The Americas to be combined, MaryKate Bullen, leading Sustainability and ESG expert, joins firm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mike Cerchiaro | +1.404.495.8591 | mcerchiaro@forestinvest.com
ATLANTA – April 15, 2021 – Forest Investment Associates (FIA) announced today an important reorganization of its North and South American operations. The two operations will be combined to form the Investment Management Team, led by FIA veteran Mike Cerchiaro (his bio). The reorganization aligns with the needs of investors as they view timberland investing in a geographically broader context. It is also designed to achieve significant efficiencies across the combined operations as FIA strives for operational excellence and to add value to its clients’ forestland investments. It brings together FIA’s experienced staff on two continents across portfolio management, operations, forestry and timber marketing functions.
The firm also announced the creation of the Portfolio Analytics, Research and Technology function under Dr. Mike Clutter (his bio), another long-term FIA executive. “Dr. Clutter will devote his deep timberland investment expertise to explore and deliver revenue-generating opportunities offered by carbon, ecosystem markets and other value drivers essential to our business,” said Cerchiaro. “His technical skills, knowledge of FIA and our industry, as well as his hands-on forestry expertise, make Dr. Clutter uniquely qualified for this mission-critical role.”
Joining the firm as Director of Sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), a newly created function, is MaryKate Bullen (her bio). “Her background, professional experience and her passion for sustainable investing and all things ESG will serve our clients well and promote leadership in this increasingly important area,” said Cerchiaro. Bullen is an active advocate for the development of ESG and impact investing best practices, working with investment and industry groups to advance issues of greenhouse gas accounting in forestry, climate risk management, ESG disclosure practices and standardized metrics for impact management in sustainable forestry and natural climate solutions.
“We are very excited to announce these changes,” said Marc Walley, FIA’s president. “By creating a truly global firm and positioning FIA as a key player in the ESG space, we seek to meet the needs of our clients in all aspects of their forestland investment programs.”
Information on FIA’s leading position on Sustainability and ESG can be found here.
About Forest Investment Associates
Founded in 1986, Forest Investment Associates (FIA) is a Registered Investment Adviser and environmental steward, helping clients across the world invest in sustainable forestland. The firm’s mission is to provide high-quality, sustainable forest investments that deliver superior performance while cultivating client relationships based on mutual trust and exceptional service. The firm manages over 2 million acres of timberland in the United States, Brazil and Chile. Additional information can be found at forestinvest.com.
