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Steven Elefant
President: 1992 - Present

"I do not take lightly the legacy which both my grandfather and father have passed to me. In a world economy which knows few borders, I have been given charge of a company well equipped for the 21st century."

Steven Elefant from a speech given at the time of his appointment to President. 1992

Born in Montréal on March 28, 1962, Steven Elefant was educated at Boston University and at Babson College. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and his Masters of Business Administration. Like his father, Steven grew up in the wood industry and was groomed for the position of president from an early age. Even while completing his university studies, he was deeply immersed by both his father and grandfather in the running of the family company. Fortunately Isidore Elefant would live to see his grandson assume the reins of the international corporation he had built from a small sales office some forty years before.

Like his father and grandfather before him, the -year-old Steven Elefant is a man of intellect and dynamic personality. His natural intuition and life-long experience within the wood industry has been even further enhanced by his training under probably the two most qualified industry leaders in the world.

For ten years before assuming the role of President, Steven undertook rigorous training at the request of both Isidore and Marcel Elefant. Working at various stages of the operation, Steven became fully acquainted with operations, log procurement, production management and domestic and international marketing.

During the first years of his administration Steven Elefant worked closely with his father in the continued development of new market opportunities and in the establishment of state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Hungary.

With formal training in advanced management, Elefant has developed an administration style with strong emphasis on self-initiative and team work. Employees at all levels are empowered to contribute to the advancement of the corporate goals of increased efficiency in both the manufacturing and customer service areas, as well as enhanced quality and an improved working environment. This open-door policy has contributed to a greater delegation of responsibilities throughout the network, establishing a strong communication link between staff and management at all levels.

Fundamental to Elefant's administration has been a sensitivity to the needs and concerns of GWV's varied customer base. Increased focus has been placed on added-benefit and customer service through sophisticated communications technologies, a rapid customer-response program, efficient, timely delivery systems, improved manufacturing techniques, and sensitivity to the diverse professional and cultural requirements of the company's broad, international customer base.

Travelling extensively, Steven Elefant dedicates substantial amounts of his time to both develop new international clients and maintain an ever-vigilant stewardship over the world-wide operations of the company.



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