North Bend graduate finds Weyerhaeuser success

A 1990 graduate of North Bend High School is achieving success in his longtime career with the Weyerhaeuser Company.

Brian Chaney was recently appointed Sr. Vice President of Wood Products at Weyerhaeuser.

He and his wife Brooke (Trumbull) Chaney grew up in North Bend, Oregon and now live in Gig Harbor, Washington. They have two children: Kennon, 23, and Mia, 21.

Weyerhaeuser Company is one of the world's largest private owners of timberlands.

Brian’s career with Weyerhaeuser began as a green chain puller at the local Weyerhaeuser mill. He started working there during the summers when he was a student at Southwestern Community College.

It was a natural fit.

“Both my grandfather and my dad worked at the North Bend, Ore. Weyerhaeuser plant. They both retired after 35 plus years. So, I grew up around the industry,” Brian said.

He went on to get a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts from Oregon State University.

“When I finished up school, I had the opportunity to come back to Weyerhaeuser as a professional development candidate. Basically, it was an entry level development program where I was learning the business,” Brian said.

The small-town Oregon graduate’s career would take him from Coos County to different locations around the Pacific Northwest, the United States and Canada.

Brian has held several different positions with the Weyerhaeuser Company over the past few decades including quality control, shift supervisor, superintendent and plant manager. He has worked in both the manufacturing and sales side of the company.

“I've grown and I'm certainly a better leader, a better employee, and just a better person from the experiences that I've had. That's, in part, being willing to take some chances, try new things and grow from it. They don't always all work out, but it helps make you better,” Brian said.

“I'd say it's also important to know your boundaries too, what you're comfortable with, and your families wants and needs – and be really thoughtful about how it's going to impact them along the way,” Brian said.

Brooke Chaney said she is proud of her husband’s accomplishments.

“Brian has a superb work ethic. We even didn't know that he would stick with Weyerhaeuser for 28 years,” Brooke said.

“This was a career goal of his to become a senior vice president and we are happy and excited about it,” she said.

Every member of the Chaney family made sacrifices for Brian’s fruitful Weyerhaeuser career – moving seven times.

“It's a lot of traveling, relocating,” Brian said. “But every one of those moves really gave me an opportunity to grow my leadership. I worked with new teams and new leaders, new team members, and I learned from them. I think every single time I got better.”

Brian said Sam Dickey and Tom Bennett, who are from Coos Bay and still live in the area, were incredible Weyerhaeuser mentors/bosses to him over the years.

Brooke Chaney has also been successful in the career she started in Coos Bay. She has been an educator since 1997.

“My first teaching job was as a Humanities teacher at Sunset Middle School. I worked for the incredible Dr. Charlie Sharps who still lives in Coos Bay,” Brooke said.

Currently, Brooke is a Spanish teacher at Harbor Ridge Middle School in Gig Harbor.

Brian's parents, Keedy and Nancy Chaney, still live in the Oregon’s Bay Area. Brooke’s parents, Chuck and Dalette Knight, were also longtime Coos County residents.

The Chaney family wanted to share their success with their hometown community and encourage anyone in the area who is just starting their career to pursue their goals and dreams.

“Dream big. Sometimes people put self-limits on themselves. Maybe it's the fear of the unknown or they don't think that it's possible. But the reality is we're all capable of doing much more than we think,” Brian said.

“Find that career that you're passionate about and want to be involved in, and then you're really never working. You're always doing something that you enjoy even when it's difficult,” he said.