Page 7 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - First Quarter 2023

NORTH CAROLINA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION
1600 Glenwood Ave., Suite I Raleigh, NC 27608
(919) 834-3943 ncforestry.org
BOARD CHAIR
Nancy Thompson
PRESIDENT
Rob Elliot
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
John E. Hatcher, Jr., Ph.D., CF
Thank You for Supporting
Our Success in 2022
On behalf of the NCFA’s leadership, I want to thank you for another successful year. The NCFA started 2022 strong by developing a game plan to meet our strategic planning goals and taking action on that plan. By the end of the first quarter, we had scheduled a full slate of
committee meetings and programs for our members.
Our first regional meeting at Lake Logan was a huge accomplishment
and we look forward to the expansion of our regional meetings in 2023. The NCFA had another successful year at the General Assembly, with our members successfully advocating for $1 million in recurring appropriations for the forest development program and prescribed burning cost-sharing during the Forestry Day in the Legislature event.
The Mid-Atlantic Logging, Biomass & Landworks Expo, three ProLogger trainings, two new Young Professionals events, and three Sustainable Forestry Teachers Experiences couldn’t have happened without our members, the NCFA team, our sponsors, and our exhibitors.
The Annual Meeting at the Grandover Resort & Conference Center in Greensboro, NC provided a meaningful time for our members to reconnect with long-standing friends and develop new relationships across the state. Informative presentations provided the NCFA staff, members, and partners with a glimpse
of what the future holds for North Carolina forestry. We concluded the year
with our second annual Log a Load for Kids clay shoot. Pactiv Evergreen hosted the event in Rutherfordton, NC. Those attending raised more than $23,000 to benefit Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.
In addition to our programs, the NCFA played a tremendous role in the launch of the Be Pro Be Proud initiative in our state. This workforce recruitment tool will pay huge dividends for our industry for years to come (see feature
article on page 6). Your NCFA also began the journey of working with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the Future Farmers of America program to develop the first-ever Forestry Worker Certificate program in our state. Communications has been busy getting the message out about forestry in NC, with a 68% average three-year growth on our five social media platforms; has secured a North Carolina Forest Products Week Proclamation from the state’s Governor, Roy Cooper; and has built strong, lasting partnerships within the industry here and nationwide.
The NCFA team and Board of Directors looks forward to working with you in 2023 to make our association the best it can be.
In Forestry,
John E. Hatcher, Jr., Ph.D., CF
NCFA Executive Director
BOARD MEMBERS
Todd Adams Tommy Adkins Jadie Andrews Scott Askew Blair Bishop Scott Bissette Josh Bledsoe Jason Bowman Jay Boyette Jesse Burdett Ben Burger Doug Burleson Kenny Cain John Cecil Chris Charest Mike Cheston Forrest Costales Clay Creed Chuck Daniels Tara Dickson Bill Dine
Tony Doster Rob Elliot Ashley Faircloth David Gadd Nathan Gatlin Brett Goulding Lori Grady George Hahn Mike Harris
Daniel Hodge Jason Hoyle Perry Hunt Dylan Hurley Lynn Jenkins David Johnson Alec Kearns
AJ Keating Lauren Killian Ken Lin
Jared Lucas Arturo Lumpkin Mike Marks Boyd McLaurin Jeff Meacham Justin Moretz Russ Newton Wib Owen
Jess Parton
Henry Randolph Greg Ricks Richard Sanders Phil Smith
Nancy Thompson Ciera Ward
Seth Ward
Allen Whitesell Jerry Williams Jocelyn Wilson
EXECUTIVE MESSAGE
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