Brian also serves as a Township Supervisor since 2005 and is associated with the Carlton County Township Association and also the Minnesota Township Officers Association.  When not at work Brian can be found enjoying the outdoors with his family. Contact brian.johnson2@sappi.com

Mike Blomquist, Procurement Forester north Central Wisconsin, has been with Sappi since 2008. He holds a Forestry degree from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. He had been a log buyer and a consulting forester for approximately 30 years prior to joining Sappi. Contact michael.blomquist@sappi.com

Damon Polus, Procurement Forester in northeast Minnesota, has a Forestry degree from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, majoring in Forestry Administration and Utilization, and minoring in Business. Damon joined the Sappi team in 2005. Contact damon.polus@sappi.com

Eric Schram, Procurement Forester in eastern Minnesota, was hired by Sappi in December of 2015. Eric is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a B.S. in Forestry (Administration and Utilization), and a minor in Business Administration. Prior to joining Sappi, Eric worked as a Procurement Forester purchasing hardwood veneer and saw logs in the lake states region, for over 10 years. His free time is spent enjoying the outdoors with his family. Contact eric.schram@sappi.com

Patrick Galdonik, Procurement Forester west central Minnesota, worked for the Cloquet Mill under Potlatch from 1994 until 2003 when he joined the Sappi group. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Silviculture/Forest Resource Management from the University of Minnesota.  Patrick is a past President on the Sustainable Forestry Initiative ® (SFI) MN State Implementation Committee (SIC), and is currently a Minnesota SIC representative. He has been procuring wood for the mill since 1991. Contact patrick.galdonik@sappi.com

Tom Cunningham, Procurement Forester in south central Minnesota, has been with Sappi since 2006. Tom has a Forestry degree from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. He buys private and public timber, and works with a variety of landowners and loggers. When not helping landowners Tom is usually cooking or working in the garden. Contact tom.cunningham@sappi.com

Pat Wherley, Procurement and Private Lands Forester in northeast Minnesota, joined the Sappi team in July of 2021. Pat is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, with a B.S. in Forest Management, minors in Soil Science and GIS. He also completed a Natural Resource Management Master’s Program at UW - Stevens Point, conducted through the Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit.  Prior to joining Sappi, Pat was a forester and wildland firefighter for the MN, Dept. of Natural Resources for 13+ years, a Forest Ranger for the Wisconsin DNR, and also worked as a Forestry Technician for the U.S. Forest Service for 5 seasons.  In his free time, Pat enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his friends and family.  Contact patrick.wherley@sappi.com

Corey Verdegan, Procurement Forester Northwest Wisconsin, graduated with a double major in Forest Management and Recreation from the University Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Corey has 10+ years of experience as a professional forester. Prior to joining Sappi in the spring of 2016 Corey was the Assistant Forest administrator for Price County Forestry and Parks Department in Phillips, Wisconsin. Contact corey.verdegan@sappi.com

Jack Kline, Private Lands Procurement Forester for Minnesota and Wisconsin, has been with Sappi since 2017. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management and a minor in Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. When not working he enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his friends and family. Contact jack.kline@sappi.com

Jacob Ansami, Procurement Forester Northeast Wisconsin, has a BS in Forestry Management from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point. Prior to joining Sappi, Jacob worked as a Forester for Keweenaw Land Association in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin. Jacob spends his free time with either a fishing pole or golf club in hand. Contact jacob.ansami@sappi.com

Matt Konoske, Wood Procurement Forester for the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  He has a bachelor of Science Forestry degree from Michigan Technological University.  Matt has worked in the forest products industry for 14 years and joined Sappi Wood Procurement team in the fall of 2021.  When he is not working he enjoys spending time with friends and family. Contact matthew.konoske@sappi.com

Barb Austin, Administrator, started with Sappi in 2005. She is responsible payment setup, check requests/advances, and vendor set-up in the Lake States. When not at work she can be found attending her daughters’ events and spending time with her family. Contact barbara.austin@sappi.com

Kim Ableiter, Wood Procurement Assistant, started with Sappi in 2022. She assists with logger payments, agency sales and logger communications. She also provides administrative and technical support to the Cloquet Wood Procurement group. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends. Contact kim.ableiter@sappi.com