Eagle Rock Timber, Inc. - Idaho Falls

In June of 2001, Rick Gokey, founder and President of Eagle Rock Timber Inc., needed help with marketing and finding ways to increase sales so he approached the Idaho Small Business Development Center in Idaho Falls for help. By the end of 2001, Eagle Rock Timber had more than doubled its sales from the previous year.

In early 2005, Gokey again called upon the business consultants at the Idaho Falls SBDC, this time to help him with unprecedented growth. Estimated revenues for 2005 will exceed 2004 revenues by more than 400 percent.

Gokey's focus shifted from marketing to management issues related to Eagle Rock Timber's incredible growth. Sales increased by millions. He added more than 60 employees in the first six months of 2005, and he anticipates hiring an additional 15 to 30 employees by the end of the year.

Gokey established Eagle Rock Timber in 1974. In its early years, the company was primarily involved in eastern Idaho's timber industry. Due to severe economic and environmental pressures, the timber industry was virtually eliminated in that area, so one of Eagle Rock Timber's biggest obstacles was surviving that cutback and transitioning to a different marketplace and industry.

ERT evolved as a full-service general contracting company focusing primarily on government contracts in four categories: heavy highway construction, industrial building construction, utility work and demolition.

Recently, the Idaho SBDC was instrumental in helping Eagle Rock Timber procure a substantial increase in its construction funding. This funding will provide a cushion needed to support the company's exciting growth.

"We've always called upon the SBDC to assist in our management decisions," Gokey said.