“There were a couple of times I thought I might do something different,” Doug said. “At the end of the day, [working for the family business] was my north star, and I eventually returned.”
He initially started working for Simpson Door Company, in McCleary, Washington. From there he did stints working in lumber in Georgia and running the company’s California operations. Eventually, in 2014, he was promoted to president of Green Diamond. The Green Diamond Board of Directors had several ties with TNC, and that’s how Doug first became introduced to TNC Washington’s state director, Mike Stevens.
“When the opportunity came up to join the board, it seemed like a natural fit, so I was happy to do it,” Doug said. “I have young kids and a busy job and generally avoid joining nonprofit boards. The Nature Conservancy is the only nonprofit board I serve on. It seemed like it was such a complementary space.”
TNC in Washington has been an ideal alignment between Doug’s views and conservation mindset. He says he feels a kinship to TNC because of his family’s approach to finding a harmonious balance between commercial forestry and preserving forest ecosystems.
“Understanding responsible long-term management and improving the future through our current actions aligns seamlessly with the traditional environmental perspective,” Doug explained. “In forest traditional management, we recognize that there are certain areas where it’s appropriate to manage forests for ecosystem and commercial benefits. However, there are also areas of such high ecosystem value that commercial management is unsuitable. The Nature Conservancy is an excellent platform to facilitate a transition from commercial forestry to alternative practices that prioritize environmental and ecological purposes.”
