Leadership
The Executive Board is the governing body of the Forest Products Society and consists of four Executive Officers (President, President-Elect, Vice President, and Past President), eight Regional Board members, and the Executive Vice President.
The Vice President is elected by a vote of the entire voting membership of the Society and in effect serves a 4-year term, moving through the offices of President-Elect, President, and Past President.
President
Paul Merrick, Product Durability Research Manager, Weyerhaeuser, PO Box 9777, WTC 2B2, Federal Way, WA 98063-9777, USA, Phone: 253-924-6341.
President-Elect
Patrice Tardif, Patrice Tardif Consulting, 1806 Pie IX Boul, Montreal, QC, H1V 2C6 Canada, Phone: 514-526-4848.
Vice President
Timothy M. Young, Professor, Univ. of Tennessee, Center for Renewable Carbon, 2506 Jacob Dr., Knoxville, TN 37996, USA, Phone: 865-946-1119.
Past President
Barry Goodell, Professor/Head, Virginia Tech, Dept. of Wood Science & Forest Products, 230 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0323, USA, Phone: 540-231-8853.
Executive Vice President
Stefan Bergmann, Executive Vice President, Forest Products Society, 2801 Marshall Court, Madison, WI 53705-2295, USA, Phone: 608-231-1361, ext. 215, Fax: 608-231-2152.
Regional Board Members
East Central Region
Dalia Abbas, Visiting Assistant Professor, Michigan State Univ., Dept. of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering, 203 Farrall Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA, Phone: 517-355-7493.
Term of office expires 06/14.Eastern Canadian Region
Herve Deschenes, Vice President, FPInnovations – Forintek East Division, 319 Rue Franquet, Quebec, QC G1P 4R4, Canada, Phone: 418-659-2647 ext. 3503, Fax: 418-659-3002.
Term of office expires 06/13.Northeast Region
Paul M. Smith, Professor, Pennsylvania State Univ., School of Forest Resources, 210 Forest Resources Bldg., University Park, PA 16802-4705, USA, Phone: 814-865-8841, Fax: 814-863-7193.
Term of office expires 06/12.Northwest Region
Steven C. Zylkowski, Director, Quality Services Division, APA - The Engineered Wood Assn., 7011 S. 19th St., Tacoma, WA 98466, USA, Phone: 253-620-7420.
Term of office expires 06/14.South Central Region
Rubin Shmulsky, Professor/Dept. Head, Mississippi State Univ., Dept. of Forest Products, Mail Stop 9820, Mississippi State, MS 39762-9820, USA, Phone: 662-325-2243, Fax: 662-325-8126.
Term of office expires 06/13.Southeast Region
Joe Chen, Research Scientist/Lab Coordinator, Timber Products Inspection, P.O. Box 919, Conyers, GA 30012-0919, USA, Phone: 770-922-8000 ext. 147, Fax: 770-922-1290.
Term of office expires 06/12.Southwest Region
Vincent Bricka, Sales Manager, California Cedar Products Co., 1340 W. Washington St., Stockton, CA 95203-3138, USA, Phone: 209-932-5003, Fax: 209-944-9072.
Term of office expires 06/12.West Central Region
Robert J. Ross, Project Leader, USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Lab., One Gifford Pinchot Dr., Madison, WI 53726-2398, USA, Phone: 608-231-9221, Fax: 608-231-9592.
Term of office expires 06/13.
Branches
The work of the Society is divided among: Executive, Administrative, Regional, and Technical branches.
Executive Branch
The duties of the Executive Branch of the Society are handled by the Executive Board, which is the governing body of the Society. The Executive Board consists of: the four Executive Officers (President, President-Elect, Vice President and Past President), who are elected by vote of the entire Voting membership of the Society; the eight Regional Board members, who are elected by vote of the Voting members in their respective regions; and the Executive Vice President, who is the chief paid staff member and is appointed by the Executive Board to serve as staff administrator and as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Society.
Administrative Branch
The Administrative branch of the Society is composed of Administrative Committees that make recommendations to the Executive Board on policy, needs, and development in each of the areas they represent.
Annual International Convention Planning Committee
This committee is responsible for planning all social events and several other functions related to the International Convention. The chair is appointed by the Executive Board; in most instances the appointee is the Regional Board member from the Section that is hosting the meeting. The chair is responsible for appointing members from the host Section to serve on the committee.
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee Chair is appointed by the President, with the approval of the Executive Board, for a three-year term. The chair selects committee chairmen for each of the Society's Awards, and ensures that nominations are received by the various award committees by the required deadline dates.
Budget & Finance Committee
The President-Elect serves as the chair of this committee, with the Vice President, President, Past President and Executive Vice President serving as committee members. The Budget & Finance Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Executive Board regarding the fiscal management of the Society.
Constitution & Bylaws Committee
The chair of this committee is appointed annually by the President, with the approval of the Executive Board. The purpose of this committee is to regularly review the Constitution & Bylaws of the Society and make recommendations regarding amendments to the Constitution & Bylaws to meet the changing needs of Society members.
Executive Committee
The President serves as the chair of this committee with the President-Elect, Vice President, Past President and Executive Vice President serving as committee members. The Executive Committee is responsible for exercising the authority of the entire Executive Board in instances in which the Board delegates such authority. All actions of the Executive Committee must be reported in writing to the Executive Board within 30 days.
International Nominating Committee
The chair of this committee is the immediate Past President. The purpose of the committee is to select nominees to run for the offices of Vice President, Regional Board and the next year's International Nominating Committee.
Koch Endowment Oversight Committee
The Chair of this committee is appointed by the President, with the approval of the Executive Board. This committee oversees and executes the terms of agreement related to the investment and use of endowment funds contributed to the Society by Peter and Doris Koch.
Strategic Planning Committee
The chair of this committee is the President; members include the President-Elect, Vice President, Past President and Executive Vice President. This committee reviews the long-range (5 to 10 years) management plan for the Society on a regular basis and makes recommendations to the Executive Board on changes in the plan or the addition of new goals to the plan.
Past Presidents Advisory Committee
The chair of this committee is the current Past President. Committee membership includes all Past Presidents of the Society. This committee reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of all current Society programs in meeting the objectives of the Society and makes recommendations to the Executive Board.
SWST Liaison Committee
The chair of this Committee is appointed by the President. The purpose of this Committee is to establish and maintain close communication between the Forest Products Society Executive Board and the Executive Board of the Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) in order to enable cooperation in meeting short- and long-range goals and elimination of duplication of effort in projects of mutual interest to the two Societies.