Westervelt Leadership

Cade Warner, a Tuscaloosa native, is the President and CEO of The Westervelt Company. He holds degrees in business and forest resources from the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia, along with professional certifications including CFA®, CAIA®, FMVA®, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Cade has held several leadership roles at Westervelt, including COO and Chief Sustainability Officer, overseeing operations across forestry, wood products, ecological services, real estate, and international business. Before joining Westervelt in 2017, he worked with Conservation Forestry and held internships in forestry and public policy. He actively supports his community and industry through various leadership and board roles. Cade and his wife, April, have two children and enjoy exploring nature together.

Ray Colvin, R.F. is Director of Mergers & Acquisitions and Real Estate at The Westervelt Company, where he has served since 1997. Over his career, he has held leadership roles in land management, real estate, and forest recreation. In his current role, he oversees all M&A activity and real estate development. Ray holds a Master’s in Forestry from Auburn University and a B.S. in Commerce from Faulkner University, where he played collegiate baseball. He is a Registered Forester and Licensed Real Estate Agent, and serves on the board of the Alabama Forestry Association. An avid outdoorsman, Ray enjoys time with family at his farm and on Lake Tuscaloosa.

Keith Dollar, P.E., is Director of Engineering and Technical Services at The Westervelt Company, where he has worked since 1982. A Registered Professional Engineer, he provides civil engineering, surveying, and environmental compliance services across Westervelt’s operations. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Keith oversees infrastructure development for forest management, manufacturing, real estate, and environmental projects. Before joining Westervelt, he worked on coal mine reclamation for the State of Alabama. He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family at their West Alabama farm.

Dave Donaldson, R.F., is Executive Vice President and General Manager of Forest Resources at The Westervelt Company. Since joining in 1995, he has held leadership roles in forestry operations, including Vice President and Director of Woodlands. A U.S. Veteran, Dave holds a degree in Forest Resources from Auburn University and completed executive training at UNC. He also holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. He oversees Westervelt’s forestry division, international operations, and strategic partnerships. Dave serves on several forestry-related boards and is active in community and university outreach. He and his wife Tammy live in Tuscaloosa with their four children.

Jody Farris, CPA, is Treasurer of The Westervelt Company. He joined the company in 2018 as Tax & Treasury Manager and assumed his current role in 2023. Jody holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Alabama and a master’s in taxation from Troy University. He is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Georgia, a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and a member of both the AICPA and Alabama Society of CPAs. Prior to Westervelt, he worked at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International and in public accounting. Jody and his wife Heather have two children and enjoy spending time outdoors at their family’s farm.

Travis Hemmen is Executive Vice President and General Manager of The Westervelt Company, and President & CEO of Westervelt Ecological Services (WES). Since joining Westervelt in 2006, he has led WES operations, strategic planning, and key partnerships. Travis has deep expertise in environmental policy and permitting, particularly in California, and is active in regulatory and legislative efforts supporting habitat restoration. He holds an M.S. in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School and a B.A. in Biology from the University of Northern Iowa. A native of Iowa, Travis lives with his wife and three children.

Jonathan Lowery, R.F., is Vice President of Sustainability and Government Relations at The Westervelt Company. A Registered Forester with over 25 years of experience, he holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in forestry from Mississippi State University. Since joining Westervelt in 1998, Jonathan has led efforts in forest management, land acquisition, and certification. In his current role, he advances sustainability initiatives and advocates for policies supporting working forests and ecological restoration. He has completed leadership programs at UNC, the National Conservation Leadership Institute, and the University of Alabama. Jonathan is active in industry organizations and enjoys outdoor activities, music, and time with his family.

Jason Nicholson, CPA, is Financial Services Director – Manufacturing and Forest Resources at The Westervelt Company. Since joining in 2008, he has worked to enhance financial performance across Westervelt’s forestry and sawmill operations. Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting from the University of Alabama and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Alabama. He is a member of the AICPA and Alabama Society of CPAs. Jason and his wife Jennifer have three children.

