September 24, 2024

Fordyce, Ark. - On Friday, June 21, the unspeakable occurred at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas, a town of just 3,200 people 65 miles from Little Rock. An armed man shot 13 people, including two law enforcement officers, killing four.

The Georgia-Pacific OSB facility in Fordyce worked immediately to provide much needed support and services to its employees and the community. Georgia-Pacific is a Koch company, and facility leadership reached out to the Koch Crisis Center to leverage employee assistance program (EAP) resources offered through Spring Health. The following Monday after the shooting, Spring Health counselors were on site to meet with groups of employees, facilitate one-on-one sessions, and distribute printed resources with the EAP hotline number. Spring Health is more than an EAP service for employees, as it collaborates with leading companies worldwide to offer mental health services that prioritize the unique needs of employees and their families.

“Our community suffered a senseless act of violence on Friday, June 21. We witnessed empathy and compassion as the community came together to aid, volunteer, and serve families and friends who fell victim to the tragedy,” said Craig Sheek, plant manager for Georgia-Pacific’s Fordyce OSB Mill. “We are proud to be a part of the community, especially the community within our facility.”

“Within an hour of the tragic events unfolding, we connected with Spring Health Employee Assistance Program, a benefit provided by our parent company Koch at no cost to our employees and their household members. The provider dispatched a crisis response team of five licensed counselors to arrive at the facility on Monday, June 24 at 4:30 am for a day of one-on-one sessions and group crisis support needed for our team,” said Corina Schindel, HR business partner for Georgia-Pacific’s Fordyce OSB Mill. “Fordyce is a community of courage and strength. We value being a part of an organization that leads by our principles, supports community involvement, and builds empowered relationships capable of doing extraordinary things.”

In July, the Fordyce facility worked with FBT Bank & Mortgage, a local bank, to donate $20,000 to a victim’s relief fund for those affected by the shooting. “FBT was privileged to welcome Craig Sheek, Corina Schindel, and Ronke Adetoba from Georgia-Pacific to our bank lobby on July 29. We were honored to help distribute the $20,000 donation from Georgia Pacific’s Fordyce OSB plant to the victims and families impacted by the mass shooting,” said Jim Hulse, president, CEO & chairman of the board for FBT Bank & Mortgage. “The funds were transferred into the designated accounts on the same day, as instructed by Georgia-Pacific. We feel incredibly blessed and are grateful to God for this generous gift and for the presence of the OSB plant in our community. Fordyce is truly fortunate to have such compassionate individuals care about the community,” Hulse said.

People are at the heart of everything we do at Georgia-Pacific. We work to create stronger communities and improve lives. Georgia-Pacific is also there with support when a community faces a tragedy. Learn more about our Social Stewardship initiatives here.