Avrim Lazar

President and CEO

Avrim Lazar is President & CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, since Jan. 1, 2002 and he is chair of the Advisory Committee on Paper and Wood Products (ACPWP) to the United Nations.

Mr. Lazar has held senior policy positions in the government of Canada in the Ministries of Justice, Agriculture, Environment and Human Resource Development. During this period he was responsible for national policy in areas as diverse as climate change, biodiversity, child poverty, employment insurance and labor force training.

Mr. Lazar was Chair of the Committee of the Whole of the Second UN Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1995. He also chaired the National Business Association Roundtable and is the Past-President of the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA).

Mr. Lazar taught high school in Vancouver and Zambia from 1969 to 1973. Over the years, Mr. Lazar has given many courses in the graduate studies programs at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University.

Mr. Lazar holds degrees in science and education, including a B.Sc (1968) from McGill University, a B.Ed (1970) and a PhEd in Ed (1976) from the University of Ottawa.

Mr. Lazar has four children. 

Mark Hubert

Vice President, Climate Change Leadership

Mark Hubert has been involved in the forest sector in Canada for 18 years, working in both the public and private sectors.

As the Vice President of Climate Change Leadership, Mark is focused on strategically positioning the sector to respond and take advantage of marketplace challenges opportunities presented by climate change. Corporate forest products buyers, politicians, NGOs, the public and the scientific communities all engaged in this fast changing social, environmental and political environment and Mark is challenged to help understand and reconcile competing and complimentary objectives for the forest industry. He is the former Director, Sustainable Forest Management for FPAC, and prior to joining FPAC was an advisor with the British Columbia Ministry of Forests Economics and Trade division, International Relations Unit.

Mark has an operational forestry background in fire management, and also holds a degree in International Relations from the University of British Columbia.

Lori Harrop

Vice-president, Communications and Environmental Reputation

Lori, FPAC’s Executive Director, Environmental Reputation Project, has more than 25 years experience working in senior-level management positions in the public and non-profit sectors, primarily in the area of strategic and corporate communications, in cities across Canada. 

Lori has worked for eight different federal departments and agencies on both economic and social files involving public relations, marketing, public consultations, media relations and advertising.  Her employers have included Justice Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Health Canada, CIDA and Human Resources Development Canada.

Lori has also served as: Vice-President, Public Relations, for the Canadian Council on Social Development; television producer for Broadcasting for International Understanding (Canadian NGO), and as Associate Producer for Radio-Canada (TV/radio) in the CBC bureau in Washington, DC.

Paul Lansbergen

Association Secretary & Director, Energy, Economics & Climate Change

Paul has two degrees in Economics.  In January 1995, he started on Parliament Hill as a political advisor.  In October 1998, he moved to the Canadian Fertilizer Institute as Manager, Communications.  Paul joined FPAC in February 2002 as Director, Taxation and Business Issues, and was appointed Association Secretary later in the same year.  Paul is now focused more exclusively on energy and climate change issues. 

Andrew DeVries

Director, Conservation Biology and Aboriginal Affairs

Andrew’s position involves working with FPAC member companies, government agencies and stakeholders on key federal forestry regulatory issues such as the Species at Risk Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act and Fisheries Act.  He is also responsible for FPAC’s aboriginal affairs committee which is implementing an MoU with the Assembly of First Nations with a focus on economic development opportunities for First Nations and aboriginal people.

Andrew  has worked in Canada, the USA and Costa Rica on forestry and environmental projects. He has on-the-ground experience with environmental assessments, forestry certification systems and managing large research and inventory projects related to fish, wildlife, archaeology and other resources.

Andrew holds M.A. and B.Sc. from the University of Calgary.

Joel Neuheimer

Director, Market Affairs

Joel has both government and industry experience as an expert on market and trade-related issues affecting the Canadian forest industry. He has also served on the Trade Ministers’ Environmental Sectoral Advisory Group on International Trade.  He coordinates FPAC’s Market Leadership Committee and helps to facilitate Canada’s Sustainable Building and Environmental Reputation Coalition, as he works with global market influencers to brand FPAC members as leading performers in making sustainable forest products, including: market outreach and partnership efforts with customers and governments in North America; as well as green procurement.

Monica Bailey

Director, Market Communications

Monica is responsible for media relations, communications, public relations, marketing and advertising. Prior to joining FPAC Monica worked for a public relations firm as a communications advisor on community and stakeholder engagement issues; as a ministerial aid for industry Canada; as a project manager for the department of Industry Canada; and as a policy analyst and researcher for a national association.

Monica holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Ottawa and is working on her MA in Environmental Education and Communications.

George Wamala

Manager, Government Relations and Policy

George Wamala joined FPAC in September 2008 as an Economic Policy Analyst and since joining has become Manager, Government Relations and Policy. In this capacity he plays a key role in supporting FPAC in its interactions and close working relationship with the Government of Canada and federal Members of Parliament. Additionally, he supports FPAC’s policy development process and advocacy effort through economic policy analysis and statistical research.

Prior to joining FPAC George served as a legislative assistant to a federal Member of Parliament and as a political advisor to a City Councillor at Ottawa City Hall. George has a degree in Commerce from the University of Ottawa.

