OTTAWA, ON, June 18, 2026 – The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) announces that Rick Jeffery will retire from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the CWC effective June 30, 2026, following a distinguished career of leadership and service to Canada’s wood products industry.

“Rick Jeffery’s tenure at CWC has been characterized by strategic vision, consistent leadership, and an unwavering dedication to promoting wood construction across Canada,” says Board Chair, Philippe Clune. “Under his direction, the CWC advanced codes and standards, strengthened its partnership with the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), and raised the profile of the WoodWorks program from coast to coast. Rick leaves behind a more resilient, unified organization and an industry better positioned to help Canada achieve its housing and sustainability goals. He will be sincerely missed, but his legacy will continue to shape the future of wood construction for years to come.”

CWC Past Chair, Kevin Pankratz, agrees. “Over the last 4 years, Rick has led the organization through very challenging times in our industry. The legacy of strong leadership that he leaves behind will ensure the future success of the CWC.”

The Canadian Wood Council’s Board of Directors, staff, members, and partners extend their sincere gratitude to Rick for his many contributions to the organization and wish him every success and happiness in retirement.

“It has been a privilege to serve as President and CEO of the Canadian Wood Council and to work alongside such a dedicated team of staff, members, partners, and industry leaders,” said Rick Jeffery. Together, we have advanced the use of wood in the built environment, strengthened the voice of our industry, and built a strong foundation for future growth. I am proud of what we have accomplished and deeply grateful for the relationships and friendships developed along the way. I leave knowing the organization is in capable hands and well positioned to continue creating opportunities for Canada’s wood products sector.”

The CWC Board of Directors has appointed Derek Nighbor as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026. Derek currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of FPAC, a role he has held since March 2016 and will retain. He has worked closely with CWC leadership in recent years, and his appointment reflects the importance of increased collaboration across the forest sector and wood building construction value chains to deliver on affordable housing, increase the use of Canadian wood in building construction, and strengthen the domestic industry in the face of growing geo-political and trade challenges.

“As an industry and as a country, we find ourselves in a critical moment – we need to build more affordable homes, accelerate innovation to develop future-ready building systems and communities, and protect and grow jobs to make our economy more resilient for the long-term,” says Nighbor. “In crisis there is always opportunity. We are fortunate to have among the best technical minds in the wood building construction space at CWC and across the regional WoodWorks and Cecobois networks. I’m excited to get to work with them to grow our on-the-ground partnerships and to build more Canadian homes and infrastructure with Canadian wood.”

The Canadian Wood Council remains committed to advancing the use of wood in the built environment and supporting a strong, innovative, and competitive wood products industry across Canada. Under Derek’s leadership, CWC will continue delivering the programs, services, and results that members and partners rely upon.

About the Canadian Wood Council

The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) is Canada’s unifying voice for the wood products industry. As a national federation of associations, its members represent hundreds of manufacturers across the country. CWC supports its members by accelerating market demand for wood products and championing responsible leadership through excellence in codes, standards, and regulations. CWC also delivers technical support and knowledge transfer for the construction sector through its market leading WoodWorks program.

For more information, please contact:
Sarah Hicks, Communications & Outreach Manager, CWC
[email protected] | 1-705-796-3381