Arlington, VA -- Rob Worthington, former marketing business development manager for JELD-WEN Windows and Doors, has joined the Sustainable Forestry Initiative program (SFI Inc.) as director, green building. Worthington will be responsible for leading SFI’s green building outreach initiatives, including stakeholder relations, marketing, and encouraging growth of SFI labeled products in the solid wood sector.

“I am thrilled to have Rob join the SFI team and pleased he will play an important role in the market acceptance of the SFI program, ” said SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow. “Green building is not a niche and neither is sustainable forestry. I’m looking forward to working with Rob to bring these congruent forces even closer together and helping architects, builders and policy makers meet their sustainability goals.”

Abusow continued, “Rob brings a unique and much-valued perspective to SFI, having spearheaded the integration of SFI certification into the sales program for JELD-WEN, one of the North America’s leading window and door companies.”

Worthington has a business management degree from the University of Redlands and has over 30 years working in the forest product and building sector, including nearly a decade on the west coast with Weyerhaeuser Company. He is a National Association of Home Builders’ Certified Green Professional, a member of the Construction Specifications Institute and has worked with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry at the national and regional levels.

“I am both appreciative and eager for the opportunity to further expand the SFI brand across North America and I look forward to broadening the awareness of sustainable forestry among all segments of our industry,” said Worthington. “The forest, its trees, and the wood products they produce inspire passion among many, and the increased acceptance of third-party certified wood products is a benefit to all stakeholders. This role is a natural extension of my ongoing involvement with sustainable construction, and will utilize a career’s worth of experience and education.”

Worthington begins his role on December 1, 2008.