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 2020. Each Director will serve a three-year term and may serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The deadline for nominations is April 9, 2019.
The SLB will hold elections to fill four seats for Directors whose terms expire on December 31, 2019:
- Three for U.S. manufacturers (domestic):
- One small company representing the U.S. South;
- One small company representing the U.S. West; and
- One company of any size representing the N.E. and Lake States.
- One for an importer:
- One large company representing Canada West.
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.
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 administers an industry-funded and -directed program (commonly known as a “check-off”) 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 check-off 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 9, 2019 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 Maureen Pello, VP of Operations at mpello@softwoodlumberboard.org, or mail information 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 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; 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 and details about the nominations, elections, and appointment process follow:
March 5 through April 9, 2019:
Softwood lumber domestic manufacturers and importers may submit nominations to the Board. Self-nominations are welcome.
April 9, 2019:
Nominations close. Background statements outlining candidates’ qualifications to serve on the Board are due.
On or about May 2, 2019:
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 four (4) weeks.
On or about June 10, 2019:
Ballot envelopes shall be opened by an independent third party. 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 1, 2019:
The top two (2) candidates for each position shall be submitted to the Secretary. From the nominations submitted, the Secretary shall select the members of the Board.
Prior to December 31, 2019:
The Secretary appoints the new Board members.