Management Team

Brent Keefer, Chief Executive Officer, has over 35 years of experience in the forestry industry. Brent is responsible for leading the American Forest Management organization, which includes 50+ offices throughout ten regions and more than 300 employees. As CEO, he focuses on the company’s strategic direction and building the organization and culture. Prior to joining AFM, Brent served as the President of Hancock Timber Resource Group. He serves on the Boards of Directors of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® and the Forest History Society. He is also a member of the Society of American Foresters and a regular speaker at timberland investment conferences and seminars. Brent earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resource Management and Master of Science in Forest Biometrics with an Emphasis in GIS and Remote Sensing at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Why did you pursue a career in forestry? I grew up spending a lot of time outdoors hunting, camping, hiking, gardening, and working on local farms. I knew that I wanted to be a forester by the time I was 12 years old. At that age, I certainly didn’t know a lot about forestry, but thanks to several adult mentors, I continued to set my sights on a career in natural resources even though my school guidance counselors strongly advised me. I certainly had no idea where my career would take me and how diverse and rewarding it would be.

What do you like the most about your role with AFM? My favorite part of my role is spending time with our employees and getting to know them better. I continue to be amazed and impressed at the expertise, dedication, and passion that our people bring to their work and profession. It makes me proud to be the CEO of this company.

Tom Margo has over 32 years of experience in forestry and the land business. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from North Carolina State University. Tom is a licensed real estate salesman and registered forester in South Carolina, a member of the Georgia Forestry Association, and a board member of the Forest Landowners Association.

Throughout his time at American Forest Management, Tom has held various roles in both the forestry and real estate segments of the business. He has worked on land management, brokerage, and acquisition projects across the United States and Central America. As President, he oversees numerous departments, including real estate, appraisal services, risk management, resource planning, technical services, marketing, and client development.

His specialties include acquisitions and dispositions, timberland investments, land management, environmental services, and GIS and timber inventory.

Susan M. Crawford, Chief Financial Officer, has over 30 years of experience. She is responsible for overseeing and directing all American Forest Management internal accounting functions. Before becoming AFM’s CFO, Sue held various accounting positions with Canal Forest Resources and Morehead City and worked as AFM’s Controller. Sue earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Guilford College and completed her Accounting coursework at North Carolina State University. She is a North Carolina Licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a member of the North Carolina Association of CPAs.

What do you like the most about your role with AFM? Every year is different. Every year, the business grows and changes, and along with that comes new projects and new challenges.

Dennis Dart, Managing Director, Western Operations, has over 22 years of experience. In his role, he oversees AFM’s forest and land management business throughout the Western United States. Dennis has a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from Humboldt State University; additionally, he is a member of the Society of American Foresters, a member of the Association of Consulting Foresters, and a Board of Trustees Member of the Washington Forest Association.

Why did you pursue a career in forestry? I enjoyed hiking, fishing, and outdoor recreation. It was a profession that interested me and allowed me to work outdoors.

What do you like the most about your role with AFM? I enjoy engaging our clients and our employees.

Chuck Mathis, Managing Director, Southern Operations, has over 33 years of experience. He is responsible for overseeing the forest and land management operations throughout the southern United States as well as AFM’s Wood Flow group. Chuck earned an associate’s degree in Forestry from Chipola Junior College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida. Additionally, Chuck is a Registered Forester in Alabama and Mississippi, a Licensed Real Estate Broker in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, and the Broker in Charge in Florida. He is a Society of American Foresters Certified Forester and a member of the Florida Forestry Association and the Forest Landowners Association.

Why did you pursue a career in forestry? My family has always been involved in farming or agricultural services, and I always assumed I would work in that industry. I learned to love the outdoors from my father, who was an avid outdoorsman. The summer I graduated high school, I got a job working in the woodlands department at the Great Southern papermill in Cedar Springs, GA. It was difficult for me to believe I could have a career where someone paid me to work outside in the woods. I was hooked after that experience.

What is your favorite part about your role at AFM? I enjoy working with our clients and field staff using the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the last 30 years to improve productivity, biodiversity, and aesthetics. Nothing is more satisfying for me than to achieve a good outcome for everyone.

Eric E. Stier is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience in the forestry and business sectors. He holds an Associate of Science in Forest Technology from Michigan Technological University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Walden University. Currently serving as the Managing Director, Northern Operations, Stier is an active member of the Board of Directors for the Michigan Forest Products Council and is also a licensed real estate agent in Michigan. Additionally, he is a member of the Association of Consulting Foresters, further demonstrating his commitment to the forestry industry.

