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I didn’t have any formal business training when I came to Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program (AMP) Executive Education program. My background was in Forest Management, including a Master of Forestry from Yale. I had some exposure to economics and business through my work, but I knew an HBS program would likely set me on the course for advancement, so I wanted to make the most of it, even if it seemed an unlikely place to find myself.

As an Eagle Scout, I taught axemanship, compass, mapping, and knots. During summers in college, I worked in various roles: at a National Forest in Idaho, conducting an aerial/ground oak wilt survey in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and with Weyerhaeuser’s Forest Research Center in Washington State. I then completed my Master of Forestry and attended the US Naval Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island, where I served in leadership positions and then spent three years on active duty as a ship’s navigator.

In 1965, I began my forestry career as a Landowner Assistance Forester in a wood procurement department, eventually moving up to Staff Assistant for Technical Forestry to the Wood Procurement Manager. The job involved a variety of tasks, including managing a wood barging operation and transitioning from buying wood through dealers to direct purchases by company employees. The role gave me a broad understanding of forestry operations across the company.

In 1974, at the age of 33, I was promoted to Division Manager of the Timberlands Division, overseeing 1.2 million acres of forest land across six southeastern states. The division was a profit center, and I was responsible for managing everything from veteran forest managers to HR, accounting, and public relations functions. It gave me even more exposure as I participated in state and regional forestry organizations while overseeing various technical and research functions.

By the time my company sent me to the Advanced Management Program (AMP), I had 15 years of forestry business experience. HBS was transformative. For the first time, I was learning about international business and gaining insights from people across different industries. The case method challenged me to think critically, and my classmates’ diverse experiences broadened my perspective.

I was younger than most of my AMP classmates. Many were 50 years old and had been sent by their companies to better understand what their younger MBA reports were talking about or to prepare for new positions. For me, the most surprising aspect of my time at HBS was the emphasis on helping executives decide which divisions to sell and which companies to buy. Coming from a manufacturing background, I was more focused on enhancing manufacturing efficiency, modernizing operations, and expanding product lines—all of which were the backbone of my company’s business.

After returning from HBS, I was promoted to Vice President. It involved overseeing not only the Timberlands Division, but also our specialty chemical manufacturing operations. I spent considerable time with managers in that division and its research staff and visiting customers. It was a culture shift—forestry personnel wore field clothes and boots, spent time in rural areas, and enjoyed hunting and fishing. In contrast, the chemical division employees wore coats and ties, traveled to urban customer sites, and played golf. There was a lot to learn. Then, as a Senior Vice President for a decade I oversaw company forests, export sales worldwide, and a Brazilian manufacturing subsidiary – and this led to a lot of international travel.

My career wasn’t without its challenges, of course. By the time I retired, I had spent 40 percent of my time traveling internationally, building relationships with colleagues and customers, and helping to guide my organization through major changes.

Looking back, I’m proud of the role I played in building such a successful company in my field, and I’m equally proud of the personal life I built with my family. I’m also grateful to have chaired two committees at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and to have helped create the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, which remains the largest forest certification system in the world. One of my biggest achievements was co-founding The Forests Dialogue, an international body that promotes collaboration between the forestry industry and environmental organizations. This initiative, based at Yale, helped reduce tensions between these groups and fostered greater cooperation.

In retirement, I’ve continued to stay active, serving terms as Chairman of the Forest History Society, the Seabrook Island Property Owners Association, and the Lowcountry Land Trust and on the Board of The Charleston Museum. It’s been fulfilling to remain involved with interesting people and organizations that are doing important work.

The three months I spent in the AMP at HBS were more than just an academic experience— it was a chance to step back and re-evaluate my career. For some classmates, that meant realizing they wanted to go in a completely different direction. For me, it reinforced the value of the path I was on while also opening my eyes to new possibilities.