Red Emmerson Net Worth
Archie Aldis “Red” Emmerson is one of the largest private landowners in the United States. His family owns almost 2 million acres of land. He is the founder of Sierra Pacific Industries, which produces lumber in California and Washington. He also owns a stake in Liberty Media.
Red Emmerson started in the forest products industry at a young age. His father was a sawmill owner. He got into the business when he was 19 years old and began to work with his father. He graduated from high school in Omak, Washington. During that time, he learned how to run a sawmill. He eventually worked his way up to become a general manager at the company.
In the 1930s, R.H. Emmerson and Son had a tough time affording new parts for their mill. So they started buying up lumber businesses in California and Washington. At the time, the lumber industry was ravaging the forests, and Northern Spotted Owls were near extinction. When the company purchased a bank of timber holdings, they set their sights on a couple of plants.
The second-largest lumber producer in the U.S., Sierra Pacific Industries went public in 1969. After the company’s success, Emmerson and his father took the company back private again in 1974.
Although his father is now deceased, Red Emmerson is still at the forefront of his family’s company. He has an eye for opportunity and has a keen business sense. As a result, he has made some huge bets after his career.
The company, which is run by his sons, is currently the third-largest landowner in the country. They own nearly two million acres of land in California and Washington. They are estimated to be worth over $2 billion.
There are hundreds of millions of acres of privately owned timberland in the United States. They are often sold to retailers or logged in case of a fire. The profit margins on salvage logs are as high as 40%. The Sierra Pacific Industries’ Wood Product Manufacturing industry has generated $50 million in the last seven years. In addition, they are a major shareholder of Discover Communications.
When Steve Hearst moved from the newspaper business to the real estate market, he met Red Emmerson. They became friends. Hearst learned that the Emmersons were a family with a mission. The family was willing to sell their timber rights along the Eel River. The company also purchased 522,000 acres from the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Railroad.
In 2011, Archie Aldis “Red” was the third-largest landowner in America. He owns 1.9 million acres in California and Western Washington. His land holdings are larger than those of Jacksonville, Florida. He is ranked number 184 on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest people.
In addition to being a lumber tycoon, Red Emmerson is also a philanthropist. He has given millions of dollars to the community through his Sierra Pacific Foundation. He has served as chairman of the board for Liberty Media and has a 28% interest in the Atlanta Braves. He has an estimated net worth of $3.1 billion.