ALEX CLARK | SENIOR PROJECT FORESTER

Alex joined F4 Tech in May of 2022 and has two years of forest industry experience in the Southeast.  His focus at F4 Tech is field project management, forest inventory project development, prescribed burning, GIS/GPS work, and project scoping.  Prior to working for F4 Tech, he gained experience in site preparation methods, invasive species monitoring and treatment, reforestation, prescribed burning, and timber sale preparation and administration on a combination of private, state, and federal lands in Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi. Alex graduated with his B.S. from Florida State University and a Master of Science with a concentration on Ecological Restoration from the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences at the University of Florida.

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JOHN COTHRUN | FOREST ANALYST

John joined F4 Tech in July 2009 and is a professional forester with 17 years of experience. He is proficient in using a variety of analytical software packages and languages; proposing, designing, and implementing forest inventory projects; analyzing and interpreting large datasets; providing client support on forest inventory data needs; interpreting and processing remotely sensed data including LiDAR and aerial photos for land cover analysis; designing and maintaining dashboard websites and Structured Querying Language (SQL) databases; providing technical training for clients; producing summary reports; and conducting forest growth and yield projections and timber harvest schedules. He has managed, created, and evaluated GIS datasets and geoprocessing tools in Esri ArcMap, ERDAS Imagine.  John has prior experience in fire suppression and prevention (U.S. Forest Service - wildlands fire; four years) and timber inventory and management (Collins Pine Company; one year) in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, Idaho and California. John has a B.S. and Master’s in Forestry from Northern Arizona University and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Florida State University (geography).

 

RICK DAVIS | VICE-PRESIDENT

Rick joined F4 Tech in 1999 and has over 27 years of forestry experience mainly in the Southeast U.S.  He oversees the financial operations of the company, manages all field projects, leads F4 Tech’s experienced team of field foresters, and is responsible for scoping, vetting, and implementing various field projects (many involving subcontractors): forest inventory, timber sales, site preparation, tree planting, prescribed burning, herbicide treatments to control invasive/exotic plants, and timber salvage related to forest pest outbreaks and hurricane damage. Prior to joining F4 Tech, Rick was a procurement forester/manager for T & S Hardwoods, Inc. in Georgia (five years).  He is a Certified Forester (Society of American Foresters), a full member of the Association of Consulting Foresters, a registered forester in Georgia and North Carolina, a licensed forester in Mississippi, and a Florida Certified Prescribed Burner. Rick has a B.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Florida State University.

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LEAH EGGEMAN | PROJECT FORESTER

Leah joined F4 Tech in January of 2022. Her focus at F4 tech is overseeing field projects, including silvicultural treatments, prescribed burning and GIS/GPS work. Prior to joining F4 Tech Leah worked as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contractor through Tall Timbers Research Station as the forester for St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. While there she gained experience in forest habitat management planning and implementation, prescribed burning, timber harvest management, and collecting terrestrial LiDAR. Leah has a degree in Natural Resource Management- Forestry from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

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BRAD ELLIS | SENIOR PROJECT FORESTER

Brad joined F4 Tech in January 2022 and is a professional forester with over 30 years of experience. He has assisted hundreds of forestland owners to manage and conserve their forest resources. In addition, he has spent much time managing the natural resources on public lands. Prior to joining F4 Tech, Brad worked for the Florida Forest Service (FFS) for 32 years serving in various capacities including a County Forester, Forestry Supervisor, Forestry Resource Administrator, and Forest Management Bureau Chief. He is skilled with timber sale administration, prescribed burning, site preparation, tree planting, controlling invasive/exotic plant species, forest inventory and land management planning. Brad has been a Florida Certified Wildland Firefighter since 1994. He has completed many National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) training courses including Advanced Fire Behavior Calculations (S-490), Intermediate National Fire Danger Rating System (S-491), Geospatial Fire Analysis (S-495), Wildland Fire Chainsaws (S-212) and Southern Area Engine Academy. Brad has been a Florida Certified Prescribed Burner since 1992. He completed the Florida Division of Historical Resources (DHR) Archeological Resource Management (ARM) course and has been a trained monitor since 2002. He successfully completed FSU’s Florida Center for Public Management Certified Public Manager (CPM) program in 2007. Brad holds an A.S. in Forest Technology from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and a B.S. in Forest Management from Louisiana Tech University.   

