The Chief Executive Officer of the Ferguson Forest Centre (FFC) has retired.
The centre says Ed Patchell formally retired after 20 years of service as Chief Executive Officer of the Ferguson Forest Centre Corporation.
Patchell’s career began with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (OMNRF) in 1978 at their Thunder Bay tree nursery for eight years. Patchell arrived in Kemptville in 1986 and spent 10 years at the G. Howard Ferguson Forest Station and two years as a lands technician and forester, for a total of 20 years of service with OMNRF. From 1998 to 2000 Patchell ran a private
consulting firm, Oxford Consulting, that operated the Ferguson Forest Centre.
Patchell became the Chief Operating Officer in 2000, and later Chief Executive Officer, for the Ferguson Forest Centre Corporation. It is a not-for-profit company with a volunteer board operating the tree nursery to promote good forestry and support conservation and recreation in the Municipality of North Grenville.
The centre also says Patchell is married with two children who grew up and went to school in the Kemptville area. He has been involved in local scouting and the Lions Club and has provided support to many organizations using the Ferguson Forest Centre and surrounding Crown land. Patchell continues as a member of the Corporation Board of Directors as Corporate Secretary.
A new management team will lead the Ferguson Tree Nursery that includes:
- Penny Lennox, Director of Nursery Operation
- Maureen Jacques, Director of Sales and Business Development
- Carolyn Rayfield, Director of Human Resources and Finance
A public celebration to mark Patchell’s retirement and the FFC’s 20th anniversary will take place at a later date.