Born: Atlanta GA 1948 B.S.F.R. University of Georgia 1970
Area Forester, Timber Buyer, Supervisor, Superintendent, Procurement Manager, Region Manager and Director of Wood Procurement of Woodlands Division - Union Camp Corporation 1972-1999
Southeast Region Manager, Director of Sustainable Forest Technologies - International Paper Company 1999-2005
Vice-President of Forest Operations - F&W Forestry Services, Inc., 2006 - Present
Leader in the forestry community and served as President of the Georgia Forestry Association and Georgia Forestry Foundation, and past Board member of the Alabama and South Carolina Forestry Associations. Served as President of the UGA Warnell Alumni Association and Big Jay Hook. Member of the Society of American Foresters since 1973 with several leadership positions. Elected SAF Fellow in 2012.
Inducted in the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2012.
Born: Athens GA 1951 B.S.F.R. University of Georgia 1974
President, Stuckey Timberland, Inc. 1986-2006 President, Superior Pine Products Company 2006-2012
Recognized for a career of working with private non-industrial timberland owners and family-owned businesses that emphasized the importance of forestry to our economy, environment and wildlife. Served on the Board of Directors and as President of the Georgia Forestry Association, Advisory Boards for the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Center for Forest Business, Governor's Agriculture Advisory Commission, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation and Okefenokee Technical College Foundation.
Born: Cochran GA 1952 B.S.F.R. University of Georgia 1974
President, Knapp-Barrs & Associates 1984-Present President, Due South Investments, LLC 1997-Present
As President of Knapp-Barrs & Associates and Due South Investments, LLC, he has been a leader in forest resource management in the Southeast. His leadership as President of the Georgia Forestry Association and Chair of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Board along with serving on the Forest Landowners Association Board has positively impacted numerous forestry and natural resource policies. Earl and his wife Wanda, with their award winning Gully Branch Tree Farm, were selected as Georgia Tree Farmers of the Year in 2008 and National Tree Farmers of the Year in 2009. In 2010 they received the Governor's Award for Environmental Stewardship and Conservation.
Born: Byron, Georgia 1947 B.S.F. University of Georgia 1969
Procurement Forester and Area Forester, Georgia Kraft 1973-1986 Procurement Manager, Macon Kraft 1986-1992 Procurement Manager, Riverwood International 1992-1996 Manager of Operations, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President, The Price Companies 1996 - Present
Leader in the forestry community serving as President of the Georgia Forestry Association, President of the UGA Warnell Alumni Association, Chairman of the Warnell Steering Committee, Jayhole Club Big Jay Hook and Treasurer of the Georgia Forestry Foundation. Member of the Society of American Foresters serving in many leadership positions including Georgia Division Chair, Southeastern SAF Chair and member of the National House of Society Delegates. Elected Fellow in 1992. Instrumental in founding the Billy Lancaster Forestry Youth Camp for educating youth about natural resource management. Chairman of the Camp's Endowment Fund Committee.
Inducted in the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2013.
Born: Columbus, GA 1954 B.S.F. University of Georgia 1976 M.S. Ed. Georgia State University 1981
State Urban Forestry Coordinator, Georgia Forestry Commission 1984-1998 Chief, Communications and Urban Forestry - Georgia Forestry Commission 1998-2008 Owner, Dolliver Communications and Education Services, LLC 2009-Present Southeastern SAF Business Manager 2011-Present
Recognized for leadership in helping to found the Billy Lancaster Forestry Youth Camp, Georgia Urban Forest Council and Georgia Project Learning Tree Program. Served as member and chair of the Georgia State Board of Registration and member of the Warnell Alumni Association. Society of American Foresters member since 1976 serving in leadership positions at National, Southeastern, Division and Chapter levels. Elected SAF Fellow in 2007. Recipient of American Forests' National Urban Forestry Medal, National PLT Gold Star Award, Georgia Wildlife Federation's Educator of the Year Award and the Southeastern SAF Public Education and Technology Award.
Inducted in the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2014.
