Jimmy Bullock Receives the Dr. Sharon Haines Memorial Award for Innovation and Leadership in Sustainability

L-R: Kathy Abusow, President & CEO of Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Jimmy Bullock, Senior Vice President, Forest Sustainability at Resource Management Service, LLC (RMS), and Jeremy Poirier, Fiber Supply Certification and Sustainability Manager at International Paper. GNW

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MINNEAPOLIS, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and International Paper, a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, are proud to announce the recipient of the 2025 Dr. Sharon Haines Memorial Award for Innovation and Leadership in Sustainability. Jimmy Bullock, Senior Vice President, Forest Sustainability at Resource Management Service, LLC (RMS), was presented with the award at the SFI Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for his lifelong dedication to collaborative conservation and sustainable forest management.

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“The award honors Sharon’s legacy by recognizing individuals who drive progress in sustainable forestry, and I can think of no one more deserving than Jimmy,” said Lee Alexander, VP Global Fiber Supply, at International Paper. “Following in the footsteps of his mentor, Sharon Haines, Jimmy has dedicated his career to advancing conservation within the forest sector, and his work has had a lasting impact on forest health and sustainable forest management in the US and abroad.”

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Bullock’s leadership in sustainable forestry spans decades. Bullock has played a pivotal role in driving forestry companies to more rigorously address threatened and endangered species on their land. Since joining RMS in 2006, he has championed landscape-scale conservation, leading efforts to integrate private landowners into sustainability initiatives. Under his leadership, RMS played a key role in the development of the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO)’ Wildlife Conservation Initiative (WCI), which connects landowners and conservation partners across 45 million acres of privately owned forests. In 2023, the Wildlife Conservation Initiative became a formalized partnership involving NAFO, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, and the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. Bullock’s work with WCI also gave rise to another national combined effort, Conservation Without Conflict, a coalition of public and private partners with highly diverse goals who are united in their commitment to conserving wildlife while keeping America’s working lands working.

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A long-time advocate of SFI, Bullock has served on and chaired the SFI Resources Committee and multiple SFI Standard revision task groups, playing a crucial role in shaping ongoing improvements to SFI programming and standards.

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“Jimmy has been a driving force in positioning responsibly managed forests as an important biodiversity solution for the Southern U.S.,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI. “His ability to foster collaborative public-private partnerships has significantly advanced sustainable forestry practices and strengthened SFI’s impact on the ground.”

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SFI and International Paper established this award in memory of Dr. Sharon Haines, International Paper’s former Director of the Office of Sustainability. Before her sudden passing in 2007, Dr. Haines was a visionary leader in natural resource stewardship and a champion for forging strong partnerships between forestry and conservation organizations.

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About Dr. Sharon G. Haines

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Dr. Sharon G. Haines was the first director of International Paper’s Office of Sustainability. Her successes included developing many of the company’s innovative partnerships with conservation groups, leading the development of its sustainable forestry programs, championing projects to protect endangered species across company land, helping to establish sustainable forestry policy issues at the national and international levels, and mentoring colleagues to help them excel professionally. Haines was selected as a Fellow of the Society of American Foresters and received an American Forest & Paper Association 2005 Conservation Award. She was a member of the National Commission on the Science of Sustainable Forestry and worked with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. SFI and International Paper established the Dr. Sharon Haines Memorial Award for Innovation and Leadership in Sustainability to commemorate Dr. Sharon Haines following her sudden passing on August 10, 2007.