Richard is a Registered Professional Forester in Ontario with more than 20 years of experience that combines forest management planning roles, government and industry liaison roles, and corporate management positions. Early in his career with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Richard was an Area Forester, a forest management plan co-author and a MNR-industry liaison during the transfer of a Crown Forest to a Sustainable Forest License (SFL). He continued to develop, expand and share his forest management planning knowledge and leadership skills with a move to the forest industry where he has guided and directed the forest management on eight SFLs and authored forest management plans for three of those SFLs.

As General Manager of GFMI, Richard enjoys the responsibilities and challenges of combining forest management planning and business development strategies, while building a recognized professional client service in forest and resource management. His enthusiasm and experience in working with people and developing positive relationships helps create an effective connection between governments, Sustainable Forest Licence holder, Forest Resource Licence holders, First Nations and other forest stakeholders. The financial and legal aspects of corporate management at GFMI are managed by Richard. He has participated in a number of joint industry/MNR committees providing input and direction, such as the FMP process Streamlining Task Force, Species at Risk Implementation Committee and the Crown Land Use Atlas Harmonization Committee.