Some moments are just hard to forget. I recently experienced one of those times as I sped through the snow in Northern Quebec on a snowmobile. I was joined with other people in the pallet industry who were on a mill tour sponsored by Kheops Group.

One of the mills we reached via snowmobile. It was quite a sight to see all of that snow. These mills operate in frigid conditions. I am sure the employees are glad that the heaters work. One morning, frost began to gather on my beard in only a few minutes of walking around outside of a mill. I had never experienced such cold temperatures in my life.

The guys from Kheops were great hosts, and I was impressed by the local feel and quaint nature of the town where we stayed. The entire experience was quite memorable.

I have been thinking about memories a lot lately as our staff has begun to prepare for the Pallet Enterprise’s 25

I grew up around the pallet and sawmill industries. And it is interesting to see how people have aged. Some companies have come. Others have gone.

Trends have forever impacted the landscape of the industry. For example, recycling was first covered in the Pallet Enterprise in the July/August 1984 issue. Pallet City, Inc. located in Chicago was the main feature story. Ed Pawlak, the founder of Pallet City, talked about the money to be made in recycling pallets.

CHEP first garnered attention from the Pallet Enterprise in its November/December 1984 issue. The article focused on CHEP’s rental program in Canada. It would be several years before CHEP would finally enter the U.S. market.

The early years of the Pallet Enterprise featured many pioneers who have long since left the industry such as Marv Chell, the former president of Viking Engineering and Development, Inc. Then there are faces that can still be found today at industry events.

One of my favorite pictures so far is of Jess Garnett of Garnett Wood Products holding the "B.S." award for being the best seller of new memberships for the Missouri Forest Products Association. The award is in the form of a wood outhouse complete with a door, inscription and wood throne. For anyone who knows Jess, it just makes you want to laugh. I especially can relate to Jess being a smooth talker because I worked for him in the Missouri legislature a few years ago. He was a good politician and has left a lasting impact on the pallet industry.

Where is this stroll down memory lane going? Well, the staff of the Pallet Enterprise is currently compiling the best moments, personalities and stories of the last 25 years in the pallet industry. These will soon be forever memorialized in a special 25th anniversary CD that the Pallet Enterprise staff is preparing for distribution later this year.

2006 is the 25th anniversary of the Pallet Enterprise. The first 25 years are full of memorable moments, unforgettable people and plenty of change. Combing through past issues has been quite an experience for the editorial staff of the Pallet Enterprise. And we want to let you in on the action.

Here is your chance to nominate a story, picture, concept, quote, etc. for inclusion in this memorable compilation. This may be your opportunity to get revenge on someone else in the industry if you remember some embarrassing moment or picture that was covered by the Pallet Enterprise. Of course, we want serious moments and nominations for best articles or topics, too.

Feel free to nominate yourself or others if you want to be included for the rest of the industry to see. The Pallet Enterprise staff will select the best nominations to be included along with its own picks.

Please send your suggestions to edb@ireporting.com or 10244 Timber Ridge Dr., Ashland, VA 23005. Nominations may also be faxed to 804-550-2497. Indicate the item of interest, the issue date, the page number (if available) and any reasons why this particular thing is worth inclusion in the 25th anniversary CD. Please include your name, company and contact information, too. Nominations must be received by May 5, 2006.

I know that the Canadian mill tour is one of my top recent memories because there is just something that happens on a three day tour. People become close and share some meaningful experiences.

Thanks to the guys from Kheops for creating a good memory to add to my growing collection. Our staff looks forward to hearing how our pages have reflected your story and provided meaningful coverage of your lives and the evolution of our industry’s history.