DonLaskowskiSawmillweb1.jpg

Wood-Mizer Founder, Don Laskowski, Passes Away

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Wood-Mizer co-founder Don Laskowski. On May 30th, 2020, Don passed away at the age of 89.

Don, alongside co-founder Dan Tekulve, was responsible for inventing the thin-kerf portable sawmill that led to the establishment of Wood-Mizer in 1982 in Indiana. Throughout the foundational years of the company, Don had a hand in engineering and marketing a variety of products for Wood-Mizer. Under Don’s leadership, he expanded the company globally into Koło, Poland which serves today as the Wood-Mizer European Headquarters.

   

After 22 years, Don retired in 2004 from active involvement with Wood-Mizer at which time the company established the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) making Wood-Mizer 100% employee owned. Don lived his life with a passion for improving the lives of others by providing support through generous donations in his home community of Indianapolis, Indiana and around the world.

Wood-Mizer honors Don for his many years of service to our company and to others. His legacy lives on through Wood-Mizer and the more than 80,000 sawmill owners throughout the world who have achieved their dreams of building a project, business, or helped someone in need using a Wood-Mizer sawmill.
Our hearts and prayers are with the Laskowski family.


Don Laskowski (left) and the Laskowski family with one of the first Wood-Mizer portable sawmills in 1982.

Don Laskowski working on an early Wood-Mizer product called the Dupli-Carver.

 


Wood-Mizer Founders Don Laskowski (left) and Dan Tekulve (right).

Subscribe

Submitting this form indicates that you agree to the terms of Wood-Mizer's Privacy Policy