Leadership

Mark serves as President and Chief Executive Officer and has more than 20 years of experience in finance and capital markets, focused primarily on the forest products and REIT sectors. In January 2023 he was appointed President and Chief Financial Officer, having previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since joining Rayonier in December 2014. Mark joined Rayonier from Raymond James, where he served as Managing Director in the firm’s Real Estate Investment Banking group, responsible for the firm’s timberland and agriculture sector coverage. Prior to Raymond James, he worked in the Investment Banking division of Credit Suisse in New York and Los Angeles from 2000 to 2008, focused on the paper and forest products sectors. Throughout his career, Mark has provided a wide range of strategic and financial counsel to various publicly traded paper, forest products, and real estate companies.

Mark holds a B.S.B.A in Finance from the University of Central Florida and a JD from Harvard Law School.

Doug was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Resource Officer in January 2023. In this position, Doug oversees Rayonier’s global forestry operations, as well as emerging business opportunities associated with land-based solutions. He leads Rayonier’s health and safety, business development, research, and sustainability programs. Doug joined Rayonier in 1995 as a GIS Forestry Analyst and has held multiple positions of increasing responsibility within the forestry division. From 2003 to 2007, he was a Forest Services Manager and a Regional Manager in Rayonier’s New Zealand operations. In 2007, he returned to the U.S., where he served as the Southwest Resource Unit Leader in Lufkin, Texas. In March 2014, Doug was promoted to Director, Atlantic Region, U.S. Forest Resources responsible for all land management, resource development, and timber marketing operations within the region. In November 2014, he was promoted to Vice President, U.S. Forest Operations responsible for all forestry operations in the U.S., and in February 2018, was promoted to Senior Vice President, Forest Resources responsible for Rayonier’s forestry operations in both the U.S. and New Zealand.

Doug holds a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida.

April Tice was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in April 2024, having previously served as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer since 2021. April joined Rayonier in 2010 and has held multiple positions of increasing responsibility within the finance and accounting departments. April is responsible for leading Rayonier’s financial strategies and driving growth, while streamlining financial processes and continuing to further enhance transparency. Prior to joining Rayonier, she was an Audit Manager at Deloitte & Touche. 

April holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Florida State University and a Master of Accountancy with a tax concentration from the University of North Florida and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida.

Chris is a veteran real estate executive with more than three decades of experience in mixed-use, master planned community development. Chris joined Rayonier in July of 2013 as Senior Vice President, Real Estate Development and President of Raydient. Prior to joining Rayonier, he was Executive Vice President, Buildings and Places for AECOM, a global provider of technical and management support services, including real estate planning and development. Chris previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of The St. Joe Company. He was also a key project leader for Disney, playing a significant role in developing the Town of Celebration, Florida. Chris is also a former member of the Florida House of Representatives.

Chris presently serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Florida, as President of the University of Florida Athletic Association Inc., as Chairman of the Board of the Will King Foundation, Inc.; and, is a longstanding member and former-chair of the Board of Directors of the Florida Council of 100, Inc. In 2023 Chris was awarded the Governor’s Business Leadership Award by the Florida Council of 100 in recognition of long-term excellence in business, civic service, and philanthropy. 

Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida and has completed programs at the Harvard Real Estate Institute and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Rhett was appointed Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management in March 2023, having previously served as Vice President, Portfolio Management since February 2017. In this position, he oversees Rayonier’s land acquisition and disposition activities, rural and HBU land sales, and land information services. He joined Rayonier in 2001 as a District Technical Forester and has held numerous roles of increasing responsibility. From 2005 to 2007 he was a Timberland Acquisitions Supervisor in Hoquiam, Washington. In 2007, he was promoted to Resource Unit Leader of Rayonier’s Coastal Resource Unit based in Yulee, Florida. Rhett served as Director, Land Asset Management from August 2014 until February 2017.

Rhett holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Louisiana Tech University, and both an MBA and an MS in Forest Resources from Mississippi State University.

Brendan was appointed Senior Vice President, Forest Resources in May 2023 and oversees Rayonier’s U.S. and New Zealand forestry operations. He joined Rayonier in 1999 as a Senior Forester based in Wanganui, New Zealand, and has held numerous roles of increasing responsibility. From 2003 to 2014 he was a Regional Manager responsible for the regional forestry operations in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. In September 2014, after a 6-month assignment with Rayonier in the U.S. as Regional Director for Gulf States, he was promoted to Operations Director, based in Auckland, New Zealand, and was responsible for Matariki Forests timberlands activities and programs. In 2018, he was promoted to Managing Director of Rayonier New Zealand where he was responsible for leading Rayonier New Zealand in the management of the Matariki Forests estate.

Brendan holds a Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons) from the University of Canterbury.

Vernon Hiott was promoted to Senior Vice President, Land Resources and Business Development in February 2024. He joined Rayonier in 2006 as a Silvicultural Operations Forester overseeing fertilization and other forest activities across Rayonier properties in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Vernon was promoted to Business Development Analyst in 2007; Manager, Business Development in 2011; Director, Business Development in 2017; and his most recent position of VP Business Development in 2021. Vernon is responsible for developing Rayonier’s vision and long-term strategic objectives for Land Resources and Business Development, including opportunities in Land-Based Solutions.

Vernon holds a BS in Forest Resource Management from Clemson University and an MS in Forest Finance from the University of Georgia.

Shelby was named Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Information Technology in March 2023. In this role, she leads Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities Management, and Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. Shelby joined Rayonier in 2003 as Manager, Compensation and has steadily advanced within the company holding previous roles such as Director, Compensation, Benefits, and Employee Services and Vice President, Human Resources. In 2015, she was appointed Vice President, Human Resources and Information Technology before being promoted to her current position. Prior to joining Rayonier, she held human resources positions with CSX Corporation and Barnett Bank.

Shelby holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

In March 2023, Mark was appointed Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. He was previously promoted to Vice President and General Counsel in June 2014, and shortly thereafter, assumed the additional role of Corporate Secretary. He joined Rayonier in 2006 as Associate General Counsel for Performance Fibers. In 2009, he became Associate General Counsel for Timber and Real Estate, and in 2012 was promoted to Assistant General Counsel for Land Resources. Prior to joining Rayonier, Mark served as counsel for six years at Siemens Corporation, where he acted as a business unit general counsel for a variety of manufacturing, services and software related Siemens subsidiaries in the United States. Previously, he served five years as an associate with the international law firms of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue and Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson. From 1993 to 1995, Mark served as a law clerk to the Hon. Julie E. Carnes in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and Authorized House Counsel by the Florida Bar. Mark holds a B.S.B.A. in Finance from the University of Central Florida, and both an MBA and JD from Emory University.