Bob Sabistina

International Consultant of National Hardwood Lumber Association

Bob Sabistina has been in the hardwood lumber industry for 30 years. His career began with the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) as a national inspector traveling throughout the Midwest, eventually moving to NHLA headquarters in Memphis, to teach the inspection training school. This would start the seed growing for his teaching career. In 1986 he was promoted to NHLA chief inspector where his duties included managing a staff of national inspectors throughout the United States and Canada. His teaching of the NHLA grading rules blossomed as he traveled throughout North America conducting grading classes. In 1989 his relationship began with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) where would take his teaching skills to the rest of the world. His classes have been in such diverse places such as Figi, Russia, as well as all over Europe and Asia. Today, Mr. Sabistina wears several hats. He is the executive director of the American Walnut Manufacturers Association (AWMA) as well as the international grading consultant for the NHLA and AHEC. He writes hardwood grading articles for several magazines around the world and is considered the utmost authority on the NHLA grading rules.