Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring's Dennis G. “Denny” Hickman, 65, passed away on Nov. 27 after battling pancreatic cancer.
A beloved fixture in the wood flooring industry, Hickman was the third-generation of the family business, Hickman Lumber, in Emlenton, Pa. In 2000, he founded Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring, which became renowned in the industry for its quality and integrity. AMHF products have been used in many high-profile projects, including Trump Tower, the Obama Presidential Center, the PSU Palmer Museum of Art and many more museums and celebrity homes. Hickman was featured on This Old House, HGTV, Restored by the Fords, WQED’s Family Tree, and multiple industry documentaries. He also held many industry leadership roles, including being on the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association Board (2006–2012) and the Allegheny Hardwoods Utilization Group Board (2000–present).
"Dad was the heart of our family and business," his daughter, Jessica Hickman Fresch, told WFB. "He taught us to work hard and to play hard and to live a life of purpose. We are going to miss him so much."
"Uncle Denny, as I referred to my friend, was an amazing person that I had the privilege to talk with, learn from and have fun with," John Lessick, president at Chicago-based Apex Wood Floors, told WFB. "He was passionate, articulate and wise about life, wood, baseball, the outdoors and his beloved Penn State. I am a better man because of Denny Hickman. He challenged me to look at things differently, be uncomfortable by putting yourself out there and have fun doing what you love. To quote my friend, 'I am just a dumb ass working in a sawmill' ... He was so, so much more than that. He will be missed and his legacy will live on with Jake, Jessica and the whole AMHF/ Hickman lumber team."
The family asks that "in honor of Denny’s deep love for the outdoors, his commitment to responsible resource stewardship, and his generations-long dedication to the family lumber business, memorial contributions may be made to the Denny Hickman - Get Outside and Do Stuff Memorial Scholarship Fund," which will provide financial assistance to students from Venango and Clarion Counties pursuing post-secondary education in timber harvesting, forestry and forest management. Contributions may be made here or by mailing a check to: Bridge Builders Community Foundation, Denny Hickman Scholarship Fund, 1322 Elk St., Franklin, PA 16323.
Hickman's full obituary can be viewed here.
