Jay Farrell has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the National Association of State Foresters, a non-profit organization comprised of forestry agency directors representing all 50 states, 8 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. He will join NASF on November 5, 2007.

“I am humbled and honored to be selected to serve the nation’s state foresters. Through a unified vision and visible leadership, NASF has made positive impacts on forestry that serve the public interest. I look forward to contributing to that proud tradition,” said Farrell.

Prior to joining NASF, Farrell was Manager, Field Operations, for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), North America’s largest forest certification program. He helped establish SFI as an independent non-profit organization and managed a grassroots network of 37 SFI Implementation Committees in the U.S. and Canada. As a recognized expert on applying certification standards to forest operations, Farrell guided the development of many of the logger training, landowner education, and public outreach requirements in the SFI Standard.

“Jay is uniquely qualified and an excellent fit for this position,” said NASF President and Arizona State Forester Kirk Rowdabaugh. “His extensive experience in forestry, business administration, and association management will allow him to immediately exercise leadership as NASF seeks to advance sustainable forestry, the conservation and protection of forest lands and associated resources, and the establishment and protection of forests in the urban environment.”

Farrell also worked for eight years as a forest policy specialist with the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), the national trade association for the forest products industry. He led industry committees focused on a variety of issues such as forest certification, forest research, and federal timber supply. Working with allied organizations, he helped develop and communicate consensus-based appropriations, legislative, and policy positions. Farrell also represented industry on several national advisory boards that delivered policy recommendations to the administration and Congress.

Farrell’s understanding of forest certification and policy issues has been informed by relevant on-the-ground field experience. He worked for eleven years as a forester for Westvaco Corporation (now MeadWestvaco); his responsibilities included landowner assistance, wood procurement, and logging supervision. He also served as Public Lands Committee Chair for the West Virginia Forestry Association. Farrell then worked two years as corporate Material Acquisition Manager for American Wood Fibers, Inc., sourcing recycled wood waste from throughout North America. His first forestry job was a volunteer intern with the USDA Forest Service. Working on the Uinta National Forest, he spent a summer fighting fires and conducting stand examinations.

Farrell holds a BSF in Forest Resources Management from West Virginia University, an MBA from Averett University, and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE). He is a member of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

The National Association of State Foresters is comprised of the directors of state and territorial agencies and the District of Columbia. Through public-private partnership, NASF seeks to advance sustainable forestry, conservation, and protection of forest lands and their associated resources.

MEDIA CONTACT:

 Sarah McCreary, Communications Director
 smccreary@stateforesters.org
 202-624-5417   

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