A Legacy of Excellence
About Us
Learn more about Forest Investment Associates, our mission and values, and our company history.

Our Mission
Our mission is to provide high-quality, sustainable forest investments that deliver superior performance while cultivating client relationships based on mutual trust and exceptional service.

-
Independent
We are an independent firm with broad employee ownership and a culture rooted in our strong values.
-
Trusted
We aspire to be our clients’ most trusted adviser.
-
Sustainable
We believe in the sustainable nature of forest investments and the multiple benefits provided by working forests.
-
Forest Stewards
We commit to being excellent forest stewards and to promoting the highest standards in forest management.

The Broad Arrow
The Broad Arrow is a symbol of quality. In pre-revolutionary days it was blazed on the choicest of trees to indicate that they had been reserved for use by the Royal Navy. Today, it continues to remind us to focus on excellence and high quality in all that we do.
Our History
Since our founding in 1986, FIA has reached significant milestones:
-
1981
Future FIA co-founder, Charley Tarver, leads the creation of the nation’s first pooled timberland investment fund for pension plans at First National Bank of Atlanta
-
1984
Charley Tarver and others form Wagner Southern Forest Investments, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser offering timberland investments
-
1986
- Forest Investment Associates (FIA) is formed as a Timberland Investment Management Organization (TIMO) by Charley Tarver, Kate Robie, and David Graham
- FIA becomes a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA)
- FIA gains first separate account investor
-
1987
FIA completes its first timberland acquisition in the U.S. South (GA) -
1992
FIA is recognized in Pensions & Investment Age as one of the fastest growing investment managers in the U.S.
-
1995
FIA completes its first Allegheny hardwood timberland acquisition (PA)
-
1997
FIA creates an employee stock purchase plan allowing all qualified employees to purchase equity in the company
-
1998
- Smethport, PA field office opens
- FIA completes acquisition of 174,900 acres of Allegheny hardwood timberland in PA and NY
-
1999
$1 billion in assets under management
-
2000
- Jackson, MS field office opens
- FIA completes its first timberland acquisition in the Pacific Northwest (WA)
-
2003
- 1 million acres under management
- FIA gains its 10th separate account client
-
2004
- First commingled fund, FIA Timber Partners, L.P., is formed
- $2 billion in assets under management
-
2006
- FIA acquires 542,000 acres in the Southeast from International Paper Company - our largest acquisition to date
- Second commingled fund, FIA Timber Partners Special Situation Fund, L.P., is formed
- First Lake States hardwood acquisition (WI)
-
2007
- Statesboro, GA field office opens
- Raleigh, NC field office opens
-
2008
- L. Michael Kelly becomes FIA’s second President
- Charley Tarver retires with employees acquiring his remaining equity interest
- Third commingled fund, FIA Timber Growth Partners, L.P., is formed
- FIA’s first wetlands mitigation bank becomes operational
- FIA has first TIMO managed carbon sequestration project
- $3 billion in assets under management
-
2009
Fourth commingled fund, FIA Timber Partners II, L.P., is formed
-
2010
- FIA is named one of the "Focus 6" investment management firms from the Focus Consulting Group
- 2 million acres under management
-
2011
- FIA celebrates its 25th anniversary
- FIA gains its 15th separate account client
-
2012
- FIA completes its first international timberland acquisition in Brazil
- FIA receives first Focus Elite award from the Focus Consulting Group
-
2013
- São Paulo, Brazil international field office opens
- Vancouver, WA field office opens
- $4 billion in assets under management
- FIA receives second Focus Elite award from the Focus Consulting Group
-
2014
FIA receives third Focus Elite award from the Focus Consulting Group
-
2015
Fifth commingled fund, FIA Growth & Value Partners, L.P., is formed
-
2016
- Marc A. Walley becomes FIA’s third President
- FIA completes its first timberland acquisition in Chile.
- FIA gains its 20th separate account client
-
2018
- Santiago, Chile international field office opens
- FIA fully liquidates second commingled fund, FIA Timber Partners Special Situation Fund, L.P.
-
2020
FIA fully liquidates first commingled fund, FIA Timber Partners, L.P.

Our People
Sound leadership with a relentless focus on client satisfaction and sustainability has made us who we are today.
Our Values
We believe these values serve as important principles and expect all of our decisions and activities to demonstrate them. A shared acceptance of our values builds a solid foundation for a successful company. We value:
-
Clear Communication
We communicate frequently and openly. We clearly share our expectations of each other, and we honor the commitments we make. This enables us to have more effective and efficient working relationships.
-
Excellence
We seek the highest possible quality in people, work environment, client service, investment assets and asset management. Our attention to excellence means that we ascribe to high professional standards in everything we do. From this, we gain success in the business and satisfaction from having our standards recognized. This distinguishes us in the marketplace.
-
Enjoying Our Work
We create a positive work environment which allows everyone to enjoy and gain satisfaction and personal growth from the work they do. This leads to increased fulfillment, higher morale, improved performance and less stress.
-
Honesty and Integrity
We are committed to the highest levels of ethical conduct in our dealings with each other and with those outside the organization. We always act with our clients’ best interests in mind. We believe this fosters loyalty and strong, long-term working relationships.
-
Initiative and a Strong Work Ethic
We are committed to putting forth our best effort in all endeavors. Hard work, motivation and initiative are essential elements of our success, and we recognize and reward all employees for their individual contributions. This provides satisfaction and pride in a job well done. Our reward system enables everyone to share in the financial success of the firm.
-
Trust and Respect
We promote a sense of personal self-worth by treating each other with respect and by trusting each other to fulfill individual responsibilities. We respect our differences and provide freedom and flexibility to perform the work and achieve the goals we have agreed upon. This makes us more effective, cohesive and fulfilled in our work.
-
Teamwork
We work in ways that capture the collaborative efforts of everyone in Forest Investment Associates. This team atmosphere includes the functional teams within the company and the overall Forest Investment Associates team. We make better decisions as teams than we make individually. We recognize our need for leadership and balance this with the power of teamwork.

What Sets Us Apart
-
Experience
- Formed in 1986, in business for over 30 years
- Disciplined acquisitions of high-quality properties
- Hands-on, customized and financially-focused forest management
- Opportunistic dispositions of timber and timberland
-
Client Service
- More than three decades of proven investment performance
- Extremely low client turnover
- Strict attention to detail
- Highly responsive
-
Structure and Culture
- Majority employee-owned with an entrepreneurial spirit
- Shared success
- Unique depth and breadth of talent
- Innovative thinking to discover new ways to add value
Our Footprint
With more than 2 million acres under management, FIA’s timberland assets encompass several regions across the U.S. and the world.