Jake Parker is a graduate of the Master of Forest Resources (MFR) in Forest Business program at the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and currently works in software sales and business development with Tamarack Software. Parker’s interest in forestry began through Future Farmers of America (FFA) competitions in high school. Those experiences introduced him to the field, but at the time, he had limited exposure to the wide range of careers within the forestry industry. That perspective changed as he began meeting professionals who had completed the Langdale Center for Forest Business MFR in Forest Business program and saw the different paths they had taken in the forest products sector.
“Once I started meeting people who had gone through the program and seeing the kinds of careers they were building, it became clear how many opportunities were out there,” Parker said. “The program seemed like a pathway that prepared people well for a variety of roles in the industry.”
At Warnell, Parker says the MFR program stood out because it connects multiple parts of the forestry industry. Instead of treating forestry, business, and policy as separate topics, the program demonstrates how they intersect in practice. “You’re learning about operations, markets, finance, and policy all at the same time,” Parker said. “That really helps you understand how the different parts of the industry fit together.”
Hands-on experience also played an important role during Parker’s time in the program. Through assistantships, he worked on projects that exposed him to both market analysis and policy. During his first year, he contributed to the Wood Demand Report, analyzing mill capacity and regional market trends. In his second year, he worked with the Georgia Department of Revenue on the Qualified Timber Program tax plan, gaining experience with timberland valuation and forest tax policy.
Today, Parker works with Tamarack Software, a company that develops technology solutions for the forestry and forest products industry. In his role in software sales and business development, he works with lumber producers and forestry operations to improve data management, forecasting, and operational efficiency. The position requires regular collaboration with professionals across the supply chain, including procurement foresters, mill operators, lumber sales teams, and logistics managers. 
“You have to be able to speak the language of the industry,” Parker said. “Understanding how those different roles connect has been really valuable.”
Although technology-focused roles are not always the most traditional path for forestry graduates, Parker says the MFR program helped prepare him to work at the intersection of forestry, business, and technology. The program’s combination of technical knowledge, market understanding, and industry connections gave him the confidence to pursue opportunities across the sector.
For students currently in the program or considering applying, Parker encourages them to stay open to opportunities and conversations across the industry: “Forestry offers a lot of different career paths, the more conversations you have and perspectives you explore, the more opportunities you’ll discover.”
