Call for Nominations Softwood Lumber Board Seeks Candidates

The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) seeks nominations of softwood lumber manufacturers and importers interested in candidacy for Board seats coming open in January 2019. Each Director will serve a three-year term, which may be renewed once. The deadline for nominations is April 20th, 2018.

The 19-member Board will hold elections to fill six seats for Directors whose terms expire on Dec. 31, 2018:

• Four for domestic U.S. manufacturers
  • two large companies* representing the US West region, and
  • two small companies representing the US South region.
• Two for importers:
  • one large company representing the Canada West region, and
  • one large company representing the Canada East region.

To be eligible, nominees operating within the regions named above must manufacture and ship within the United States, or import, at least 15 million board feet of softwood lumber annually. Ballots will be provided to eligible companies in each region and votes will be tabulated by region. The two candidates for each position receiving the most votes will be submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture who will then appoint members from the pool of candidates.

The SLB is an industry-funded national check-off program that supports the marketing and promotion of softwood lumber.  The SLB, which was established in 2011, meets regularly to develop marketing and research programs with the goal of growing markets and improving the operating climate for the industry.  USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) oversees board activities.

The SLB sees the pursuit of diversity in Board membership as an opportunity for embracing new ideas to better serve the industry. Central to this effort is recruiting new leadership that reflects a diversity of size of operations, experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table.  In this regard, the SLB welcomes eligible women, minorities and persons with disabilities to seek nomination for a seat on the Board.  All nominations must be postmarked or received electronically by the April 20, 2018, deadline.

Interested parties may self-nominate or nominate others to become candidates in the regional elections by sending the attached form “NOMINATION FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE SOFTWOOD LUMBER BOARD” to Peter Andrews, Director of Operations at pandrews@softwoodlumberboard.org, or mail information to Peter Andrews, Softwood Lumber Board, 1101 K St. NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005. Nominees should include a short background statement outlining their qualifications to serve on the Board. Information about a candidate’s relevant experience such as participation in industry research and promotional activities, along with the reasons for wishing to serve, will be appreciated. The deadline for nominations is April 20, 2018.

Qualifications for serving on the Softwood Lumber Board follow:

• The Board is comprised of manufacturers and importers of softwood lumber who annually ship or import 15 million board feet or more of softwood lumber into the United States. Heads of business and senior executives are encouraged to consider running for a seat on the Board.
• No two members of the Board may be employed by a single company.
• Seats on the Board are apportioned by region based on the volume of softwood lumber manufactured or imported.
• Domestic manufacturers and importers who manufacture or import softwood lumber in more than one region may seek nomination in one region of their choice.

The timeline and details about the nominations – elections – appointments process follow:

March 1 through April 20, 2018:
Softwood lumber domestic manufacturers and importers may submit nominations to the Board. Self-nominations are welcome.

April 20, 2018:
Nominations close. Background statements outlining candidates’ qualifications to serve on the Board are due.

On or about May 25, 2018:
The names of the domestic manufacturer or importer nominees shall be placed on a ballot by region. The ballots along with voting instructions and the background statements shall be mailed to domestic manufacturers or importers in each respective region for a vote. The election period shall be 30 days.

On or about June 25, 2018:
Ballot envelopes shall be opened by an independent auditor.  Votes shall be tabulated for each region with the nominee receiving the highest number of votes at the top of the list in descending order by vote.

July, 2018:
The top two candidates for each position shall be submitted to the Secretary. From the nominations submitted by the Board, the Secretary shall select the members of the Board.

Prior to December 31, 2018:
Secretary appoints new Board members.

*Under the program, large companies are defined as those that account for the top two-thirds of the volume of assessable softwood lumber annually and small companies account for the remaining assessable softwood lumber.