Born in Waterville, Maine, during a time when the Cold War was intensifying and President Eisenhower was establishing the Interstate Highway System, Matt Masse entered a world already shaped by hard work, resilience, and change. He was also born into a family whose roots in the lumber and building materials industry stretch back more than a century. His great grandfather founded Masse Lumber around 1900 as a water powered sawmill in Vassalboro, and his maternal grandfather, L.A. Gray, built a feed, salt, grain, and building materials distribution business serving the coastal communities of Hancock and Washington Counties. From stacking pine boards to unloading BROSCO trucks, Matt’s earliest memories were shaped by the industry he would one day help lead.
RLDAM Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Matt Masse is congratulated by Rod Wiles, both of Hammond Lumber Company.
Matt’s childhood was a blend of grit and artistry. His father, Ken, was a lumberjack, while his mother, Freda, was an international opera singer. He grew up between central Maine and summers on the coast, raking blueberries, tending 25 lobster traps, and developing a lifelong bond with the sea. Today, that connection continues with six months each year spent at the family’s beloved camp in Sullivan.
After graduating from Fryeburg Academy in 1974, Matt attended Western Illinois University and the University of Maine at Orono before joining the industry full time. His professional career began at John F. Chick & Sons in Silver Lake, N.H., where he worked in purchasing and road sales from 1977 to 1980. In 1983, he joined Hammond Lumber Company, beginning a remarkable 43 year career in purchasing and operations. Over those four decades, Matt worked alongside four generations of the Hammond family, helping guide the company through growth, modernization, and industry change.
His leadership extended beyond Hammond Lumber. Matt served as past chairman of the LMC Roundtable Committee, contributing to industry collaboration and shared best practices. He also devoted time to civic service as past chairman of the Vassalboro School Board and a member of the town’s Budget Committee.
Family has always been at the center of Matt’s life. He met his wife, Bobbie, at Fryeburg Academy in 1973; they married in 1978 and raised four children—Ryan, Kyle, Joshua, and Lauren—and now enjoy seven grandchildren. Once their children finished high school sports, Matt and Bobbie embraced new adventures together, including a decade of participation in the Trek Across Maine, along with boating, ATV riding, snowmobiling, and RV travel.
Matt’s guiding philosophy has shaped both his career and his relationships: meet challenges head-on, propose solutions that move people and enterprises forward, and never shy away from progress. His words of encouragement capture that spirit clearly: “Always maintain a posture of developing improvement and acceptance of the change as being necessary.” It is a mindset that has earned him the respect of colleagues across the Northeast and helped define his legacy in the lumber and building materials community.
Today, we proudly honor Matt Masse with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing a career built on heritage, leadership, service, and an unwavering commitment to improvement.