Career Stories
DANIEL CORTES
Daniel Cortes grew up in Southern California and began his professional journey in the U.S. Air Force, where he served for seven years. After his military service, he relocated to North Idaho while completing his accounting degree. The summer before graduation, he landed an internship with PotlatchDeltic, his first civilian role, which gave him a clearer sense of direction and eased his transition into a new career path.
Following the internship, Daniel worked in public accounting for some of the world’s largest firms, then moved into private-sector financial analysis in Texas. When the COVID-19 pandemic brought him back to Idaho, a recruiter reached out with an opportunity at PotlatchDeltic. For Daniel, it was an easy decision: the company had helped launch his civilian career, and returning felt like coming full circle.
Today, Daniel serves as Financial Planning and Analysis Manager for PotlatchDeltic’s Wood Products division. He oversees analytics and budgeting and collaborates with teams across the company from mill floors to executive offices. He also chairs the Veterans Employee Resource Group, a role that allows him to support fellow veterans as they transition into civilian life, work that’s deeply personal to him.
Professionally, Daniel thrives in the company’s culture of continuous improvement, using creativity and data to streamline processes and strengthen decision-making. Personally, he’s built lasting relationships throughout the organization and deepened his connection to service. Outside of work, he runs a competitive youth soccer club with 12 teams, including his two sons, and organizes events that support nonprofits like Make-A-Wish and veterans’ organizations.
His advice for those considering a career at PotlatchDeltic: be organized, think creatively, care about your community, and always seek ways to improve. For Daniel, these principles have shaped a career that’s both fulfilling and impactful.
EMMA HOWELL
Emma Howell grew up in Spokane, Washington, and graduated high school with enough dual credits to complete her forestry degree at the University of Idaho in just two years—earning her diploma by age 20. What started as uncertainty about her career direction transformed into a passionate commitment to forestry, all sparked by the right internship opportunity.
Emma discovered what quality mentorship looked like at PotlatchDeltic. Her 2020 summer internship at the St. Maries district opened her eyes to what forestry could truly offer. From day one, she was treated like a full-fledged team member, working in the field, learning alongside seasoned foresters, and gaining practical skills she could apply to her studies. The experience not only boosted her confidence but confirmed that forestry was the path she wanted to follow.
After completing her degree, Emma pursued an MBA at Eastern Washington University and returned for a second PotlatchDeltic internship in the Orofino district. That role helped expand her skills, her network, and her sense of direction.
In 2021, what began as a competitive interview for a position in Idaho led to an unexpected opportunity. When Emma expressed openness to relocation during her interview process, it caught the attention of management looking to fill an Arkansas position. The company flew Emma and her fiancé down for an in-person interview and two-day tour of the region.
In just one whirlwind month, Emma interviewed, got married, and moved across the country with her husband. Four years later, they’ve built a life they love in the South, even convincing her parents and brother’s family to join them.
Professionally, Emma has grown from a young intern to a confident forester, learning how to build strong contractor relationships while staying grounded in regulatory standards. She’s adapted to a completely different forestry environment. She credits her supervisor for challenging her to think critically and develop her own approach to problem-solving.
Emma is proud of the risk she took—moving to a new state with no connections and building both a career and a home from scratch. Outside of work, she and her husband enjoy working out, volunteering at their church, and spending time outdoors often with her loyal woods dog by her side.
Her advice for anyone considering PotlatchDeltic: take the opportunity, don’t be afraid to move, and never underestimate what you’re capable of. What started as “just a year of experience” has become a place she calls home.
MIKE BALBI
Mike Balbi was born and raised in St. Maries, Idaho, where his connection to PotlatchDeltic runs deep. He is part of a proud four-generation legacy: his grandfather and father both retired from the company, Mike has been there for 37 years, and now his son has joined too. Alongside his professional journey, Mike has also built a life filled with family: two children and four grandchildren who keep things lively and full.
Mike began his career at the mill as a dryer grader. He later stepped away to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve, training as a construction mechanic while attending military school. After a brief stint at another mill, he returned to PotlatchDeltic, where he worked across nearly every part of the operation, from spreaders and sanders to the veneer chain. For the past 16 years, he’s focused on the layup line, where he operates and maintains the equipment. Thanks to his military background and decades of hands-on experience, Mike has become the go-to expert for keeping things running smoothly.
One of his proudest achievements is the layup line’s outstanding downtime record: the best in the complex for years. He credits that success to the pride his team takes in their work and to the willingness of seasoned employees to share what they know. Over the last 15 years, Mike has trained every new hire on the line, passing along not just technical skills but also the little tricks that make a big difference. Now, he’s preparing his son to carry on the tradition and keep that knowledge in the family.
Mike’s advice to newcomers is simple: show up on time, work hard, and don’t call in unless you’re truly sick. For him, reliability is the cornerstone of success in this industry and any job.
Outside the mill, Mike enjoys the outdoors with his family. They spend summer weekends on their riverfront property, golfing, shooting, berry picking, and soaking up the quiet of the woods. After decades of hard work, those peaceful moments surrounded by loved ones mean the most.
TAMIKO HAMPTON
When Tamiko Hampton started at PotlatchDeltic in April 1992, she was part of the nighttime cleanup crew at the Bradley mill. Within two months, she moved to running the door-jamb machine, and from there, she worked in nearly every corner of the operation. Over the years, she ran the super chain, helped in the chip mill, worked as a sorter, relief operator, in quality control, and eventually became a lead. Each move wasn’t part of a master plan. Tamiko simply worked hard, stepped in wherever she was needed, and earned the trust to take on new responsibilities. That adaptability not only kept operations running but also built the deep experience that would later carry her into leadership.
Tamiko admits she doubted her own readiness at first. For years, others encouraged her to move into supervision, but she lacked confidence. It was the support of mentors like her plant manager, Marty, who reminded her of the knowledge and experience she had built over time, that finally gave her the push. With their encouragement, she found her footing, and today, she’s proud to lead the very team she once worked alongside.
In every role she’s held, Tamiko has been fiercely dedicated to safety. She’s known for her firm approach to PPE, believing it’s the first and most important step in making sure everyone goes home safe. She takes pride in being a protector, watching out for her team and ensuring production never comes at the expense of safety.
What surprises many isn’t just her long tenure, 34 years and counting, but the energy and resilience she’s shown along the way. She even worked until she was six months pregnant, out on the drop order, handling machinery like anyone else on the floor. For her, it’s always been about showing up, working hard, and setting the right example.
Outside of work, Tamiko is a devoted family woman. She and her husband have raised four children, and she now delights in her 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. At home, she’s happiest crafting, making T-shirts, caps, and church programs, and cherishing time with her family.
Her advice to new employees is straightforward: take the job seriously, show up on time, work safely, and look out for each other. “If you ain’t at work, you can’t work,” she tells every new hire. For Tamiko, that work ethic, paired with deep pride in PotlatchDeltic as a place that has provided her family with stability, is what has kept her going for more than three decades.
