Board of Directors
NACFOR is governed by a seven member Board of Directors, composed of a diverse and representative cross-section of the community. Board members include a Village Council representative and the RDCK Area K director. Local forestry workers, wood manufacturers and affected watershed users are also represented on the Board.
Board members have been appointed by the Nakusp Village Council. Board members will serve two year terms renewable for up to two additional terms.
The Board’s mandate is to provide governance and policy on specific issues related to:
- Legal accountability
- Goals and guiding principles
- Financial control
- Public consultation and conflict resolution; and
- Hiring of management personnel
The Board meets monthly to discuss policy issues and current events with NACFOR management. Board resolutions require a two-thirds majority in order to be passed.
Doug Switzer, President
Doug was a Councilor for the Village of Nakusp from 2006 until 2008 and has been President of NACFOR since its incorporation. He possesses significant administrative experience, including postings as Executive Director of Arrow Slocan Lakes Community Services and Area Liaison for Columbia Basin Trust.
Having lived in the valley for over 20 years, Doug has seen the ups and downs of the forest industry and is keenly interested in helping to maintain a healthy and productive community forest for the area. Doug is a partner in Octopus Productions Inc., a music and event production company, and he lives just outside the Village of Nakusp with his partner Judy and son, Sam.
Kathy Smith, Secretary
A Registered Forest Technician, Kathy has worked in the local forest industry since 1980. Kathy brings experience and versatility, having worked for both industry and government in a wide variety of sectors including silviculture, compliance and enforcement and logging supervision. She presently works for BC Timber Sales out of the Nakusp Ministry of Forests’ Field Office.
A recreational enthusiast, Kathy enjoys a number of sports, including outdoor activities such as cross country skiing, snowmobiling and hunting. She lives in Nakusp with her husband Len, also an experienced forest technician.
Janis Palmer, Treasurer
Janis was born in Nakusp, leaving at the age of six but returning for good twelve years later. She raised three daughters in Nakusp and was an active participant on local childcare and school boards, the latter of which she served on as an elected trustee for 13 years.
Janis has been closely linked to the local forest industry through her employment, providing goods and services to local contractors. Janis lives just outside Nakusp, adjacent to the Wensley Creek portion of NACFOR’s license area. An outdoor enthusiast, Janis holds and maintains a local trapline close to the home she shares with her partner, Ron.
Cam Leitch, Director
Cameron grew up in Nakusp and has spent most of his life here. He has experience in field operations, operational and strategic planning, valuation and legislation. Cameron’s education consists of a Diploma in Forest Technology, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry and a Teaching Certification. Cameron is currently a councilor for the Village of Nakusp.
Cameron worked for the Ministry of Forests and Range as a Small Business Forester in Port McNeil and Resource Officer Timber in Invermere. He then joined Crestbrook Forest Industries as Woodlands Manager before moving to Pope & Talbot, Arrow Lakes Timber Div. as a Forestry Superintendent. Cameron now works for the Forest Practices Board based out of Nakusp.
Frank Poirier, Director
Frank arrived in the Arrow Lakes valley in 1995, buying a house and settling in Fauquier. He joined the NACFOR Board of Directors in 2007. Trained in electrical engineering, Frank began his working career with Ontario Hydro in 1949, where he spent ten years in powerhouse operation and another three in employee efficiency and staffing.
Frank brings over 25 years of experience in the industrial sector, the last 13 of which were spent as a senior consultant in industrial engineering for Woods, Gordon and Co. Frank currently also is serving his third term as a director on the Arrow Slocan Lakes Community Services board.
Paul Peterson, Director
Paul is currently serving his third term as the electoral area director of the Arrow Lakes on the board of directors of the Regional District of Central Kootenay. He has also served as a local school trustee for twelve years and as a councilor for the Village of New Denver for five years.
Paul currently also serves as a director for both the Columbia Basin Trust and the West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District. Paul lives in Burton with his wife Lin, where they both thoroughly enjoy rural life in the Kootenays.
Tom Zeleznik, Director
Born in Nakusp, Tom has worked in the local forest industry for approximately 33 years. Since 1992, Tom has operated his own company, Pattom Services Ltd., which employs up to twelve people and supplies log scaling services for local industry operators. He developed his own company safety program, receiving Worksafe BC certification as a Forest Safe company. Tom possesses additional industry related certifications as a Waste and Residue Surveyor, a Faller and a Danger Tree Assessor.
Tom also operates his own home-based sawmill, cutting timbers and lumber for both private individuals and industry. He lives just outside of Nakusp with his wife Patti and their two children.
Warren Leigh, Director
Warren moved to Nakusp in 1985. He possesses 22 years of combined experience in the logging and sawmilling sector. He is familiar with virtually every phase of logging operations, having worked as a faller, bucker, loader operator, skidder operator and processor operator.
Warren was instrumental in spearheading Nakusp and area’s push for a community forest. Serving as the forestry sector representative on the Nakusp and Area Development Board, Warren began advocating for a community forest as early as 1999 and is happy to see his hard work finally being paid off.