Northland Forest

Jameson S. French is President and CEO of Northland Forest Products, Inc., a hardwood lumber processor, exporter and distributor, headquartered in Kingston, NH, with additional operations in Troy and Manassas, VA.

He is also the current Chairman of The Hardwood Federation, the political voice for the hardwood industry in Washington. Jamey's past accomplishments include Chairman of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC-US), Chairman of the American Hardwood Export Council, Chairman of the Hardwood Manufacturer's Association, and Chairman of the Society for the Protection of NH Forests.

Throughout Jamey's career, his focus has been toward finding pragmatic solutions to contentious forest use issues that bring the forest products industry and the environmental community to a common ground. Breaking away from forest products industry tradition, Jamey was one of a small group of industry leaders in the mid 1990's who embraced the concept of forest certification. Jamey was also instrumental in the formation of a national initiative for the Forest Stewardship Council in the U.S., and went on to be elected to the FSC-US Board for three years, serving as the first chairman from the economic sector.

More recently as Chairman of the Hardwood Federation, Jamey was a leader in building a coalition of NGOs and trade associations that supported the Lacey Act amendment to stop of the flow of illegal wood products into the United States. Internationally respected by both environmental and industry organizations, Jamey was asked to present at Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs) in London, with the CEO of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), on the success of the coalition's work.

International exposure is nothing new to Jamey. He began his career in the forest products industry at a timber agency in Liverpool, England after studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. His work for Northland Forest Products has led Jamey to all corners of the world, promoting sales of American hardwoods in most of Europe and East Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand. A first trip to China and Japan in 1980 started a long association for Jamey and Northland Forest Products with both of those markets.

Over the last several decades, Jamey has also donated considerable time, energy, and expertise to a wide array of local, regional, and national environmental and charitable organizations. The recipient of many honors and awards, Jamey currently sits on the President's Council of the National Wildlife Federation, is Vice Chair of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and is Chairman of the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation in northwestern New Mexico, which sponsors wilderness expeditions and outdoor programs for youth and families in the Southwest.

The French family has been in the hardwood industry in New England since the 1880's, and as a 4th generation lumberman, Jamey has the forest industry's interests and perspectives in his blood. Land stewardship is a family tradition and Jamey serves as a Director of Meadowsend Timberlands, LLC, which actively manages both family-owned and other lands using sustainable forestry management practices.

Jamey is a long-time resident of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He has been married for 24 years to Priscilla Stevens French, the Founding Director of Portsmouth ProMusica. They have three children: Jennie (23), Lucy (21) and Jack (17).

Past Industry and Community Activities include:

Chairman, American Hardwood Export Council (Washington, DC)

Chairman, Hardwood Manufacturer’s Association (Pittsburgh, PA)

Chairman, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (Concord, NH)

Chairman, Forest Stewardship Council (U.S. Board)

Founding Trustee and Vice President, Friends of the Music Hall (Portsmouth, NH)

Vice President, New Hampshire Audubon

President, Strawberry Banke Museum (Portsmouth, NH)

Director, NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (Concord, NH)

Chair, City of Portsmouth, NH Trust Funds

Director, Ocean National Bank (NH and ME)

Chairman, Workforce Housing Coalition (NH)

Board Member, Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire (Exeter, NH)

Board Member, Seacoast Science Center (Rye, NH)

Honors and Awards include:

1995 NSFRE Philanthropy Day Award

1999 Leadership Award, NH committee for the Arts

2001 Citizen of the Year, Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce

2004 Rainforest Alliance, Sustainable Standard Setter Award

Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International

Education:

Phillips Academy (Andover, MA) 1971 cum laude

Trinity College (Hartford, CT) 1975, BA in History

University of Edinburgh (Scotland) 1973-74 and 1975-76 MA/PhD program in History/Economic History (not completed)