Garland Mill Timberframes of Lancaster, New Hampshire was recently named the 2013 Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Business Award winner by SBA New Hampshire. This award recognizes a business that has been passed on to the next generation, demonstrating long term staying power, economic growth, and commitment to their community. 

Garland Mill Timberframes is a design/build company that provides high quality craftsmanship and materials along with state-of-the-art building methods.   The heart of the operation is the Garland Mill, an 1856 water-powered sawmill that powers the mill and generates surplus energy that is returned to the grid.  Brothers Tom and Harry Southworth were the first generation business owners, operating the business since 1974.   They grew their company as they grew their families, hoping one day to pass the company and its high standards and quality on to their children. 

Their sons, Benjamin Southworth and Dana Southworth, left for college and career opportunities.  Ben’s education and travels took him to Minnesota and Norway, New Mexico and Chicago; Dana’s took him to Pennsylvania and Italy, Poland and Slovakia, New York City and several more countries.  Ben married his college sweetheart, Kirsten; Dana met his wife-to-be, Izabella, in New York. 

Both cousins became fathers to new sons about the same time and looked to settle down and raise their families. They came full circle, returning to their family roots in Lancaster.  Keeping a promise they had made to themselves to follow in their fathers’ footsteps, they began work at the entry levels and learned the business from the bottom up.  After several years they entered into a five year buyout agreement with their fathers, where ownership was gradually transitioned to the sons.

The Southworth cousins treat their employees like family, and the same values show in their customized service to customers - they are building homes, not just houses.  The company is equally committed to the local community.  They built and donated timberframe rest huts for the Lancaster Skating Rink, the Coos Trail Association, and the rope tow ski area in Lancaster.  The Mill is an historic part of the community and the cousins want to keep it that way.

Upon being selected for the award, the Southworths said: “Garland Mill Timberframes is honored and delighted to receive the NH 2013 Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Business Award.  We would like to thank Stewart Gates from the SBDC for his generous and practical guidance with numerous  aspects of our business during the past three years. We would also like to thank our fathers –Tom and Harry Southworth for their cheerful and tireless efforts at making the Garland Mill and the broad community around the best it could possibly be.”

“We look forward to honoring the Southworth family and Garland Mill Timberframes” stated SBA district director Greta Johansson.  “Family-owned businesses are a vital and vibrant part of our communities and this company is a shining example.”