Brian Bonanomi
Vice President, Lumber Supply Chain

Motto: “If I say I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna do it.” 

Brian Bonanomi earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon, majoring in Business with a minor in Economics. Over the past two decades, he has dedicated his entire career to the lumber industry, beginning immediately after completing his college education. Before joining Sterling, he spent over 13 years at American International Forest Products (AIFP), a prominent member of the Forest City Trading Group—a consortium composed of 12 leading lumber wholesale companies across the continent. During his tenure at AIFP, he spearheaded the Southern Yellow Pine Lumber department, the same lumber species procured by Sterling.

Brian’s approach to business centers on driving profitability and delivering tangible results through strategic trading initiatives. He has applied this mindset of fiscal responsibility and meticulous expenditure management to his current position. In 2017, Cooper Sterling offered him the opportunity to join the Sterling team without having to relocate his family from their home state of Oregon. He knew it would be a good fit, having previously worked with Cooper and admired the Sterling family for their leadership, innovative approach within the industry, and positive company culture. Their forward-thinking mindset and commitment to excellence resonated with his professional values and aspirations, making Sterling an ideal environment to further his career goals.

In his current capacity at Sterling, Brian is responsible for procuring all the lumber for the company and overseeing and implementing quality-related procedures to ensure that the lumber meets company standards until it is turned into CLT TerraLam mats. He derives immense satisfaction from the procurement process, particularly in strategically navigating the lumber market to secure the best prices. By anticipating market trends and working with long-standing mill relationships, he implements procurement strategies that enhance efficiency and contribute to the overall profitability of the company. His dedication to maximizing efficiency and profitability underscores his commitment to contributing to Sterling’s success. Every procurement decision is approached with the same level of scrutiny and accountability as if it were his investment.

Brian strives for clarity and directness in his leadership approach and disapproves of ambiguity and gamesmanship. He believes in fostering a collaborative environment. By recognizing and utilizing each team member’s strengths and collectively pursuing the best course of action, the team maximizes accuracy, efficiency, and profitability—objectives he emphasizes as paramount to their success. The cohesive management team and unified workforce exemplify the importance of synergy and shared goals. The alignment of vision and values under George’s new leadership has further reinforced their collective commitment to success.