Happy Father’s Day: Lessons passed down in the Pulp & Paper Division
As his sons Ken and Josiah were growing up, Tim Valentine strove to instill the values of encouragement, curiosity, respect, perseverance and a drive to keep learning. It’s these values that Tim is proud to see exhibited in his sons today as all three work in J.D. Irving, Limited’s Pulp and Paper Division.
Tim Valentine is a Manager of Project Engineering with Irving Forest Services, a group that supports the division. Ken recently joined Irving Pulp & Paper as an Associate Mechanical Engineer, while his brother Josiah is currently on a summer work term at the mill and is studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick.
Growing up, Ken spent countless hours working alongside his dad on hands-on projects, from building decks and roofing houses to rebuilding engines and working on cars. This taught him to embrace challenges with confidence while remaining curious enough to ask questions along the way.
“That mindset inspired me to learn more about how things work and shaped how I approach problem-solving and new opportunities,” Ken said.
For Josiah, one of the greatest lessons he learned from Tim was to enjoy the process of learning, problem-solving and truly understanding a topic.
“My dad is one of my greatest encouragers,” Josiah said. “He supports me through every decision, hobby and goal.”
For Tim, watching his sons develop into successful professionals has been one of the most rewarding parts of sharing a workplace.
“Being in the same work area as my sons, I enjoy hearing from all sorts of different people about how they are doing and growing,” he said, adding that it has also created opportunities for meaningful conversations rooted in shared experiences and a common understanding of the industry.
Reflecting on his sons’ accomplishments, Tim’s pride extends beyond their professional achievements.
“I’m very proud of all my sons and what they have achieved,” he said. “Even more, I’m proud of the men they have become.”
