American Forest Resource Council (AFRC)
President / CEO

Travis was born and raised in Springfield, Oregon.  He began his natural resources policy career in Washington D.C. working for the U.S. House of Representatives. He was a senior legislative aide to Congressman Peter DeFazio of Oregon, a senior policy advisor on the House Natural Resources Committee, and the Director of Northwest Policy for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Travis returned to Oregon in 2015 to pursue his passion for healthy public forestlands and creating economic and job opportunities in rural communities. He serves as the President and CEO of the American Forest Resource Council, a trade association representing the forest products sector on public lands throughout the West.

Travis also serves as: the Vice-Chair of the Federal Forest Resource Coalition (FFRC), a national coalition representing the forest sector and logging interests based in Washington, D.C.; the Chair of Keep Oregon Green, a state organization focused on reducing human-caused wildfires; and is a co-chair of the Northwest Forest Plan Federal Advisory Committee, which was chartered to provide recommendations to modernize the Northwest Forest Plan governing the management of 24 million acres of federal forests in Washington, Oregon, and California.   

Travis earned his bachelor degree in history and international studies from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science in environment and development.  He and his wife live in Springfield on a farm near their families.

Manley Jobs - Founder

"Blake Manley is a fourth generation logger turned educator. He got his start in the woods in 1999 as a knotbumper for his dad. After college he has been involved directly in the forestry sector as a log buyer, forester, logger and as a teacher of forestry and natural resources at Sweet Home High School in Oregon for 5 years. After a brief time at the University of Idaho in workforce development, Blake now works directly with loggers to find solutions in labor scarcity.

His passion to help young people find good jobs after high school set him apart from his peers as an educator. During the pandemic he started a YouTube series called "Manley Jobs." Distance learning wasn't working for hands-on classes and this was one way to reach students on their own level. The series has been featured nationally by media outlets such as FoxNews. Blake has been the keynote speaker for the Oregon Logging Conference, the Pacific Logging Congress annual meeting, the Intermountain Logging Conference and most recently the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference."

Director of Sales
Idaho Forest Group

• Started in the industry with Boise Cascade Distribution Spokane WA 2001-2006.  Lumber department manager 2004-2006

• Went to Bennett Forest Industries in 2006 as account manager/sales

• Merger with Riley Creek 2008 to IFG.

• Sales Manager of IFG 2014

• Director of sales IFG 2020 to Current 

• 2 boys both in College.  One at Washington State University and one at Boise State University .

• My passion/hobby is hunting all over north America…………And selling lumber in that order

Associated Logging Contractors
Executive Director

With a long family history that began in Idaho's early mining and logging industries, my ties to the land have always remained solid, even as I left the log yards and lumber mills for the classroom. With a firm belief and commitment to educating Idaho's next generation I dedicated myself to teaching and coaching at New Plymouth High. As I encouraged my students to participate in the political process, they in turn pushed me to run for office where I successfully won a seat in Idaho's House of Representatives, beginning what was to be a successful political career. With three successful terms under my belt, I accepted a position as Special Assistant to Governor Otter where I advised him on several major issues, including education and transportation. The need to finish my Master's Degree at BSU prompted my temporary departure from politics and led me back to the classroom at Murtaugh and New Plymouth High Schools. I rededicated myself to Idaho on three fronts; as a teacher/coach working with students on a daily basis, as an author focused on telling the story of Idaho's great history, and as a school administrator, first with my Pilgrims and then I went full circle, going back to Council and led my Lumberjacks back to the top of the State as Superintendent/Principal. From there I spent a year of adventure, leading the warriors in Slana, Alaska along with some amazing people. I have returned to Idaho and have closed the chapter on an awesome 30 year career in education. With my eyes on the prize I have landed my dream job and am going back to my roots, working with loggers and haulers as the Executive Director of the Associated Logging Contractors. A job that combines all of my logging, political and educational experiences to provide leadership for a group who helped build our great state of Idaho.

Caterpillar - Forestry Division

Mike has worked at Caterpillar in the forestry industry for over 20 years, primarily in Western Canada and the Northwest USA.  Throughout his career at Caterpillar Mike has held positions in the machine manufacturing group, marketing division, and in-field dealer and customer support throughout the company, including new product development on forestry products as a global product specialist. 

DC Equipment - Founder
Manufacturer of Falcon & Madill

Dale Ewers has spent his life in the logging industry, starting at just 14 and working his way up to become a leader in not only steep-slope harvesting. He’s seen firsthand how dangerous the job can be, which is why he’s spent decades developing ways to make logging safer and more efficient. As the founder of DC Equipment, which manufacturers Falcon and Madill forestry equipment brands, Dale has significantly changed how the industry harvests through the use of products such as the Falcon Winch Assist, Falcon Grapple Carriage, and Falcon Hydraulic Yarder—all designed to keep people out of harm’s way while improving productivity.

Now, he’s focused on the next evolution in logging technology, including the Falcon Felling Carriage.

While full automation is the future, Dale will also highlight how advancements in the Falcon Cable Felling Carriage have been an important stepping stone in getting there. These systems might not be AI-driven yet, but they’ve played a crucial role in transitioning from manual operation to more operator-assist technology and automated control.

