Call for Nominations
Softwood Lumber Board Seeks Candidates
The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB or Board) seeks nominations of softwood lumber manufacturers and importers interested in candidacy for Board seats coming open in January 2022. Each Director will serve a three-year term and may serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The deadline for nominations is April 20, 2021.
The SLB is seeking nominees to fill six seats for Directors whose terms expire on Dec. 31, 2021:
- Two seats representing the U.S. South
- One company of any size
- One small company
- Two large companies representing the U.S. West
- Two Importers
- One large company representing Canada West
- One company of any size representing importers from any region
To be eligible, nominees operating within the regions named above must manufacture and ship within the United States, or import into the United States, at least 15 million board feet of softwood lumber annually. 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.1
Nominees may provide a short background statement outlining their qualifications to serve on the Board.
Nominees may seek nomination to the Board for all open seats for which the nominees are eligible.
The Board will evaluate all eligible nominees and submit the name of one nominee for each open seat and the name of one additional nominee for each open seat to the Secretary of Agriculture. Other qualified persons interested in serving in the open seats but not recommended by the Board will be designated as additional nominees for consideration by the Secretary.
The SLB administers an industry-funded and -directed program (commonly known as a “checkoff”) designed to promote the benefits and uses of softwood lumber products in both established and new market segments. Programs and initiatives supported by the SLB focus on increasing the demand for softwood lumber products in the United States. The softwood lumber checkoff took effect in 2011 and assessment collection began in 2012. The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees the program.
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. All eligible persons, including women, minorities and persons with disabilities, are invited to seek nomination for a seat on the SLB by the April 20, 2021, deadline.
Interested parties may self-nominate or nominate other eligible persons by completing the form - “NOMINATION FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE SOFTWOOD LUMBER BOARD” and providing it to the SLB.
You may submit the form online at https://softwoodlumberboard.org/about-slb/board-committees/call-for-nominations/.
You may also email the form to Maureen Pello, VP of Operations at mpello@softwoodlumberboard.org, or send via physical mail to Maureen Pello, Softwood Lumber Board, 1800 Blankenship Road, Suite 200, West Linn, OR 97068.
Qualifications for serving on the SLB 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 seeking a seat on the Board;
- No two members of the Board may be employed by a single company. This includes subsidiaries and affiliates thereof;
- Seats on the Board are apportioned by region based on the volume of softwood lumber manufactured or imported;
- Nominees for U.S. seats must reside in the United States; and
- 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 for the nomination and appointment process follows:
February 16 through April 20, 2021:
Softwood lumber domestic manufacturers and importers may submit nominations to the Board. Self-nominations are welcome.
April 20, 2021:
Nominations close. Background statements outlining candidates’ qualifications to serve on the Board are due.
May 5, 2021:
The Board’s Industry Relations & Governance Committee will meet and evaluate all eligible nominees. The Committee will recommend nominees to the Board. (The Committee will meet periodically during the nomination period to oversee the process.)
May 20, 2021:
The SLB will meet and evaluate all eligible nominees. The Board will submit the name of one nominee for each open seat and the name of one additional nominee for each open seat to the Secretary. Other qualified persons interested in serving in the open seats but not recommended by the Board will be designated by the Board as additional nominees for consideration by the Secretary.
No later than July 1, 2021:
The Board must submit nominations to the Secretary. From the nominations submitted, the Secretary shall select the members of the Board.
Prior to December 31, 2021:
The Secretary appoints the new Board members.
January 1, 2022:
The 2022 term of office begins.
