Jim Tyrer

President

Jim joined Trans-Pacific Trading in 1990 as a lumber trader and since then has become the President and majority owner. Jim’s first experience in business was as Production Manager for his father’s fish company, Trans-Pacific Fish Ltd. He spent a number of years traveling to and from Ucluelet and Port Hardy managing fish purchasings. While TRAPA had been focusing its Japanese business primarily on custom cutting and log export, Jim’s first role when he joined Trans-Pacific Trading was to develop lumber trading programs into Japan. Today, as well as overseeing Trapa’s daily business, Jim actively trades lumber domestically as well as to Japan, China, and Taiwan, from suppliers in North American and Russia. When not working, Jim can be found coaching baseball and soccer or exploring BC’s natural outdoors.

Trent Gustafson

Vice President

Trent joined Trapa in 1995 and has become a share holder and the company's Vice President. Trent graduated in International Relations from the University of British Columbia and thereafter spent time working in Japan where he learned to speak Japanese. Trent focuses on supply bases from the Coast and the Interior of British Columbia as well as Alberta and Pacific Northwest. He deals directly with customers from end-users through wholesale importers in Japan, China, Taiwan, South East Asia and the United States. Trent enjoys actively participating in many sports in addition travelling all around the globe. He is the cellar master for the Australian Wine Society of Vancouver.

Barry Tyrer

Past President

In 1966, four years after graduating from the University of British Columbia, Barry purchased 50% of Trans-Pacific Trading. In this same year, Barry started the custom cut division of Trans-Pacific Trading which today remains a core business. In the 1970’s Barry purchased the remaining shares of the Company and became President. In the 1980’s Barry focused his attention on developing lumber trading from BC and the Pacific Northwest to the U.K. and Continental Europe which set the stage for today’s trading around the globe. Barry was a founding member of the B.C. Export Development Corporation, was Chairman of the Coast Forest Lumber Association and a Director of the Council of Forest Industries. Barry’s passion, outside of work, is breeding and raising Thoroughbred race horses.

Clyde Hall

Controller

Clyde articled with Peat Marwick from 1977 through 1979. In 1979 Clyde joined Trapa and in 1981 he became a Certified General Accountant. Since then, Clyde has become controller of Trapa and is responsible for all of its financial and accounting duties. Although Clyde has been involved with some of Trapa’s related companies, his main focus has been in the log and lumber industry. With his many years of experience in the industry and his ability to control the company’s financial interests, Clyde has become the backbone of Trapa’s long term success. Clyde’s most recent venture has been to assist the president in establishing Trapa Japan office in Tokyo. In addition to Clyde’s appreciation of the outdoors, his most enjoyable pastime is spending time at Marine Drive Golf Club where he can be found golfing and socializing with close friends.

Tod McCallum

European Sales Manager

Tod has over 20 years of lumber experience, eight of which he was the managing director and owner of the forest product company Woodcom. Tod is a second generation lumber trader and before establishing Woodcom he spent 12 years as senior sales manager for high profile sawmills. Specializing in the European market, Tod holds a broad knowledge base in cross culture communication specific to the lumber industry. Tod is also recognized as an Honorary Lumberman. In addition to Tod’s valuable business and marketing experience he possess many other credentials pertinent to the lumber industry including an all species grading and quality assurance tickets. Outside of work Tod enjoys all sports including competitive racquetball where he competes nationally and internationally and is currently ranked number 23 in BC.

Shan Wu

Softwoods and Hardwoods Sales

Shan served in the Chinese Navy for 8 years. In 1999, Shan graduated from the University Catholique de Louvain in Brussels, Belgium with a degree in international relations. In 2001, Shan moved to Montreal and began his lumber career marketing hardwoods for Peladeau in Laval, Quebec. Since 2005, Shan has been focusing on marketing Canadian softwood lumber with much time spent on the ground in China developing sales and marketing partnerships with a number of major import, manufacturing and distribution companies. Shan enjoys overseas travels as he maintains a keen appreciation for the diversities of culture and language.

Graeme Lusk

Log Supply Manager

Graeme brings to Trapa more than 30 years of industry experience. Having marketed logs and lumber to Japan, Korea, China, US, Middle East and Canada, he fits in perfectly with the Trapa’s international trading theme. Graeme graduated in Forestry at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1979. After a short time timber cruising he joined the sales side of the business and has since traveled extensively to all four corners of British Columbia and more! Graeme is an avid sports fan and participant.

