Campus News

UGA alums selected as 2012 Georgia Forester’s Hall of Fame inductees

Athens, Ga. – Three University of Georgia alumni have been selected for induction into the Georgia Forester’s Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors bestowed to Georgia foresters. The 2012 inductees are Earl Barrs (B.S.F.R. ’74) of Macon, William F. “Bill” Miller (B.S.F.R. ’70) of Fernandina Beach, Fla., and Miles A. “Andy” Stone (B.S.F.R. ’74) of Fargo. All three are graduates of the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

The Georgia division of the Southeastern Society of American Foresters administers the Georgia Forester’s Hall of Fame, which honors foresters who have made outstanding and significant contributions to the forestry profession. Numerous Warnell graduates over the past few decades have been inducted into the hall of fame, and their portraits and accomplishments adorn a hallway at the college.

Barrs is president of Knapp-Barrs & Associates and Due South LLC and is a board member and past president of the Georgia Forestry Association. Barrs has served on the board of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Forest Landowners Association. He also has served on numerous boards and committees for UGA and Middle Georgia College. Barrs and his wife Wanda were selected as the National Tree Farmers of the Year in 2009 and received the Governor’s Award for Environmental Stewardship and Conservation in 2010 for their efforts in forest management and environmental education.

Miller is currently vice-president of forest operations with F&W Forestry Services Inc. Miller began his career with Union Camp Corporation, working for more than 27 years in positions of increasing responsibility, including region manager and director of wood procurement. After the merger with International Paper in 1999, Miller served as southeast region manager before retiring from IP in 2005. Miller is a past president and current board member of the Georgia Forestry Association, a board member with the Forest Resources Association and a member of the Forest Landowners Association and the state forestry associations of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

Stone is president of Superior Pine Products Company, which manages 210,000 acres of timberland in southeast Georgia. Prior to joining Superior Pine in 2006, Stone worked for Stuckey Timberlands in Eastman for 28 years where he served as president. Stone is a past president of the Georgia Forestry Association and an active member of the Forest Landowners Association. Stone has served on committees or boards for UGA, Heart of Georgia Technical College and Okefenokee Technical College.