Alan Douglas Brett, who in the latter half of his career led the international advertising sales growth of Panel World magazine, and whose vigorous life included professional motor cycle speedway racing as a young man and a long stint as sales manager with the Daily Telegraph in London, died January 16 following health issues at his villa at Aldea de las Cuevas, Benidoleig, Alicante, Spain. He was 86.

Brett sold magazine advertising space for Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.-based Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. and affiliate Panel World from 1984 to 2006 and also sold for other trade publications. He worked from his office and home residence in Box Hill, Surrey, just southwest of London, but in 1993 he and his wife, Rita, purchased their dream home in Spain, where he continued to work until his retirement, when he turned over his international sales role for Hatton-Brown and his overall business to his son, Murray Brett.

“Alan was the most detailed person I had ever met—after years of dealing with sales people who were the complete opposite,” recalls David Ramsey, publisher of Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. who hired Brett. “He was a happy man and lived his life as such. He came from a tough childhood but lived his life his way. I shall miss him.”

Hatton-Brown and Panel World Editor-in-Chief Rich Donnell remembers, “In late 1988 I met Alan in London and we took the ferry across the North Sea into Belgium and proceeded to drive his car throughout Germany for seven days calling on numerous potential equipment advertisers. Alan became a wonderful, enlightening friend, with tremendous humor, and I witnessed what a fully informed and persuasive sales representative he was.

“The next year we met at what was my first Ligna show, long before Panel World had its own booth there, and we set up shop on one of the tables of the Hall 2 restaurant and walked the aisles for a week. I’ll always have the vision of Alan toting along his packed business briefcase while smoking a cigar. The exhibitors knew we were coming. Alan became close friends for life with many of the marketing people of the exhibitor companies.”

Brett was born in Kingston Hospital on December 23, 1936. His last name was Kingham at birth but he never knew his father, and his mother Kathleen remarried to Earnest Brett and Alan adopted the Brett name. Brett was raised by his mother and in his late teen years by an aunt and cousins in New Malden South London. A sister, Jill, was born after the war.

Brett was a “war baby” and due to the heavy bombing of South London he went to stay with a mining family in Nottingham, but experienced bombing in the industrial Midland as well. The war experience contributed to Brett’s lifelong passion as an amateur historian of World War II, complemented by his lifelong power of memory.

Brett became obsessed with Motorcycle Speedway Racing, as tracks were springing up everywhere due to the wasteland available after the war. In his teen years Brett raced cycle speedway and attended high school at Wimbledon Technical College.

In 1954 he started to race competitively as a professional motor cycle speedway rider and in 1955 he represented Eastbourne and Wimbledon before big crowds throughout Europe. He mixed with many of his childhood heroes and champions—Ronnie Moore, Barry Briggs, Ivan Mauger, Ove Fundin and Peter Cravan.

But in 1956 Brett’s highly promising speedway career was cut short due to a terrible leg injury. He suffered it during a practice session when the bike in front of him crashed, sending Brett from behind over the top of his bike before a third rider rode over Brett’s leg. However, while in the hospital Brett met Rita Hammerton, who was a professional dancer working at The Windmill Theatre in Soho and they were ultimately married in 1960.

His dream of racing motorcycles shattered, Brett entered the newspaper industry and sons Neil and Murray were born. Brett’s career progressed to Classified Sales Manager at the Daily Telegraph were he would stay for 20 years, meanwhile moving the family to their ideal home in Box Hill, Surrey with a huge garden backing on to heathland.

Brett left the Daily Telegraph and set up his own company, selling advertising for various trade publications, eventually landing with Hatton-Brown Publishers. Brett was a pioneer of “remote working,” running his British business from Spain after moving there with Rita.

Brett enjoyed his life immensely in Spain, especially helping out the elderly and was a big supporter of the local Careline Theatre, holding the position of Front of House. Brett’s wife Rita died in 2021 and Brett chose to continue his life in their villa until his peaceful passing, surrounded with love by his family and caregivers. He is survived by his sons and their spouses, Neil (Simone) and Murray (Liz), five granddaughters, and his sister, Jill.

U.S. housing starts (combined single-family and multi-family) showed a slight decline in November, coming in at a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.427 million, 0.5% below October, and 16.4% below starts in November 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development monthly new residential construction report.

Single-family starts were 828,000, down 4.1% compared to October, and recording the third consecutive monthly decline; but multi-family came in at 584,000, up 4.8% over October.

Building permits declined 11.2% to 1.342 million, including a 7.1% drop in single-family to 781,000, and a 17.9% dip in multi-family to 509,000 compared to October.

Miramar Beach, Sandestin, Fla.

Housing completions in November were 1.490 million, an increase of 10.8% over October, including single-family completions at 1.047 million, up 9.5%, and multi-family completions at 430,000, up 16% from October.

To better address its operational and strategic development plans, Raute is changing its organizational structure, which will strengthen Raute’s ability to service customers and streamlines internal operations. The change will also be reflected in the Executive Board and responsibility areas.

As of January 1, Raute will have three business units—Wood Processing, Analyzers, and Services—each with a clear focus and accountability for its respective business operations. The Executive Board will consist of the CEO, three executive vice presidents—one for each business unit—and three functional roles: Chief Commercial Officer, Chief People Officer, and Chief Financial Officer.

Wood Processing unit includes Raute’s core technology offering for veneer, plywood and LVL production. Delivery scope includes separate production equipment, modernizations, as well as full mill-scale projects. Wood processing will be headed by Petri Strengell, who has been with Raute since 1987, and is a member of the Executive Board and has been responsible for supply chain. Strengell acted as Raute’s interim CEO from May 2022 to September 2022.

Analyzers unit serves customers with Raute’s latest measurement technology for sorting veneer, plywood and LVL, and special measurement equipment for sawn timber. Analyzers will be headed by Jani Roivainen, who has been with Raute since 2011 and has been responsible for the Metrix business as a member of the Executive Board since 2019.

Services unit focuses on Raute’s full-service concept ranging from spare parts deliveries to regular maintenance, digital services and equipment upgrades. Services will be headed by Kurt Bossuyt, who joined Raute in 2016. Bossuyt is a member of the Executive Board and has been heading the Basic Services business since 2019.

Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) is a new functional role in the Executive Board. Responsibility of the CCO includes Raute’s market operations, sales & marketing, as well as commercial excellence and development. Jari Myyryläinen is appointed CCO and a member of the Executive Board. Myyryläinen has worked in Raute since 2020 and is has been heading Raute’s EMEA Market Area.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for the finance, ICT, IR, ESG and other business support. Minna Yrjönmäki is continuing in the interim CFO role, which she has been responsible for since May 2022.

Raute’s external financial reporting structure will not change following the new organization structure as all Raute’s operations continue to belong to the wood products’ technology segment.

Mika Saariaho continues as President and CEO.

As of January 1, the company has initiated a search process for a Chief People Officer. In the meantime, Mia Könnilä has been appointed Raute Corp.’s interim Chief People Officer and Member of the Executive Board. Könnilä has been working with Raute since 2021 and is currently heading Raute Finland HR function.

“The new organization structure will take Raute closer to our customers through dedicated business units and new commercial function,” Saariaho says. “Raute will further strengthen its ability to deliver superior service to our customers, including successful project delivery, as well as advanced technology services tailored to customer needs. The new organization will streamline our ways of working and ensure focus on further development of Raute’s core competences. I want to thank warmly the departing Executive Board members.”

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