Parma Named FFRC President: Will Lead National Coalition Through 2024

Parma Named FFRC President: Will Lead National Coalition Through 2024: December 14, 2022: Jim Parma, the Eastern Fiber Manager for Bell Lumber and Pole, was named the Federal Forest Resource Coalition’s sixth president. He will lead the organization through 2024. 

“It’s an honor to take on this leadership role at a challenging time for our industry and for our public land managers,” Parma said at the close of FFRC’s board meeting this week. “Our public lands are a conservation success story, but they are facing unprecedented challenges. Our industry can help improve forest health, store more carbon, and reduce the danger of catastrophic fires. I look forward to helping managers at the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management meet those goals.” 

Parma has been with Bell Lumber and Pole, a 113 year old wooden utility pole and other wood structures producer for 20 years and his responsibilities include managing fiber procurement in Bell’s Barron, Wisconsin and Broken Bow Oklahoma production yards, representing Bell Lumber and Pole on multiple Forestry and Timber Industry Boards and personally procuring timber in Central Minnesota. 

Prior to joining Bell, Parma procured timber for several major wood consumers in the Lake States. He started his forestry career working for the USDA Forest Service in Oregon and Washington. Parma holds a forestry degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and a grandfather of six wonderful grandkids with a seventh arriving this coming May. 

Parma takes over from Tom Schultz, Director of Resources and Government Affairs at Idaho Forest Group. Schultz will remain on FFRC’s Board of Directors. 

For more information, contact Bill Imbergamo, Executive Director, at 703-629-6877 or [email protected] 

About the FFRC: FFRC is a national coalition of wood products companies, local governments, conservation groups united by concern for the National Forests. FFRC supports improving the management of the federal lands to support healthy forests and vibrant rural communities.