Educated in forestry and forest products in Taiwan and the United States, Dr. Lei spent years bridging academic research and the realities of business. He viewed entrepreneurship as a practical research experiment.
Dr. Spencer Young-Kong Lei (雷永康博士) devoted his career to understanding the relationship between forestry research, manufacturing, and enterprise. Educated at National Chung Hsing University, Virginia Tech, and Oregon State University, he developed a foundation in forest-products science that informed his lifelong pursuit of practical innovation. His early research, including doctoral work and scientific publications on engineered wood materials, contributed to the study of wood composites and their structural properties.
Building on that foundation, Dr. Lei became involved in forestry research, education, and the development of Taiwan’s furniture and wood-products industries. Through technical studies, industry publications, and his work with Modern Furniture Industry (《現代家具工業》), he explored how manufacturers could improve operations, adopt new technologies, and compete in changing international markets. His interests extended beyond scientific research to the broader challenges of industry development and business management.
In 1990, he founded Global Forest Corp. and later developed Hardwood Center in Scottsboro, Alabama, bringing his knowledge of wood products into the everyday realities of entrepreneurship and retailing. His writings over the following decades reflected a continuing effort to connect theory with experience, question established business practices, and explore new possibilities. Across his work as a researcher, educator, writer, and entrepreneur, he remained committed to learning, innovation, and the belief that knowledge should lead to meaningful action.
1969 — Forestry, National Chung Hsing University (Taiwan).
1973 — M.S., Forest Products, Virginia Tech.
1978 — Ph.D., Forest Products Engineering, Oregon State University.
Research on engineered wood materials, including wood composites and fracture mechanics, alongside teaching and academic work.
Studies of furniture manufacturing, factory management, and the forest-products industry in Taiwan.
Founding Global Forest Corp. and developing Hardwood Center as a specialty wood-products business in Alabama.
Articles and essays exploring innovation, management, and the relationship between knowledge and enterprise.
In his September 2004 white paper, Dr. Lei dedicated his work to his wife, Christina, recognizing her 32 years of support and sacrifice as he pursued his dream and moved from academic life into entrepreneurship.
“This booklet is dedicated to my wife, Christina Lei, for her 32 years unconditional help, support and sacrifice to accommodate me for pursuing my dream.”
