Portland, OR, September 3, 2002 - North Pacific Group, Inc., a building products wholesale trade and distribution company, has announced the appointment of Dave Hughes to the position of Chief Operating Officer, Distribution.

Mr. Hughes will be responsible for overseeing all of North Pacific's distribution companies located throughout the US. He has been with North Pacific since 1994, most recently as the President of Saxonville USA, one of North Pacific's distribution companies located in New Hampshire. Over the last eight years, he has successfully grown the business from four locations that concentrated in commodities to its current eleven operations and over $125 million in annual sales. Prior to North Pacific, Mr. Hughes was Vice President, Asset Based Lending with Fleet Bank.

"Dave will be a great asset to the senior management team," stated Jay Ross, President of North Pacific Group, Inc. "With his distribution and financial experience, we can focus on growing our distribution capabilities."

About North Pacific Group, Inc.
Founded in 1948, North Pacific Group, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation and one of the world's largest merchants of forest products and services. It is the second largest privately-held company in Oregon with over $1 billion in sales annually and over 950 employees.

North Pacific Group, Inc and its subsidiaries produce or acquire building products, steel, and agricultural & food ingredient commodities on a global basis. The company serves building products retailers and distributors, furniture manufacturers, power companies, metal fabricators and manufacturers, farm supply retailers, and distributors.

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