After a 20-year tenure as founding executive director of the Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF), Keister Evans has retired. Bob Johnston, past president and five-year board member, has been selected to serve as new executive director for the organization, effective immediately.

Johnston served on the board when he was director of corporate relations at Herman Miller, Inc. Prior to his role as executive director, Johnston facilitated three of the foundation’s long-term planning sessions and assisted with communications and fundraising projects. Additionally, he led the legislative committees for the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association and what is now the International Wood Products Association.

As he enters his new leadership role, Johnston says he plans to focus on expanding partnerships and increasing awareness of the critical work that the organization is doing around the world. “The market demand for sustainability and transparency has never been greater. The TFF brings the knowledge and resources of industry, conservation advocates, and science together to teach sustainable forestry practices in tropical regions. With the recent US Lacey Act revisions and the European Parliament’s ban on illegal wood imports, the work TFF is doing is more important than ever,” says Johnston. “More partnerships with industry, governments, international agencies, and certifiers are critical.”

For more information on TFF, visit www.tropicalforestfoundation.org.