Auburn announces the 2026 Emmett & ViAnn Thompson Lecture in Forest Economics and Policy will be presented by Cade Warner, president and CEO of The Westervelt Company.
Auburn University’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE) will present the second annual Emmett & ViAnn Thompson Lecture in Forest Economics and Policy on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at 2 p.m. at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center in Auburn, Alabama. A reception will be held immediately following at 3:30 p.m.
The lecture series was established in the CFWE by the college’s founding dean, Emmett F. Thompson, and his wife, ViAnn, to advance knowledge and expertise among industry professionals, faculty and students within the areas of forestry and natural resources economics and policy.
The 2026 lecture will feature Cade Warner, president and CEO of The Westervelt Company, an Alabama-based, multinational timberland and forest products company. Warner will present a lecture titled “It Pays to Be Different: The History and Future of One of America’s Most Enduring Forest Products Family Firms” in the hotel’s Dixon Conference Center Auditorium.
During the presentation, Warner will provide a strategic overview of the Alabama forest products industry through the lens of a 140-year-old, family-owned enterprise. The lecture will explore how The Westervelt Company has sustained long-term success by embracing differentiation, innovation, sustainability and disciplined leadership across generations.
“Mr. Warner intends to provide attendees with insights into the company’s historical evolution, current operational model and forward-looking strategy for navigating market volatility, regulatory shifts and environmental imperatives,” said Marc Walley, chair of the lecture planning committee, current Earl H. and Sandra H. Weaver Professor at Auburn and former president and CEO of Atlanta’s Forest Investment Associates, Inc.
He is also anticipated to share his outlook on timberland and forest products markets, including key opportunities and risks shaped by policy, consumer behavior and global sustainability movements.
“From this perspective, Mr. Warner will leave participants with a deeper understanding of strategic resilience, stakeholder alignment and the unique challenges of leading a legacy business in a modern economy,” said Walley.
At the conclusion of the lecture, guests are invited to attend a reception for networking and discussion with Warner and other attendees, who will include industry professionals, landowners, faculty, staff and students who wish to gain up-to-the-minute knowledge of forestry and natural resources economics and policy.
Members of the Auburn community and forest industry are invited to attend the lecture at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center Auditorium at 2 p.m. and the reception immediately following at 3:30 p.m. in the Legacy Ballroom. Admission is complimentary and pre-registration is not required. Parking is available adjacent to the conference center in the South College Parking Deck. For more information, contact Marc Walley, chair of the lecture planning committee, at mwalley@forestinvest.com.
To learn more about Cade Warner and his planned lecture, visit the events page.
(Written by Jamie Anderson)
