EcoPlanet
Bamboo Group has hired three seasoned executives from $8.5 billion
timber giant Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY) in a key step to ensure its
continued success and global expansion, and has named Marvin Ray Risco
as the Group president. “Ray Risco brings a unique set of high level
global experience and success,” says Troy Wiseman, CEO of EcoPlanet
Bamboo. Risco began his career in forestry as Financial Director for
Weyerhaeuser Forestlands International and rose to become Vice President
of International Operations, covering operations in Latin America,
Europe and Asia before most recently being named as President of
Weyerhaeuser Solutions. “Ray brings a wealth of financial, operational
and managerial expertise and the know-how to develop those processes
within large companies, which we can now effectively apply at EcoPlanet
Bamboo,” says Wiseman.
Joining Risco to form part of EcoPlanet Bamboo’s executive management
are Dr. Kent Wheiler and James Leitheiser. Wheiler, a 25-year
Weyerhaeuser veteran is experienced in international plantation
management and strategic planning. Wheiler joins EcoPlanet Bamboo as
Chief Operating Officer. Leitheiser brings over 27 years’ manufacturing
and technical experience in the forest products and allied industries,
including 17 years in a variety of roles with International Paper and
most recently, as Director of Global Business Services for Weyerhaeuser
Solutions. Leitheiser joins EcoPlanet Bamboo as VP, Commercial
Technologies.
Expansion of the EcoPlanet Bamboo management team to include these
experienced forest industry executives broadens the company’s capacity
for continued global expansion of converting degraded land into
sustainable bamboo plantations, and builds on the proprietary
silviculture systems and technologies the company has already developed.
“I have spent years developing certified sustainable, plantation based
fiber to meet the ever-growing global demand for wood products,” said
Risco. “Once I understood the depth of what EcoPlanet Bamboo has
created, I realized that they have figured out what no other bamboo
company has ever done before. EcoPlanet Bamboo has created the systems
and protocols necessary to develop bamboo plantations as a commercially
viable alternative fiber in terms of scale, cost and sustainability.
EcoPlanet Bamboo’s certified sustainable plantations, the company’s IP
and the industry-leading operational systems they’ve developed and
proven, have convinced me EcoPlanet Bamboo has the foundation to grow
their business to significant commercial scale.”
Currently owning and operating commercial bamboo plantations and
associated R&D facilities in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa,
EcoPlanet Bamboo is expanding its plantations and business operations in
other strategic geographies. The company provides sustainable
alternative fiber and bamboo based product solutions to manufacturing
industries in the plywood, pulp and paper, charcoal, bio-energy,
textiles and other major product segments.
www.ecoplanetbamboo.com
Copyright Business Wire 2014