Mark Doumit honored by AgForestry leadership program

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AgForestry Press Release — Mark Doumit was honored as the recipient of the 2017 Stu Bledsoe Leadership Award by members of Leadership Class 38 of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation Leadership Program (AgForestry) at their graduation ceremony in Spokane on April 28, 2017.

The Stu Bledsoe Leadership Award is presented annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to natural resource industries in Washington State. The award, voted on by the members of the graduating leadership class, is given in honor of the late Stu Bledsoe, who served as the Washington State Director of Agriculture, Speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives, and Executive Director of the Washington Forest Protection Association.

Leadership Class 38 believed that the long-term, positive effects of Mark’s trailblazing on behalf of agriculture, forestry and the natural resources of Washington State deserved the honor of the award.

Mark Doumit has held the position of Executive Director of the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) since 2006. He is an inspirational leader with 18 years of experience in public office a background in farming, forestry and natural resources and ongoing service with the WFPA.

He served in the Washington State Legislature for a decade and worked on many forestry, environmental and natural resources bills. A Washington native, farmer, commercial fisher and a business administration graduate of Washington State University, Doumit served as Wahkiakum County Commissioner for eight years, then another ten in the Washington State Legislature. Six of those years were spent in the House and the remaining four in the Senate. He also chaired the House Natural Resources Committee and was Vice Chair of the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

Doumit knows the importance of natural resources to our state. He is a strong believer in the collaborative process, and its reliance on bi-partisanship, as a pathway to ensure future viability of forestry and natural resource industries in the state. He understands the public policy process and necessity of aligning industry practices with public values. Mark Doumit, in the true spirit of the Stu Bledsoe Award has made a significant difference in natural resources in Washington State.

The award is presented by the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation, which has developed leaders for healthy farms, forests and communities since 1978 through its AgForestry Leadership Program. The program has more than 1,000 graduates and is funded by generous donors representing individuals and businesses in the natural resource industries from all across the state.