WASHINGTON, DC – Lenny Shibley, president, Inter-Continental Hardwoods, LLC, has been elected to the Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF) Board of Directors for a term that begins Jan. 1, 2014. Shibley joins a group of new directors that demonstrate TFF’s founding tradition to provide a forum for industry, conservation, and academia to join forces to encourage the adoption of sustainable forestry practices in the tropical regions of the world.

“Lenny understands and is committed to TFF’s mission of conserving the tropical forests by maintaining their economic value. As we improve the skills and knowledge of local forest communities, he will provide valuable counsel and relationships that can advance our work,” said Bob Johnston, TFF executive director. “Each new member of the Board of Directors was carefully selected for his or her innovative thinking and ability to contribute to TFF’s ongoing efforts of encouraging sustainable forest management. We look forward to utilizing their experiences and ideas to further enhance the practices and programs currently in place.”

Shibley brings 18 years of experience in the tropical lumber wholesale market to the TFF Board of Directors. Now president of Inter-Continental Hardwoods, LLC, one of the leading tropical forest wholesalers in the U.S., Shibley has previously worked for several lumber suppliers. He has spent his career traveling to tropical countries throughout the world and is versed in worldwide tropical forest legality schemes.

Additional new Board of Directors include:

• Kerry Cesareo, Managing Director, Forests, World Wildlife Fund

• Sara Gutterman, Co-Founder and CEO, Green Builder Media

• Kenneth MacDicken, Senior Forestry Officer/Team Leader, Global Forest Resources Assessment, Food & Agricultural Organization of the United Nations

• Hank Menke, Jr., President and CEO, OFS Brands, Inc.

• Erin Sills, Professor and Director of International Programs, Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University

• Kevin Thieneman, President, Caterpillar Forest Products

About the Tropical Forest Foundation:

The Tropical Forest Foundation is an international, non-profit, educational institution committed to advancing environmental stewardship, economic prosperity, and social responsibility through sustainable forest management (SFM). TFF regional programs in Asia Pacific, Africa and South America have become synonymous with the promotion and training of Reduced Impact Logging (RIL). For 20 years, TFF has fostered dialogue and alliances among industry, government, and academia, as well as the research and conservation communities to improve tropical forest management around the world and increase the economic value of these forests for those who depend upon its bounty for their livelihood. To learn more about the Tropical Forest Foundation, visit TropicalForestFoundation.org/.

Source: Tropical Forest Foundation