New Director Will Strengthen SFI Community Outreach
—
filed under:
conservation
Barry Graden joins SFI as its new director.
WASHINGTON,
DC - Barry Graden joined the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®)
today as Director, Southeast United States Community Outreach - a new
position that will build on the program's community activities to
promote and strengthen forest certification throughout the United
States, with emphasis on the south.
Graden,
who will be located in Greenville, SC, is a registered forester and has
worked for AbitibiBowater Inc. for the past 31 years, most recently as
Manager, Sustainable Forestry where he was involved with all of North
America's third-party forest certification standards.
"Barry's
exceptional experience means he understands the value of SFI
certification at every link of the supply chain - he has managed
certified forests and worked directly with customers, government
agencies, conservation groups, and forestry and industry associations,"
SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said today. "He will support the
activities of our unique network of community-based SFI Implementation
Committees that are so integral to our program, and build on their many
accomplishments."
"I
am honored to be part of the SFI program because I know how much SFI
and its partners have achieved for forests and communities across North
America - and I am confident we can do a lot more," Graden said. "I look
forward to raising awareness so landowners and mills of all sizes can
appreciate the many benefits of SFI third-party certification."
Independent
SFI Inc. manages the largest single third-party forest standard in the
world - more than 190 million acres/78 million hectares are certified to
the SFI 2010-2014 Standard across the United States and Canada. It is
the only certification program in North America that reflects local
values and interests through 37 SFI Implementation Committees, which
play a vital role in promoting training and landowner outreach,
maintaining the program's integrity, and supporting and promoting
responsible forestry.
Graden can be reached at Barry.Graden@sfiprogram.org or 864.451.7958.
