Land and Sea

In a world where everything bigger is supposed to be better, there is one Maritime entrepreneur who still believes it's okay to think small. On New Brunswick's north shore, Dale Smearer operates a small, family-run sawmill that supplies high-end wood to customers around the world.Specializing in such figured woods as bird's eye maple and curly maple, Smearer sells to furniture manufacturers, artists and makers of customized musical instruments. Every time the bankers want to lend him money so he can expand, he says, "No thanks." For Dale Smearer, his business and his life are just fine.