FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, OR, August 4, 2003 - North Pacific Group, Inc., a privately held building products wholesale trade and distribution company, has announced the appointment of Mr. Jay Ross to the position of chief executive officer and president effective immediately. Mr. Ross, formerly president, succeeds Mr. T.J. Tomjack as chief executive officer. Tomjack continues as chairman of the Board of Directors.

"Jay has proven himself to be a dynamic leader and I have the utmost confidence in his abilities," said Mr. Tomjack. "Jay will be the fourth CEO of North Pacific since its inception in 1948."

Mr. Ross joined North Pacific in 1999 as chief operating officer of distribution. He came to North Pacific with significant management experience in distribution, logistics and general management. After graduating from the University of Portland in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering, Mr. Ross steadily advanced in management and operations with Crown Zellerbach. In 1995, he joined Unisource Worldwide, Inc., where he held the positions of regional vice president, and vice president logistics & distribution. After Unisource was acquired by Georgia Pacific in 1999, Mr. Ross returned to Portland to join North Pacific. He was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2000 and accepted the position of President of the Company in 2001. He lives in Lake Oswego, OR with his wife and daughter.

Mr. T.J. Tomjack joined North Pacific Group, Inc in 1985 as executive vice president of sales. In January 1989, he became president of the company and in March 1990, he took on the added roles of chief executive officer and chairman of the Board of Directors. Prior to North Pacific, Mr. Tomjack held various positions in Potlatch Corporation from 1973 to 1985. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame and joined the accounting firm of KPMG Peat Marwick in 1964.

Jay Ross

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 825 employees.

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

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