Born: Martinsburg WV 1949 B.S.F. R. University of Georgia 1971
Land Manager, Continental Forest Industries, 1971-1979 Wood Procurement Manager, Continental Forest Industries, 1979-1984 Land/Procurement Manager, Union Camp Corporation, 1984-1993 Vice President, Timber Division, Interstate Resources, 1993-Presentt
Leader in the forestry community serving as Chairman of Board of the Forest Resources Association and on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Georgia Forestry Association. Served as President of the UGA Warnell Alumni Association, Chairman of the Warnell Steering Committee, Chairman of the Georgia Tree Farm Committee, Jay Hole Club Big Jay Hook, Member of the Warnell Dean’s Advisory Board and President of the SAF Savannah Area Forestry Club. Member of the Society of American Foresters since 1972.
Inducted in the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2015.
Born: Macon GA 1942 B.S.F. University of Georgia 1965
Consulting Forester and Chairman of the Board, Forest Resource Consultants Inc, 1970-present
Notable contributor to the forestry consulting industry and founder of the Forest Resource Consultants firm. One of the first consultants to implement personal computer use in private forest management by the development of computerized growth and yield and harvest scheduling models. Developed first training manual for mass appraisal of rural lands for the UGA Institute for Governmental Training. Served as Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF) southern region director and national president, Forest Landowners Association board member and member of the Georgia Board of Registration for Foresters. Recipient of the ACF Distinguished Forester Award.
Inducted in the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2016.
Born: Chattanooga TN 1944 B.S.F. University of Georgia 1968
Chief of Forest Information and Urban Forestry, Georgia Forestry Commission,1986-1997 Deputy Director, Georgia Forestry Commission, 1997-2003 Interim Director, Georgia Forestry Commission, 2003-2005 Owner and President, Arbor Creek Forestry LLC, 2005-Present
Exemplary promoter of forestry professionalism and integrity through leadership in many forestry organizations. Served as Georgia State Board of Registration for Foresters Chair; Warnell School Alumni Steering Committee member and Big Jayhook; Georgia Project Learning Tree Steering Committee Chair; and State Tree Farm Committee Co-Chair. Georgia Forestry Commission leadership roles include District Forester, Regional Forester, Chief of Forest Information and Urban Forestry, Deputy Director and Interim Director. Served 28 years in the U.S. Army and Georgia National Guard in capacities including Company Commander and Battalion Commander. Served the Society of American Foresters as Georgia Division Chair, Southeastern SAF Chair and National Council Representative. Elected Fellow in 1995.
Born: Wyandotte MI 1956 B.S.F. Michigan Technical University 1978 M.S. University of Georgia 1980
State Forest Hydrologist, Florida Division of Forestry, 1980-1986 Director of Governmental Affairs, Florida Forestry Association, 1986-1993 Director of Environmental Affairs, Georgia-Pacific Corporation/The Timber Company, 1993-2001 Vice President of Environmental Affairs, Plum Creek Timber Company, 2001-2016t
Extraordinary policy analyst and a champion of scientifically-based policy development. His substantial contributions to shaping local, state and national level forest and environmental policy encompassed committee work for the American Forest and Paper Association, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Forest Landowners Association, Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Society of American Foresters. He served as chair of the Forest Landowner Foundation, board member of the Forest Landowners Association, and on advisory committees for the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, the School of Forest Resources at Auburn University and a variety of other groups.
Born: Atlanta, GA 1957 B.S.F Auburn University 1979 M.B.A University of South Alabama 1987 Chairman of the Board, Forest Investment Associates, 2016- Present President, Forest Investment Associates, 2008- 2015 Executive Vice President, Forest Investment Associates, 2003-2007 Vice President & Director of Timberland Management, Forest Investment Associates, 1994-2002 Management Forester, Forest Investment Associates, 1990-1993 Associate Forester, Project & Senior Forester, International Paper Company, 1980-1987
Alfred Akerman Cartersville, GA 1876-1962 Master of Forestry: Yale University 1902 First Dean of the University of Georgia Forestry School
Professor Akerman was appointed Professor of Forestry and began his duties July 1, 1906. He was also appointed Dean of the George Foster Peabody School of Forestry. Akerman taught all the courses for several years. He saw the need to have a support group advocating for forestry’s interests and thus he founded the Georgia Forestry Association in 1907. During his tenure at the Forestry School, he advocated for a summer camp, for more professors, for moving the Forestry Department to the School of Agriculture, for the establishment of State Forester’s Office. In 1914, he founded the University of Georgia forestry club. He was an advocate for forestry on all fronts and continued to battle for forestry’s best interests. He disagreed with the high-handed management style of Andrew Soule, the President of Department of Agriculture and resigned in 1914 which was a loss to forestry at the University of Georgia. The trustees brought Professor Akerman to the University to start the forestry program because they wanted a person who had high academic and ethical standards and someone who would get the school started on the right path. Alfred A. Akerman certainly did that and deserves to be in the Georgia Division’s Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame.
