Mark is one of the original pioneers who helped establish the institutional timberland asset class. The first timberland investment as tracked through the NCREIF Timberland Index was made in 1981 by Wachovia. Mark joined Wachovia in 1984 as the third person hired to execute the strategy. During his tenure with Wachovia, Mark led its timberland investment business and was responsible for growing the unit’s assets under management from $60 million to almost $1.4 billion. In this capacity, he directed all phases of the business. His responsibilities entailed developing and managing the company’s core timberland investment strategy, which included establishing its investment discipline and building its portfolio management, accounting, reporting, compliance, marketing, sales and product development functions. In 2003, Mark founded TIR out of a desire to exercise his entrepreneurial instincts. In addition to helping launch and expand two, highly successful timberland investment management organizations (TIMOs), Mark also has been directly involved in the development of more than 20 separate account and commingled fund programs on behalf of numerous institutional investment clients. These efforts have included directing more than 250 acquisitions encompassing more than 2.6 million acres in 12 states and managing more than 1,622 dispositions involving more than $3.38 billion in assets. Because of his success in this regard, Mark is widely recognized among TIMO senior executives for his disciplined investment approach and his capacity to make and manage investments that are supportive of clients’ unique risk and return objectives. Mark is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) where he received a BS in Forest Management. He also is a Registered Forester, a Certified Forester and a member of Society of American Foresters.