On, Feb. 13, Governor Nathan Deal appointed six members of the Georgia Forestry Association to the Georgia State Board of Registration for Foresters.
The Georgia General Assembly created the Georgia State Board of Registration for Foresters in 1951 for the purpose of protecting the public health, safety, and welfare by regulating those who engage in the practice of professional forestry. The Board has the authority to adopt rules, set standards for licensure, adopt mandatory standards of professional conduct, and investigate and discipline unauthorized, negligent or incompetent practice.
The Board is comprised of six members appointed by the Governor: five registered foresters and one member appointed from the public at large. All members are appointed for terms of five years. The newly appointed board members include:
Brian Stone
Stone is the appraisal services manager at Forest Resource Consultants, Inc. He is a state registered forester and a state certified general real property appraiser. He currently serves on the board of directors and is a past president of the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Stone is a member of the Georgia Forestry Association and the Society of American Foresters. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Forest Business from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Kristen, have two daughters. They reside in Macon.
Dotty Porter
Porter is a trustee with Sessoms Timber Trust, a family held timber company in South Georgia. She is active in the Georgia Forestry Association and serves on the board of directors. She is a member of the Society of American Foresters, Forest Landowners Association and the Longleaf Alliance. Porter has completed numerous forestry certifications and currently holds a certification in the Master Timber Harvester program. She and her husband, Jay, have three children and seven grandchildren. They reside in Blackshear.
James Johnson (reappointment)
Johnson retired from the Georgia Forestry Commission in 2014, having served in various capacities including firefighting, field forester, forest health coordinator and chief of the Forest Management Department. Johnson is the owner of his own private consulting forester business and proudly serves the forest landowners near his home. He is a registered forester, certified prescribed burner, commercial pesticide applicator and is a member of the Society of American Foresters. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in Forest Management from Clemson University. He and his wife, Carol, have two children. They reside in Good Hope.
Babe McGowan
McGowan is self-employed and a founding partner of Innovative Forest Management, LLC. He is a member of the Longleaf Alliance, Georgia Forestry Association and the Society of American Foresters. McGowan graduated from Americus High School, Georgia Southwestern College and Warnell School of Forest Resources. He and his, fiancé, Michelle, reside in Pinehurst.
John Mixon
Mixon is a forestry consultant and the president of John W. Mixon and Associates, Inc. He worked with the Georgia Forestry Commission for over 34 years, serving as director for 12 years. Mixon previously served on the board for the Georgia Forestry Association and the Central Georgia Technical College Board. He is currently chairman of the Forestry Commodity Committee with Georgia Farm Bureau. Mixon has received the classification of fellow by the Society of American Foresters and the University of Georgia Forestry Distinguished Alumnus Award. He and his wife, Sue, have three children and nine grandchildren. They reside in Zebulon.
Leonard L. Kinsley (reappointment)
Kinsley is the owner of Fall Line Forest Management. He is a member of the Georgia Forestry Association and serves on the board of directors of the Houston County Farm Bureau, of which he is also past president. He is a member and past chairman of the Georgia Farm Bureau Forestry Commodity Committee, during which time he also served on the American Farm Bureau Forestry Commodity Committee. Kinsley served in the U.S. Navy and after being honorably discharged, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University. He and his wife, Hatsie, have 2 children and 12 grandchildren.