Susan Poole, APR, PCM, is Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Director at The Westervelt Company. She joined in 2017 and leads corporate marketing, branding, internal communications, and community relations. Susan holds degrees in Business Management, Marketing Management, and Human Environmental Science from the University of Maryland and the University of Alabama. She is Accredited in Public Relations, a Professional Certified Marketer, and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. With over 25 years of experience, she previously held global communications roles at International Paper and worked with the U.S. Department of State. Susan and her husband Jeff have three children and one grandchild.

Mark Richardson is Executive Vice President and General Manager of Westervelt Wood Products. He joined the company in 1998 in Strategic Planning and later transitioned to Lumber Sales, eventually serving as Director of Sales and Marketing before being promoted to his current role in 2024. Mark holds a B.S. and MBA from the University of Alabama. He is active in the wood products industry, having served in leadership roles with the Southern Forest Products Association, Treated Wood Council, and American Lumber Standards Committee. A Leadership Tuscaloosa graduate, Mark is also involved in community initiatives. He is married and has one daughter.

Ray Robbins is Executive Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel of The Westervelt Company. He joined the company in 2007 and has held several leadership roles, including Vice President since 2012 and Executive Vice President since 2024. A native of Talladega, Alabama, Ray holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Alabama, a Juris Doctor from Cumberland School of Law, and an LLM in Taxation from the University of Florida. He is an avid outdoorsman and he and his wife, Hope, enjoy watching their twin daughters, Kate and Anna, play soccer.

Diana Russell is Financial Services Director at The Westervelt Company. Since joining in 2011, she has served in roles including Tax Manager and Corporate Controller. Diana holds a B.S. in Business Administration with Accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi and is an inactive CPA. She is a member of the AICPA and Alabama Society of CPAs, and a 2019 graduate of Leadership Tuscaloosa. A native of Louisiana and raised in Mississippi, Diana lives with her husband Josh and their two sons.

Tony Sheffield, CPA (inactive), is Chief Financial Officer of The Westervelt Company, joining in 2023 after over 30 years in the wood products industry. A University of Alabama accounting graduate, Tony began his career at Ernst & Young before moving to Scotch Lumber Company, where he advanced from Assistant Controller to General Manager. Following the merger with Gulf Lumber and later acquisition by Canfor, he held senior roles including Regional VP of Finance, VP of Sales, and President of Canfor Southern Pine. Tony has served on the boards of several industry associations and is a member of the AICPA and Alabama Society of CPAs. He and his wife Rene have two children and five grandchildren.

Maria Short is Executive Vice President of Human Resources at The Westervelt Company. With over 30 years of HR leadership experience, she focuses on building inclusive, empowering workplace cultures. Since joining Westervelt in 2024, Maria has led people strategy initiatives in leadership development, employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness. Her previous roles include senior HR positions at DYMAX, Dura-Line, and Ingersoll Rand. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Paralegal Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi and is a certified leadership development facilitator and Six Sigma Green Belt. Maria and her husband Scott live in Tuscaloosa.

Michael Smelley is Director of Information Services at The Westervelt Company, where he has served since 1991. He began his career as a Programmer in the Cartons Division and advanced through roles in infrastructure and network management. Michael holds a degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Alabama and has earned multiple certifications in network, security, and storage systems. He is active in community service and youth development, volunteering with organizations like Junior Achievement and coaching youth sports. Michael also serves in leadership roles within his church. He and his wife Staci have three children and three grandchildren.

Mike Williams is a strategic planning and process improvement leader at The Westervelt Company, with over 40 years of experience in manufacturing, logistics, and procurement in the forest products industry. A native of Maysville, Kentucky, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Morehead State University and completed the Advanced Management Program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with certifications in Process Mastery and Reengineering. Mike serves on several boards, including the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway Development Council and the University of Alabama’s College of Community Health Sciences. He and his wife Nelle have one daughter and are active members of St. Francis of Assisi University Parish in Tuscaloosa.