U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities announced that Pete Madden has joined the staff as President.

“Our Board and staff are excited to share with our partners and collaborators that Pete will be coming aboard,” says Endowment President and CEO Carlton Owen. “This decision is the culmination of more than two years of thoughtful and deliberate succession planning to ensure that the Endowment continues to advance its dual mission of keeping working forests as forests and advancing family-wage jobs in forest-rich, rural communities.”

Madden joins the Endowment with more than 30 years of experience in the forest sector. He has held roles in land management, procurement, supply chain and logistics, and renewable energy within well-known and respected industry players including Westvaco, Georgia-Pacific and Plum Creek. Most recently, he led Drax Biomass, Inc. as President and CEO. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marlboro College in Vermont and both a Master of Science in Forestry and an M.B.A. from the University of New Hampshire.

“I have watched the Endowment emerge as one of the most progressive and impactful players in the greater forest sector bridging academia, conservation, government at all levels, and industry,” Madden says.

Madden will work out of the Endowment’s headquarters in Greenville, SC.

The Endowment was established in September 2006 at the request of the governments of the U.S. and Canada in accordance with terms of the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement.