Staff Report
Published March 13, 2012

A Summerville company, specializing in the development of commercialized trees, has named a new president and CEO.

The new chief executive for ArborGen, Andrew Baum, also has accepted a seat on the company’s board of directors. The company said that Baum’s experience includes building and managing technology-driven businesses in the biotech and clean technology sectors.

ArborGen researches and develops technologies to improve the productivity and consistency of trees for wood, fiber and energy at its labs in Summerville. The company is the largest supplier of seedling products to the commercial forestry industry around the world.

Baum has previous CEO experience, having worked for Sembiosys Genetics. Before that, he was at the agricultural biotech firm Calgene Inc., which was later bought out by Monsanto Co.

“Andrew brings the right mix of technical know-how, business acumen and biotechnology experience to help take the company to a new level for its shareholders and other stakeholders,” said ArborGen chairman Ed Shonsey in a statement.

Also, John Pait has been named vice president for ArborGen’s marketing, sales and product development division.

“John Pait has extensive experience in the marketing and development of high value forestry products, and will work with our current sales team to make sure these products offer maximum value to our customers,” Shonsey said.

Warren Banner, director of varietal manufacturing, also has been promoted to vice president for manufacturing. Banner will have responsibility for delivering ArborGen’s traditional nursery crop in the U.S. as well as efforts to increase ArborGen’s higher value softwood and hardwood products.