Forest Service Announces Personnel Appointments

U.S. Forest Service Chief Abigail Kimbell announced today key personnel changes for Research and Development within the Agency.

Dr. Jim Reaves has been selected as Director of the Southern Research Station in Asheville , N.C. He will replace Dr. Pete Roussopoulos who has announced his retirement after 35 years of service to the agency. Reaves most recently serves as the Associate Deputy Chief for Research and Development in Washington , D.C. He received his B.S. Degree from Voorhees College and his M.S. and Ph. D. Degrees from Atlanta University.

Dr. David Cleaves, currently the Station Director at the Rocky Mountain Research Station, has accepted the position of Associate Deputy Chief for Research and Development vacated by Reaves. Formerly, Cleaves was a staff director in Washington and also served as a National Program Leader for Fire Systems Research. Cleaves has a B.S. and M.S. Degree from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in economics from Texas A&M University.

Dr. George S. (Sam) Foster has accepted the position of Station Director of the Rocky Mountain Research Station located in Fort Collins , Colo. , vacated by Cleaves. Foster has been the Director of Resource Use Science Research Staff in Washington and is internationally known for work in forest genetics. Foster received his M.S. and B.S. Degrees from the University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. in forest genetics and silviculture from Oregon State University.

“The Forest Service is so fortunate to have visionary leadership to face challenges of the future,” stated Chief Kimbell. “We have benefited from the extraordinary expertise of Pete Roussopoulos over the past 35 years. Although his retirement is our loss, we are confident that outstanding leadership will continue within Research and Development with the selection of these superb individuals.”

The new assignments are expected to be effective in January 2008.