When Bert Sarkkinen was 16, he quit his job as a farm hand and went to work for his father as a framing apprentice. This golden opportunity gave him the foundation to become a trailblazer in the hybrid timber framing industry.

Fascinated with the way people tick, Sarkkinen discovered that he could match people to the right timber framing options by understanding their personalities. Ultimately, when their wants and needs are properly analyzed, it results in a personalized Timber Framing experience that exceeds expectations.

He understands nuances in personality types, such as thinkers tend to go for function before form. The way people talk, the vernacular they use, can say a lot about their real tastes.

Through a “Trial By Fire” Bert Sarkkinen built his team and dialed in the best people to take the vision of his company to the next level. As the company gained more traction, and employees took more ownership, Bert became a visionary and a leader, teaching the craft of timber framing to others as well as instilling in them years of expertise as an ally to help them succeed.

Today, Bert Sarkkinen is not only the founder of Arrow Timber, he is also the author of The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing, releasing as a second edition, February, 2021. The book is a guide for people who want to explore Timber Framing, and for those who enjoy the unique aesthetics it offers architecture and homebuilding. It is a look into the amazing world of Timber Framing and it makes for a beautiful coffee table book.