The Madill 1100 RFM (Remote Felling Machine)—an unmanned felling machine currently in its prototype stage represents the future of remote-controlled logging, taking people completely out of the danger zone when it comes to felling trees in hazardous environments.

At the Intermountain Logging Conference, Dale will share how these technologies are being developed, the challenges of integrating automation into forestry, and what’s next for mechanised logging. While AI and automation are the future, the Falcon Cable Felling Carriage has been an important stepping stone in this journey—helping to bridge the gap between traditional manual operation and fully automated systems.

Join Dale for an inside look at the latest advancements in logging technology and how smart systems, remote operation, and automation are set to change the industry for the better.

Schaeffer Manufacturing

Jim has worked for Schaeffer Manufacturing for 20 years.  He's been a top 25 producer since 2013 and a consistent million dollar producer since 2014. Jim works exclusively for Schaeffer Manufacturing; he does not represent any other lines.

Jim has been a member of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) since 2008. In 2010 he received the accredited designation of Certified Lubrication Specialist (CLS) from STLE. As a tribologist, Jim has the ability to analyze lubrication, friction, wear, and how they all relate to each other.

AeroTract - Vice President
Director of Aerial Application

Jake Ferrigan is the Vice President of AeroTract and the director of the aerial application division. After he completed his enlistment as a submarine nuclear operator on board the USS Houston (SSN 713), he obtained his bachelor's in Nuclear Engineering Technologies. He currently works with customers to develop methods of solving challenges posed in forest management through the implementation of new technologies.

Good Neighbor Authority Program

Wyatt’s career began as a seasonal wildland firefighter with the Montana DNRC in 2007 in Libby, while pursuing his undergraduate degree in natural resources in the off-season at CU, Boulder. Wyatt has since advanced to the position of Deputy Division Administrator of Forestry for the Forestry and Trust Lands Division at DNRC, where he oversees the statewide fire protection program, Good Neighbor Authority program, and private landowner assistance programs.

Outside of his professional life, Wyatt enjoys many things including coffee, skiing, rafting, ice hockey, and gardening. He shares life’s adventures with his wife Caiti and their spirited four-year-old and one year old, daughters, and their lazy old lab.

Federal Lands Assistant Division Manager
Washington DNR - Forestry Health & Resiliency Division

Trevor McConchie has served as the Federal Lands Assistant Division Manager for the Washington DNR’s Forest Health and Resiliency Division since 2018, overseeing the department’s Federal Lands Section and Good Neighbor Authority operations and contributing to national efforts on GNA with other state agencies and partners. His career with DNR started in 2011 as a state trust lands forester, later transitioning to serving agency leadership through spearheading and coordinating legislative priorities on forest health while developing related state and federal policy initiatives as an Executive Policy Advisor and Strategic Advisor to the State Forester. Prior to joining the State, Trevor worked throughout the continental United States primarily in forest management on private industrial timberlands.  He is a graduate of the University of Montana with Bachelor of Science in forest resource management and currently resides in Olympia, WA

Forest Economist
BBER | FIRP | University of Montana

Samuel Scott is a Forest Economist with the Forest Industry Research Program at the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER). His work is primarily focused on the structure and bioeconomic impact of the forest products industry across the United States, timber appraisal on public lands, and public outreach. Prior to working at BBER, Sam served as an Economist at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, and worked in timber and silviculture for both the USDA Forest Service and the US Bureau of Land Management. He earned a BS in Forestry at the University of Montana and an MS in Forest Economics at Virginia Tech.

SMC PotlatchDeltic
Mill Manager

Allen (Bucky) Shoemaker is the Lumber and Plywood Complex Mill Manager for PotlatchDeltic in St. Maries, Idaho. He attended LCSC earning a degree in Business Management where he then pursued his career at PotlatchDeltic over the past 19 years in various roles throughout the plywood and lumber operations. The SM lumber operations produce 225 million board ft of dimensional western species lumber annually, and the SM plywood facility produces 135 million surface feet of industrial grade panels annually. The complex employs over 360 team members and remains one of the top employers for Benewah County. Through his management career he has implemented key capital strategies around automation and automation technology into the operations. He is a member of the WWPA and APA certification agencies, 14U travel league softball coach, and devoted husband/father of two girls. His passions include all the outdoors north Idaho has to offer.

AgWest Farm Credit
Market Research Analysis

Damien Singh grew up an avid tree climber in Florida and started his career at USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service in Washington DC. He earned a bachelor's degrees in Economics and Spanish language from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in Natural Resources from N.C. State University. After graduate school, he worked at Weyerhaeuser first as a Market Analyst, and then as a Forester to develop hands on experience. Damien now works as a Market Research Analyst at AgWest Farm Credit where he researches industry drivers for forest products, apples, wine and wine grapes, almonds/pistachios and lemons/oranges.

GNA Bureau Chief
Idaho Department of Lands

Jon Songster has been leading initiatives under the Good Neighbor Authority for the Idaho Department of Lands since 2016. Prior to joining the department, he gained experience in a variety of natural resources roles working with both small private forestland owners and managing large industrial timberlands in the Inland Northwest. Jon holds degrees in Forestry and Forest Products from West Virginia University and the University of Idaho.