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FRED HAINES | SENIOR FOREST ANALYST

Fred joined F4 Tech in August 2015 and has 45 years of professional experience in all aspects of forestry as practiced across the southern United States. At F4 Tech, he evaluates forest inventory procedures to confirm the consistency of sampling methods, data collection, data quality control measures, and data analyses per specifications and objectives for several public and private clients. Fred has also helped develop a multi-level forest sampling protocol (overstory, midstory, understory, and ground cover conditions), co-developed an objectively-based ecosystem condition scoring process, and reviewed forest inventory data to inform development of overstory treatment prescriptions. He has extensive experience in proposing, developing, and implementing forest inventory systems, sustainable forestry programs, and special projects focused on analysis and interpretation of detailed forest resources data. Fred has prepared and administered numerous multi-million dollar operations budgets for large industrial forestland owners concerning timber harvesting, site preparation, forest regeneration, and road/property maintenance. He has developed economic modeling systems, conducted forest growth projections, and conducted numerous long-term planning scenarios to evaluate timber volumes and associated cash flows across multi-million acre ownerships. Prior to joining F4 Tech, Fred worked for International Paper (31 years) in various roles (Manager - Gulf Coast Forest Management Area, Manager – Southlands Forest, Forest Systems Specialist) and the St. Joe Company (8 years) as Manager – Forestry and Harvest Planner.  He is a Certified Forester (Society of American Foresters). Fred has a B.S. in Forestry from the University of Florida.

 

CRAIG HEDMAN | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Craig joined F4 Tech in August 2015 and has over 34 years of experience in natural resources conservation and management emphasizing forest, wetland, wildlife, and water resources. Craig helps manage large-scale and long-term client projects that involve long-term planning, habitat scoring and modeling, and sustainable forest resource management.  He also works closely with F4 Tech Forest Analysts regarding vegetation data analysis, habitat and forest predictive modeling, and reporting. Over his career, he has served as a practitioner, manager, and researcher; proposed, developed, and implemented short-term and multi-year projects regarding sustainable forestry, ecological and habitat assessments (large-scale and stand-based), and protected species surveys/management; conducted forest ecological research; authored and co-authored numerous natural resource-based technical documents and refereed-journal articles; secured environmental permits; and helped develop and manage mitigation/conservation banks. His work experience includes 13 years as manager of forest ecology and water resources for International Paper, over 10 years as an ecological/environmental consultant (southeast U.S.), and three plus years as a forester and watershed manager for the Providence (RI) Water Supply Board. He is a Certified Forester (Society of American Foresters), a Certified Senior Ecologist (Ecological Society of America), and a Courtesy Assistant Professor at the University of Florida - School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatic Sciences. Craig has a B.S. in Natural Resources Management from the University of Rhode Island, a Masters in Forest Productivity from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in Forest Resources from Clemson University. 

 

PEYTON BENNETT | TECHNICAL MANAGER

Peyton joined F4 Tech in January 2024 and has nearly five years of experience supporting GIS projects and forest management. He is proficient in various Microsoft Office Applications and Esri ArcGIS software products. Peyton routinely reviews GIS work conducted by others, analyzes spatial and tabular data, and interacts with clients on project needs and deliverables. He also provides technical support to F4 Tech staff and clients regarding software used in collecting forest inventory data, creates GIS maps, and helps manage integrated databases. Prior to joining F4 Tech, Peyton was a Land Technician for the Young American Conservation Corps where he gained experience treating invasive species and implementing forest restoration projects. He was also the GIS Coordinator for the Wakulla County (Florida) Property Appraiser’s office where he oversaw GIS taxation projects, developed custom map deliverables, and maintained all GIS software. Peyton is a Certified Florida Evaluator (Department of Revenue – real estate services), and a FAA Licensed Commercial Drone Pilot. He has a B.A. in Geographical Sciences from Florida State University.

 

MARK MILLIGAN | PRESIDENT

Mark founded F4 Tech (formerly LandMark Systems) in 1998 and has over 33 years of experience in the field of forestry and natural resources management. He provides overall organizational leadership, leads business development, develops technical reports, and presents technical information at meetings and conferences. Since the company’s inception, he has driven technological advancements – several of which culminated in U.S. patents supporting the F4 Tech SilvAssist Suite of software. Mark actively serves on several professional boards and engages with other organizations sharing similar goals and objectives such as the Society of American Foresters, Florida Forestry Association, and the Association of Consulting Foresters. Prior to forming F4 Tech, Mark worked for the Florida Forest Service (10 years) as a County/State Lands Forester and State Lands Management Coordinator. He is a full member of the Association of Consulting Foresters and was inducted into the Florida Forestry Hall of Fame in 2020. Mark has a B.S. in Forest Management from Louisiana State University and an MBA from Florida State University.