Jorge Duran

Quality Control and Certification

Jorge holds a Master degree in International Trade of Forest Products from UBC. A peruvian native, he has several years of experience supplying tropical  hardwoods and softwoods around the globe. Jorge started in the forest industry in 1995, working for a Seattle based firm that owned the largest sawmill in Peru, managing their 45,000 hectare timber lands. Thereafter he became a representative for a Japanese wood importer of high end wood products spending the next five years exploring South America  to uncover sources of supply that would meet the high expectations of the Japanese market. In 2005 Jorge relocated to Canada. In his free time Jorge enjoys cooking, hiking, playing soccer and is always trying to improve his "rudimentary" Japanese language skills! 

Elsie Chan

Traffic & Documentation Manager

Starting her career in the lumber industry with Trapa in 1990, Elsie has for the past eight years been managing all of the traffic and documentation responsibilities. With broad experience in export documenation and traffic whether it be by truck, rail or ocean vessels, Elsie is able to train her staff to a high level of competence so that they can aid in providing the supplier and customer service that people have come to rely on Trapa for. When she is able to take some time off from her demanding job, Elsie likes to head to the warmer climes for some well deserved R&R.

Christine Tyrer

Human Resources Manager

Christine, having supported her husband Jim’s efforts in Trapa for many years, formally took on the responsibility of HR Manager for the Company in June 2006. Having owned and operated Budget Party Rentals for ten years, and prior to that managed other businesses in Richmond, Christine brings to Trapa a lot of experience dealing with the complex issues inherent in HR management. When not in the office, Christine can be found busy helping out at her daughter’s elementary school and managing her youth soccer team.

Traffic, Documentation and Accounting Staff

Trapa’s traffic, documentation and accouting team is completed with (from left to right) Angel Chen, Claire Feng, Lara Parafina, Hawley Anderson, Julie Lee and Susana Vong. Together this team combines many years of expertise in shipping and logistics related to moving forest products around the globe. They are an instrumental part of Trapa’s business and are focused on providing our valued suppliers and customers with the highest possible customer service in the industry.

Trans-Pacific Trading K.K.

Mike Ibaraki

President, Trans-Pacific Trading K.K. 

Having been in the lumber industry for 30 years, Mike brings a vast amount of experience and knowledge to Trapa. Starting off his career in 1978 as a Sales Manager at Nichiei in Tokyo, Mike has since held the positions of President - Nichiei Canada, General Manager – Dainihon Wood Preserving Vancouver, General Manager – Dainihon Wood Preserving Aichi, and most recently President of MKL Yokohama. In addition to his impressive career history, Mike graduated with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Industrial Engineering, from the Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo. As the Executive Managing Director of Trapa Japan KK, Mike is both managing all the affairs of the company as well as developing and maintaining a wide variety of softwood lumber programs. When not busy at work, Mike likes to spend time gardening, woodworking and enjoying his wife Koko’s delicious meals. .

Toshio Okamoto

Sales, Trans-Pacific Trading K.K.

Okamoto-san is a veteran Japanese lumber trader having started his sales career in the mid 1960’s. Since graduating from Tottori University, Okamoto-san has gained experience from working for a number of different Japanese lumber companies including Tsuda Sangyo, Tsurui Seizai, Miyaji Kenzai and Yama International. Over 40 years later, Okamoto-san is now the Sales Manager for Trapa Japan brining with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. Okamoto-san was also a very gifted athlete specializing in playing baseball. He has long since stopped playing sports but for many years has continued to be involved in sports as a baseball coach.

Max Ogawa

Sales, Trans-Pacific Trading K.K.

After graduating from Meiji University with a bachelors degree in Commercial Science Max joined Tenryu where he became General Manager of Tenryu America Corporation responsible for custom cutting, merch lumber purchasing, and building materials purchasing. In 1997, Max joined Interfor Japan’s office where he gained even more international softwood lumber trading experience taking care of their Douglas Fir and Hem-Fir merch lumber sales including genban, SPF dimension, domestic re-processing programs, and European Whitewood programs in China. Max joins Trapa with a wide range of lumber experience which will be put to good use expanding and maintaining our Japan softwood lumber sales and marketing programs. As well as enjoying downhill skiing during the winter, Max spends his free time virtually every weekend training in competitive free style slalom in-line skating.

Tomoe Isaka

Traffic and Documentation Japan

coming soon...