Gary Bratton, Managing Director, Appraisal Services, has over 32 years of experience in rural land and timberland appraisal, management, and analysis. In his role, Gary oversees appraisal services for timberland investment management organizations, trusts, government agencies, financial institutions, conservation groups, and private landowners. Gary earned his Bachelor of Science in Forest Management from Clemson University; additionally, Gary is a Certified General Appraiser in multiple states (SC, NC, VA, GA, FL, AL, MS, KY, WV, PA, and WI), a South Carolina Registered Forester, and a member of the Society of American Foresters. He is an American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers Accredited Rural Appraiser (ARA) and AFM’s Treasurer.

Why did you pursue a career in forestry? I grew up in Summerville, SC which was the HQ for Westvaco at the time. I had several friends with parents that worked at Westvaco in different capacities - from foresters to biometricians - so I was able to get a glimpse of what a career in forestry might look like. I enjoyed outdoor activities like hiking and camping and enjoyed math and the biological sciences in school. A career in forestry offered a unique mix of each of these interests.

What do you like the most about your role with AFM? I enjoy analyzing data and reporting the results. As an appraiser, I get to analyze economic trends relevant to land and timber value to form an opinion of a specific property value, which I then report back to the client. My role in AFM’s management is similar in that I can analyze financial and performance trends relevant to our business and share the results with various committees on which I serve.

Stephen Eddins, Managing Director, Technical Services, has over 19 years of experience serving in various technological roles at AFM. He oversees four service lines: Data Management, GIS/Technology, Information Technology, and Systems Development. Stephen earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry and his Master of Science degree in Forestry with an emphasis on GIS/GPS from Clemson University. He is also a member of the Society of American Foresters and Xi Sigma Pi.

Why did you pursue a career in forestry? I chose to pursue a career in forestry because my father was in the industry, and I never turned down an opportunity to ride along with him when I was growing up. He was a forester with Canal Forest Resources (which became American Forest Management) until he retired. I was particularly drawn to the technical side of the industry. I was given the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in GIS, which allowed me to combine my background in forest management with technical services.

What do you like the most about your role with AFM? My favorite part of my role within AFM is utilizing technology as a vehicle to collaborate with many different groups of people. This includes employees, clients, contractors, and colleagues. I really enjoy corresponding with many different people in our industry and working with them to tailor natural resource solutions.

Laura Hayes, Managing Director, Resource Planning Services, has over 21 years of experience. She is responsible for delivering strategic and tactical forest planning solutions to a wide range of clients. Her team includes technical experts in biometrics, growth and yield modeling, and resource planning. Laura earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management from North Carolina State University and her M.B.A. from Winthrop University; additionally, she is a member of the Society of American Foresters.

Why did you pursue a career in forestry? I grew up on a small woodlot in the Piedmont of North Carolina and went on many family trips camping, hiking, and learning about natural history. From a young age, I developed a comfortable connection with the outdoors and an appreciation for forest resources. I was unsure what I wanted to do when I graduated high school with scattered interests in art and science. When I found the School of Forestry at NC State, it was an obvious choice because of the interdisciplinary study and the authentic people. Forestry combined the ambiguities of nature and the assurances of math and provided promising career opportunities for a determined young woman.

What do you like the most about your role with AFM? It has always been about the intelligent, dedicated professionals I get to work with at AFM. We have a team approach to developing planning solutions with our clients, and it’s rewarding to see the results together.

Chris Miller, Managing Director, Real Estate Services, has over 21 years of experience in forestry and land brokerage experience. He and his team provide specialized land brokerage services through our subsidiary AFM Real Estate, focusing on timberland, agriculture, recreation, and conservation properties across the U.S. operating area. Chris earned his Bachelor of Science in Forest Management from North Carolina State University and is an Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) from the Realtors Land Institute. Additionally, he is a Registered Forester and Licensed Real Estate Broker in North and South Carolina, the Broker in Charge in Charlotte, NC, and a Certified Tree Farm Inspector. Chris is also a member of several organizations, including the Realtors Land Institute Board Member Carolina Chapter Realtors Land Institute, the Society of American Foresters, and the North Carolina Forestry Association.

Why did you pursue a career in forestry? I got really lucky with my career choice because I did not know a lot about forestry when I started and had no family connections. I was an avid outdoorsman as a child and enjoyed hunting; I also worked on a dairy farm. I always looked up to the larger landowners in my community because I could see they were generally leaders, financially secure, and well-respected individuals, so I knew I wanted to own land and work with those who owned it. My dad was a salesman, and we spent a lot of time meeting with individuals and helping, so the perfect match was working with landowners and eventually transitioning into a role helping sell the land. I spent so much time learning how to manage land for timber and farming.

What do you like the most about your role with AFM? The people! I love working with the landowners and clients, getting to know them and their families, understanding their goals, and then solving problems for them and being a part of their success. The same is true for our team of brokers; I love to teach as well and share what I have learned with others and see them succeed; in many ways, my team members are my clients now, and my role is to help them succeed in their careers as the director of our real estate program. Those challenges and seeing others succeed and improve while meeting our team goals keep me motivated every day.