This information was taken from The Centennial History of Forestry in Georgia; A Pictorial Journey by Bob Izlar as well as websites from Yale University and the University of Virginia.
Inducted in the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2018
Robert Duncan Farris
Born: Lyons Township, Illinois 1959 BSFR University of Georgia 1985, WSFR Distinguished Alumnus Director and State Forester Georgia Forestry Commission 2007-2017
Farris started with the Georgia Forestry Commission as a temporary laborer before being hired as a Forester Firefighter. Following 22 years of public service in many GFC leadership positions, he took the reigns as Director in 2007, a year marked by the beginning of the Great Recession, record-breaking regional drought, and the largest recorded wildfires in Georgia’s history. Serving as director until 2017, he helped build recognition of Georgia as the #1 Forestry State in the Nation.
Leadership on many forestry efforts led to recognition as a Society of American Foresters Fellow, GFA Champion of Forestry, USDA Honor for Excellence, Governor’s Award, Georgia Customer Service Agency of the Year, National Wild Turkey Federation Conservation Partner of the Year, Georgia Prescribed Fire Council Torch Bearer Award, and Georgia Trend’s 100 Most Influential Georgians.
Inducted in the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2019
Brooks C. Mendell
Born: Ridgewood, New Jersey 1970 BS & MS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MBA, University of California, Berkeley PhD, University of Georgia
Founder, President & CEO Forisk Consulting 2004 - Present
Respected and trusted researcher and advisor in the areas of market analysis, strategy and capital investment for timberland investors and forest businesses; award-winning speaker, teacher and author of books in forest finance and business communications; dedicated to the professional development of others and improving communication skills in natural resources. Career includes working in forest operations with Weyerhaeuser, as a forestry faculty member at the University of Georgia and as a Fulbright Scholar in Uruguay. Leadership roles in forestry include serving on the Boards of the Georgia Forestry Association, Southeastern Wood Producers, Forest History Society and Superior Pine Products. Served on the Society of American Forester’s National Investment and Communication Committees. Recipient of President’s Award for Outstanding Service from the Georgia Forestry Association.
Inducted in the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2020
Rebecca Withers Watson
BORN: Gadsden, AL 1961 BS Forest Engineering: Auburn University 1985 Georgia Registered Forester #1875
Lab Technician, U.S. Forest Service 1986 Timber Technician, Lassister Properties 1986 –1990 Timber Technician, Mead 1990 –1995 Timber Buyer, Mead 1995 – 1997 Senior Timber Buyer, Mead 1997 - 2000 Timber Harvest Manager, Meadwestvaco 2000 – 2015 Senior Procurement Forester, Westrock 2015 – PRESENT
Served the forestry community over the years through SAF membership since 1986. Participated in SESAF Leadership Academy, Project Learning Tree Training, and served on SESAF Annual Meeting Silent Auction Committee for years. Served on Division Awards Committee and served as Division Secretary Treasurer. Received the Chairman’s Award and Public Education and Technology Transfer Award. Served as Billy Lancaster SAF Forestry Youth Camp Coordinator and Teacher. Active member of the Pine Mountain and Ocmulgee SAF Chapter, serving as Chairman of the Pine Mountain Chapter for several years and Secretary/Treasurer many years. A presenter at Forestry Field Days for years. Received the Field Forester Award from SAF. Served as an instructor for Auburn University Procurement Practicum for many years. Served Georgia Forestry Association as a member of GFA Board of Directors and worked on committees like the Logging and Transportation Committee, Public Outreach Committee and Annual Meeting Committee. Participated in the Guinness World Record Tree Planting. Participated in Public & Private School outreach on paper making, forest products and forestry careers. Served as a Leader of the Boy Scouts of America, a Merit Badge Counselor and did Wood Badge Training and served on Staff. Served as an American Tree Farm Inspector and District Chair.