Southern Group of State Foresters Appoints Tim Foley as Executive Director

The Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF) has officially appointed Tim Foley as Executive Director, marking the next step in the organization’s leadership transition, while ensuring continued stability and continuity for its members and partners.

Foley has served as SGSF’s Policy Director for the past 12 years, representing the forest policy interests of the organization’s 13 member states and two U.S. territories. In this role, he has supported the mission of state forestry agencies to sustain the economic, environmental and societal benefits of the region’s forests by working with Congress, federal agencies and partners to generate policies that benefit southern forests, forest landowners and forest industries.

“Tim understands the issues facing southern forestry exceptionally well,” said Brandon Howard, Chair of the Southern Group of State Foresters. “Combined with his longstanding relationships with our members and partners, that makes him exactly the right person to lead SGSF into its next chapter.”

His tenure as SGSF Policy Director was marked by several key policy wins for southern forestry. He helped establish timber block grant authority and funding for landowners recovering from natural disasters, strengthened policy and funding for the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program across the region, and advanced domestic and international markets for forest products. He also pushed for federal policy that better reflects the South’s unique forestry and wildfire realities.

Before joining SGSF, Tim spent five years with the US Forest Service in roles spanning timber management and environmental planning. Earlier in his career, he worked for six years as an air quality expert, climbing smokestacks. He holds a Master’s of Environmental Management from Duke University and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy from Colby College in Waterville, ME. Tim lives in Durham, NC, with his wife, Gretchen, and their two young children, Asa and Aurora.

As part of the transition, Wib Owen, past Executive Director, will continue serving the organization as Chief Operating Officer while gradually transitioning toward retirement. Owen will continue to provide support for organizational operations, financial management and grant administration. Foley will also maintain responsibility for the organization’s federal policy portfolio throughout the transition until a new Policy Director is hired.

The Southern Group of State Foresters looks forward to Tim’s leadership as the organization continues building on a strong foundation, serving its member states and territories, and advancing the mission of state forestry agencies across the South.

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