The Hardwood States Export Group (HSEG) is an informal group of export trade specialists who have responsibility for international marketing for hardwood products in their respective states.  They secure funding through USDA – Foreign Agricultural Service  in cooperation w... More

The Hardwood States Export Group (HSEG) is an informal group of export trade specialists who have responsibility for international marketing for hardwood products in their respective states.  They secure funding through USDA – Foreign Agricultural Service  in cooperation with the American Hardwood Export Council. The purpose of the group is to collaborate on multi-state projects that increase sales for US wood product companies through the development of international markets and opportunities.    International buyers of American hardwood are welcome to contact any and all trade specialists for assistance locating suppliers of hardwood lumber, logs, veneer, flooring, secondary wood products, wood furniture and component parts.        Georgia Risher A. Willard, Chief of Marketing & Utilization Dru Preston, Utilization Forester Georgia Forestry Commission 15133 GA Hwy 129 N               5645 Riggins Mill Road Claxton, GA 30417                   Dry Branch, GA  31020 Telephone:  (912) 739-4734; 478-263-5117        Email: rwillard@gfc.state.ga.us; dpreston@gfc.state.ga.us Web: www.GaTrees.org                                    AHEC Member   Indiana  Christopher Gonso, Hardwood Program Manager Indiana State Department of Agriculture 1 N Capitol Ave, Ste 600 Indianapolis, IN 46204– Telephone: 812-690-4738                      Email:  cgonso@isda.in.gov Web: www.in.gov/isda                                      AHEC Member               Kentucky  Jonathan L. Van Balen, Import/Export Advisor Office of  Marketing Kentucky Department of Agriculture 111 Corporate Drive Frankfort, KY 40601 Telephone:  502-782-4132         Email:  jonathan.vanbalen@ky.gov Web:  www.kyagr.com                                      AHEC Member               Michigan  Jamie Zmitko-Somers, International Marketing Manager Donna LaCourt, Economic/Community Development Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development Constitution Hall, 6th Floor, P.O. Box 30017 Lansing, MI 48909 Telephone: 517-284-5738, 517-614-5518 Email: zmitkoj@michigan.gov, lacourtd2@michigan.gov Web: www.michigan.gov/agexport                     AHEC Member   Mississippi  Courtney Helfrich, Trade Manager – Global Business Division   Mississippi Development Authority PO Box 849 Jackson, MS  39205 Telephone: 601-359-3618                      Email: chelfrich@mississippi.org Web: www.mississippi.org                                AHEC member   Missouri  Kayla Otto, International Marketing Specialist Missouri Department of Agriculture   1616 Missouri Blvd., PO Box 630 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Telephone: 573-751-7213 Email: Kayla.Otto@mda.mo.gov Web:  www.agriculture.mo.gov                         AHEC Member   New York  Sloane N. Crawford, Program Leader New York State Forest Products Utilization and Marketing New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233-4253 Telephone: 518-402-9422 Email: sloane.crawford@dec.ny.gov Web:  www.newyorkwood.org                           Theresa Sweeney, Excelsior Fellow New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets 10B Airline Drive Albany, NY 12235 Telephone: 518-457-6773 Email: Theresa.Sweeney@agriculture.ny.gov Web:  www.agriculture.ny.gov                          AHEC Member   North Carolina  John Hammond, International Marketing Specialist  North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services 1020 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1020 Telephone: 919-707-3160   Email: john.hammond@ncagr.gov Web: www.ncagexports.com                             AHEC Member   Ohio  Thien Bui, Export Assistance Program Specialist Kelly O’Bryant, Export Assistance Director Ohio Development Services Agency 77 South High Street Columbus, OH  43215 Telephone:  614-466-4996, 740-289-2017, Ext. 235                                Email:     Thien.Bui@development.ohio.gov, obryant.6@osu.edu Web:  www.exportassistance.development.ohio.gov       Pennsylvania  Wayne Bender, Executive Director Jonathan Geyer, Hardwoods Development Specialist.               Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council                         2301 N. Cameron St., Room 308,Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408 Telephone: 717-705-3930; 717-787-3699                                    Email: dbender@pa.gov; jongeyer@pa.gov                                Web: www.agriculture.state.pa.us                     AHEC Member   Tennessee  Kerry Livengood, Forest Analyst Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry 440Hoag Road, Nashville, TN  37220 Telephone:  615-837-5437                                             Email:  Kerry.R.Livengood@tn.gov Web:  www.state.tn.us/agriculture/forestry/         Virginia  Caitlin Clark, International Marketing Specialist Office of International Marketing Virginia Department of Agriculture 102 Governor St., Room 330 Richmond, VA 23219 Telephone:  540-461-1246 Email:  caitlin.clark@vdacs.virginia.gov Web: www.vdacs.state.va.us/international         AHEC Member   West Virginia  Caitlin Ashley-Lizarraga, International Trade Representative West Virginia Economic Development Office 1900 Kanawha Blvd, Building 6, Room 531, Charleston, WV  25305 Telephone:  304-957-2014 Email:  Caitlin.Lizarraga@wv.gov Web: www.wvdo.org                                         AHEC Member   Wisconsin Jennifer Lu, Economic Development Consultant Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection 2811 Agriculture Drive, Madison, WI  53708-8911 Telephone:  608-224-5102 Email:  jennifer.lu@wi.gov Web:  www.datcp.wi.gov                                  AHEC Member