 

MARSHALL HILTON | CLIENT MANAGER

Marshall joined F4 Tech in January 2021 and has approximately six years of experience as a field forester and project manager. Since joining F4 Tech, he has focused on forest inventory project development, project scoping, forest operations management (timber marking, timber sale administration, timber salvage, planting, site preparation, and prescribed burning), GIS mapping, and database management. Marshall has several years of experience in the forest industry and worked in Mississippi and Alabama in timber procurement and procurement analytics.  Marshall also worked for two of the largest private landowners in the State of Florida and spent three years managing over 15 thousand acres of eucalyptus plantations (one of the largest such plantations in North America).  He is a Florida Certified Prescribed Burner and has a B.S. in Forest Resource Management and a Masters of Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida. 

 

SARA RESSLER | OFFICE MANAGER

Sara joined F4Tech in April 2012 and has over 20 years of experience supporting the day-to-day operations of small companies. Her responsibilities at F4 Tech encompass many aspects of our business operations such as record keeping, invoicing, budget updates, payroll, project tracking, project reporting, contracting, staff scheduling, bookkeeping, and contractor/client communications. 

 

BRIAN STIBER | CONSULTING/SOFTWARE MANAGER

Brian joined F4 Tech in June 2008 and has over 24 years of experience focused on forest inventory process management, database management, growth and yield modeling, and harvest scheduling. He is experienced in software planning, design, and coding; implementing field data collections using mobile, desktop, and web platforms; and GIS/GPS technologies that directly support natural resource management. He also oversees and manages the work of software developers and day-to-day operations related to Structured Querying Language (SQL) databases, data security, and the SilvAssist Suite of programs; designs and maintains dashboard websites; and provides technical training for clients. Brian also has several years of field experience in natural resources management/forestry which underpins his support of clients in solving problems, updating technical processes, and improving product lines. Prior to joining F4 Tech, Brian served as the president of Stiber Forestry (three years), was a procurement forester for Kuhn’s Brothers Lumber in Pennsylvania (six years), and worked for Georgia Pacific/The Timber Company in Virginia as a silviculturist/forester (two years). Brian has a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management/Forest Science from the Pennsylvania State University.

 

BIJAY TAMANG | PROJECT FORESTER/ANALYST

Bijay joined F4 Tech in April 2016 and is a professional forester with 17 years of experience focused on forest and wildlife conservation and management. In his role at F4 Tech, Bijay prepares forest inventory deliverables; supports forest inventory processes and data QA/QC; analyzes, interprets, manages, and summarizes forest inventory data; prepares reports; supports GIS applications, and forest inventory planning and deployment; and conducts forest growth and yield modeling. He is proficient in the use of the Remsoft Woodstock package, ArcGIS, and statistical packages (SAS and R). Through prior work as a project leader for Arborgen (six years), a post-doc at the University of Florida (one year), and an university research assistant in Nepal (five years), Bijay has gained experience working on phosphate-mine restoration projects using fast-growing trees, woody biomass/bioenergy projects, short rotation woody crops and tree improvement; proposed, designed, and implemented forest ecological, tree improvement, and wildlife research projects; analyzed and interpreted vegetation data; collaborated with multiple university research teams; and published findings in refereed scientific journals. He is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a volunteer reviewer of manuscripts submitted to multiple scientific journals: Ecological Engineering, Tropical Conservation Science, Agroforestry Systems, and the Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, Energy and Fuels, and Bioenergy Research. Bijay has a B.Sc. in Biology and an M.Sc. in Biology/Ecology from Tribhuvan University (Nepal), and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida.

 

JEFF VOWELL | SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER

Jeff joined F4 Tech in October 2018 and has over 42 years of experience in forest management emphasizing forest, wetlands, wildlife, and water resources.  Jeff provides on-the-ground support for field projects as it concerns watershed area determinations and hydrologic management, e.g., water bar placement, culvert installation, and low water crossing design and construction. He started his career as a procurement forester for the forest products industry in southwest Arkansas. Prior to joining F4 Tech, Jeff worked for the Florida Forest Service (FFS) where he served as the Forest Hydrologist and later the Assistant Director. During his 31-year career with the FFS, he supervised four Bureau Chiefs (Forest Protection, Forest Management, Forest Logistics and Support, and Field Operations) who managed agency operations and land management on 1.2 million acres across 35 State Forests. Jeff also directed all field operations related to fire prevention, detection, and suppression. In addition, he managed the FFS forest hydrology program regarding Florida’s silviculture best management practices (BMP), conducted statewide BMP compliance and effectiveness monitoring; led the revision of the “Florida’s Silviculture Best Management Practices Manual”; coordinated development of regional BMP monitoring guidelines and a regional BMP program review process for the Southern Group of State Foresters; published the first Wildlife BMP Manual in the southeast (“Florida Forestry Wildlife Best Management Practices for State Imperiled Species”); developed and coordinated forest/water quality research; and authored or co-authored numerous natural resource-based technical documents and refereed publications. Jeff has a B.S. in Forest Management and a M.S. in forest hydrology from Oklahoma State University.