On November 26, 2005, the Western Mountains Alliance awarded the “King Cummings Leadership Award” to Maine WoodNet. The award is given biennially to an organization that best exemplifies the Western Mountains Alliance’s mission: to improve the quality of life and to strengthen the regional identity of the western mountains region of Maine, while honoring rural values and the environment, and supporting sustainable community development. Past leadership award recipients have been the Rangeley Region Economic Growth Organization, the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council, the Androscoggin River Watershed Council, and the Lake George Regional Park Association.

In March of 1997, under the direction of Wilderness Society (TWS) economist Spencer Phillips, TWS co-sponsored a Community Economic Assessment Workshop with the Western Mountains Alliance in Farmington, Maine. Among the findings of the Workshop was a decline in wood products manufacturing (and a desire to turn that decline around) and the need for assistance to help small businesses increase capacity and make the move from sole proprietorships (“mom & pop” operations) to employers of additional workers.

One of the outcomes of that workshop was a group of wood professionals now known as Maine WoodNet. Organized in 1999 under the leadership of Spencer Phillips and coordinator Chris Krauss, the network has taken that initial idea and parlayed it into a direct connection between conservation and economic development.

In naming Maine WoodNet, the Western Mountains Alliance noted that the group:

• Had been successful in organizing wood professionals from loggers to primary processors to manufacturers from throughout Franklin, Oxford and Somerset Counties;
• Was the first group in the United States to obtain a group chain of custody from the Forest Stewardship Council for Certified wood products;
• Opened SugarWood Gallery to sell member products, had expanded twice and was now selling over 50 area manufacturer’s products;
• Recently opened a second gallery in Rutland, Vermont; and 
• Remained true to its motto of, “It’s not how many logs you take out of the forest, its how many dollars you get out of the logs.”

In accepting the award, Chris Krauss thanked the Western Mountains Alliance for recognizing Maine WoodNet and went on to say that three years ago to the day the Maine WoodNet office was devastated by a fire that also took all of her husband Gary’s woodshop and left their family homeless. “This award is a testament to the strength of Maine WoodNet and to its commitment to serve western Maine woodworkers and artisans. Thanks to your support, SugarWood Gallery has become an ‘anchor store’ bringing people from throughout the state to Farmington. This proves that rural Maine can compete with urban areas and can do so by selling locally made wood products.”

In 2003, The Northern Forest Center named Chris Krauss, Coordinator of Maine WoodNet, as the recipient of the first annual “Northern Forest Community Partnership Award.” This award celebrates the work of individuals who exemplify the spirit of collaboration, and work across geographic and sectoral boundaries to advance the well-being of people and communities in Northern Forest.