Andrew Casey

Vice-President, Public Affairs and International Trade

Andrew Casey joined FPAC in March 2004 as the Association’s Vice President, Government Relations and Communications.  In that capacity, he was responsible for FPAC’s media relations, public advertising and government advocacy.  In September 2009, Andrew became FPAC’s Vice-President, Public Affairs and International Trade, with responsibility for FPAC’s government relations and international trade files.

A native Montrealer with a degree in Political Science from Ottawa’s Carleton University, Andrew came to FPAC from the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) where he was responsible for the Association’s government relations department for over ten years.  Andrew joined CLHIA after spending 4 years as a Press Secretary and Legislative Assistant to a Minister of the Crown.

Catherine Cobden

Vice-President, Economics and Regulatory Affairs

Catherine Cobden is Vice President, Economics and Regulatory Affairs for FPAC. She is responsible for economic competitiveness and environmental regulatory files affecting Canada’s pulp, paper and wood products sector. She supports FPAC members on issues ranging from forest sector transformation, taxation, competition, energy and climate change. She is also responsible for development and implementation of FPAC’s bioenergy strategy.
 
Prior to joining FPAC, Catherine was a lobbyist on Parliament Hill representing the interests for natural resource sectors to the federal government. In this capacity she helped shape environmental policy for mining, coal, electricity, and forest products industries. She has also held several positions within the pulp and paper industry, including Director, Environment for a global newsprint producer. She has successfully completed complex approvals for large operations, including a green-field sawmill operation and managed the environmental remediation of a full-scale pulp mill closure in Canada. As well, Ms. Cobden has participated in several corporate teams assessing global merger, acquisition and divestiture opportunities.

Isabelle Des Chênes

Vice President, Market Relations

Isabelle Des Chênes manages the Forest Products Association of Canada’s (FPAC) market communications and advocacy programming both domestically and internationally. Previously, she was Vice President, Market Relations with Forestry Innovation Investment’s (FII) Market Outreach program of the government of British Columbia, providing international customers and decision makers with credible facts about British Columbia’s sustainable forest and environmental record.

Isabelle brings nearly 20 years public relations and communications experience in both the private and public sectors. Prior to FII, she was director of communications with the FPAC and the Canadian Tourism Commission. She managed public relations and communications for technology firms Cognos and Fulcrum Technologies, and with the House of Commons Public Information Office in Ottawa.

Jon Flemming

Director, Economics and Trade Policy

Jon joined FPAC in November 2008 as Director, Economics and trade policy. In this capacity Jon works closely with the FPAC team and member companies in the development of policy positions and initiatives affecting Canada’s pulp, paper and wood products sector. His work focuses on fiscal, R&D, energy, and tax policy.

Prior to joining FPAC Jon most recently served as Senior Policy Advisor to the federal Minister of Natural Resources who he advised on forestry and energy issues. He has worked in finance and risk-management roles with RBC Royal Bank and the New Brunswick Power Corporation. He holds a B.Sc. from the University of New Brunswick and a MBA from the University of Guelph. He is a native of Bath, New Brunswick.

David Church

Director, Transportation and Recycling

David Church received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Sciences from McGill University in Montreal Quebec in 1972. Upon graduating, he joined a management-consulting firm in Montreal.

He joined the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association - the forerunner to the Forest Products Association of Canada - in 1978 as a computer programmer and in 1984 he was appointed Assistant Manager, Transportation. In 1988, he was appointed Director of the Association’s Transportation and Distribution Section. He is presently Director, Transportation and Recycling for FPAC.

Roger Cook

Director, Environment

Roger Cook is Director Environment for FPAC.  Roger works with members companies on policy and technical issues relating to environmental regulations.  Environmental data collection and sustainability reporting for the wood products and pulp & paper sectors are also key areas of his responsibility.

Prior to joining FPAC Roger was VP Environment, Government Relations and Native Affairs for a large Canadian forest products corporation. He has also managed environmental affairs at the mill level during his 25 years of experience in the forest sector. Roger has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Pollution Control from Leeds University in England.

Pierre Gauthier

Managing Director, Europe

Pierre joined FPAC in November 2005 as Managing Director, FPAC European Program. In this capacity Pierre works closely with the FPAC Team, member companies, Canadian government officials and European industry stakeholders in the development of market acceptance programs and market access advocacy initiatives to promote and protect the interest of the Canadian pulp, paper and wood producers with interests in the European market. Most recently, Pierre has led, in partnership with industry and governments, the development of a market strategy and program for the Asia market.

Prior to joining FPAC, Pierre held executive positions at the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) in the communications, business development, marketing and sales sectors where he focused on market access, communications, strategic alliances and partnerships to enhance the image and build brand awareness of Canada as a travel destination.

Étienne Bélanger

Manager, Forestry Issues

Étienne Bélanger is a graduate of Université Laval in forest management and environment, and joined the FPAC in 2008 after completing a master’s degree on the topic of forest certification. During his studies, he actively participated in the sessions of the Summit on the future of the Quebec forest sector. Étienne sat on the committees addressing governance and integrated resource management. He also served as the spokesperson for students during the Summit.