Tom Martin Named President & CEO of AFF
The announcement was made March 30th and followed a unanimous vote by AFF's Board of Trustees. Wiseman, who founded the organization as its first president, has led AFF since 1983.
“With development pressures, declining markets and climate change, forest conservation becomes ever more challenging,” said Colin Moseley, chair of the AFF Board of Trustees. “Tom Martin brings the precise set of skills, experience and talent to address these challenges.”
Martin is well-known from several decades of conservation leadership including senior positions at National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), Earth Force, National Audubon Society, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “I am excited to be joining an organization with such a long and successful history of conservation, forest stewardship, and environmental education,” Martin said. “This is a critical time for America to use incentives for sustainable forest management to help combat global warming, protect our drinking water supply and preserve critical habitat and open space. It is also critical for the long-term health of our forests and planet that the Foundation’s award-winning environmental education programs expand their reach.”
At NPCA, Martin was responsible for leading the senior management team and providing day-to-day management of programs and services. From strategic communications to development, he established NPCA as the nation’s leading advocate for a strong National Parks System.
Martin also served as President of Earth Force, the nation’s largest young people’s environmental and civic education group. Previously he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the National Audubon Society, overseeing all program, development, membership, and communications work. He also directed the Everglades System Restoration Campaign for Audubon.
Earlier in his career, Martin was a practicing environmental lawyer, then held senior management positions with Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources.
The American Forest Foundation has established itself as a leader among forest conservation and environmental organizations. “Our goals are simple,” said Wiseman, “and they focus on sustainability.” Since families and individuals own more forestland than government or industry, Wiseman added, “we do everything we can to keep them on the land, and their forests healthy.”
AFF’s programs reach from small woodlots to classrooms, to communities. Its 33-year-old Project Learning Tree program, for example, provides quality environmental education curricula and training to some 25,000 educators every year. AFF also administers the largest forest certification system for small owners in North America as well as award-winning conservation research and demonstration projects throughout the U.S.
In February, AFF announced an unprecedented agreement among timber, conservation, wildlife, forester, and landowner groups on how forests should be treated under national climate change legislation. In 2007, AFF was awarded an endowment grant of $150 million to support its work on sustainability.
Martin’s hiring completes a transition plan that has been in effect for two years. “The organization has never been stronger—financially or programmatically—thanks to Larry’s creative and innovative leadership,” said Moseley. “But it’s the right time for change,” he added, “and Tom is the right person for AFF.”
Wiseman agrees. “AFF is poised to become an even more powerful voice for sustainable forestry, family stewardship, outreach, and education," Wiseman said. "I’ll be looking forward to new challenges,” he added, “confident that Tom can guide AFF to this next level of leadership.”
Martin holds a J.D. from UCLA School of Law, and a B.S. from The American University. He has served on many boards and advisory groups, including as chair of the Great Lakes Commission (an eight-state, regional governmental organization). Martin lives in Falls Church, Virginia.
