Lawrence Selzer
About Lawrence A. Selzer
Independent director since 2016 (approx. 9 years of service as of 2025). Age 65. B.S. Environmental Science, Wesleyan University; M.B.A., University of Virginia. President & CEO of The Conservation Fund since 2001; at Weyerhaeuser, he chairs the Executive Committee and serves on the Audit and Governance & Corporate Responsibility (GCRC) Committees, bringing deep expertise in conservation finance, timberland acquisitions/dispositions, and real estate management, with prior public company board service at Plum Creek Timber (2012–2016) . The board classifies all primary committees (Audit, Compensation, GCRC) as fully independent; nine of ten directors are independent (CEO excepted), so Selzer is independent .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Conservation Fund | President & CEO | 2001–present | Leads a large, complex, geographically diverse conservation organization with expertise in conservation procurement/finance, timberland transactions, and real estate management . |
| Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. | Director | 2012–2016 | Public company board experience; governance and audit exposure . |
| Outdoor Foundation | Chairman of the Board | 2007–2016 | Nonprofit board leadership in outdoor access and engagement . |
| Manomet, Inc. | Trustee | Until 2021 | Conservation science nonprofit trustee service . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Bird Conservancy | Chairman of the Board | Not disclosed | Current leadership role as chair (2024 proxy) . |
| Leading Harvest (agricultural sustainability) | Chairman of the Board | Not disclosed | Current leadership role as chair (2024 proxy) . |
2025 proxy also lists him as a director of American Bird Conservancy and Leading Harvest (titles not specified) .
Board Governance
- Committees and roles: Executive Committee (Chair), Audit Committee (member), Governance & Corporate Responsibility Committee (member) .
- Committee activity in 2024: Audit (7 meetings), GCRC (3), Board (4), Executive (no meetings listed) .
- Independence: All three primary committees are comprised exclusively of independent directors; nine of ten directors overall are independent .
- Attendance: Directors attended 98% of total board/committee meetings in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Risk oversight: Chairs report risk oversight to full board; at least one GCRC member concurrently serves on Audit to bridge ESG/financial risk (Selzer sits on both) .
Fixed Compensation
Program design (nonemployee directors, 2024):
- Cash retainer: $120,000; RSU retainer: $180,000; no meeting fees .
- Chair retainers: Board Chair cash $80,000 and RSUs $85,000; Audit/Comp Chair cash $20,000; GCRC Chair cash $15,000 .
- Ownership guideline: 5x cash retainer ($600,000); deferral allowed (cash at 120% AFR or into stock equivalents; RSUs can be deferred into stock equivalents) .
Director compensation (2024):
| Name | Cash Fees ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence A. Selzer | 120,000 | 179,982 | 299,982 |
Notes:
- 2023→2024 benchmarking increased cash retainer from $115,000 to $120,000 and RSU retainer from $170,000 to $180,000 .
- Selzer did not receive chair fees in 2024 (he is Executive Committee Chair, which does not carry an incremental retainer) .
Performance Compensation
Director equity awards are time-based RSUs with one-year vesting and dividend equivalents; no performance metrics apply (aligns directors to TSR without pay-for-performance features that could impair independence) .
| Award Type | Grant Value ($) | Units Granted (#) | Vesting / Settlement | Performance Linkage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU (2024) | 180,000 (standard award level) | 5,790 RSUs (for each non-chair director) | Vests over one year; settled May 8, 2025; dividend equivalents credited | None (time-based only) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company directorships: None disclosed for Selzer in WY proxy .
- Prior public boards: Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. (2012–2016) .
- Compensation committee interlocks: WY disclosed none in 2024; Selzer did not serve on the Compensation Committee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Executive leadership of a large conservation enterprise; expertise in conservation procurement/finance, timberland acquisitions/dispositions, and real estate management .
- Public company governance exposure, including audit and compensation matters (not an SEC-designated audit committee financial expert at WY) .
- Education: B.S. Environmental Science (Wesleyan); M.B.A. (University of Virginia) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Common Shares | % of Class | Stock Equivalent Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence A. Selzer | 62,084 | <1% | — | Includes 5,904 RSUs scheduled to vest and be payable May 8, 2025 (with dividend equivalents) . |
- Shares outstanding reference: 725,848,915 common shares as of March 11, 2025 .
- Ownership policy: Directors must own ≥5x cash retainer; until met, directors must hold 100% of net shares from RSU vesting; deferred cash stock equivalents count; unvested RSUs do not count until vested .
Governance Assessment
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Positives:
- Independent director with cross-committee experience (Audit + GCRC) and Executive Committee Chair role, supporting risk oversight continuity without per-meeting fee incentives .
- Clean related-party profile in 2024; board-level pre-approval policy for any related-party transactions .
- No hedging/pledging allowed for directors; strong stock ownership guideline aligns incentives; RSUs vest annually to avoid entrenchment .
- Strong shareholder support for compensation program (>94% Say-on-Pay in 2024), suggesting positive governance sentiment .
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Watchpoints:
- External leadership at The Conservation Fund and chairs of conservation/sustainability nonprofits could intersect with timberland market activity; WY reports no related-party transactions in 2024 and maintains Audit Committee pre-approval safeguards .
- Executive Committee concentrated authority should be monitored; no Executive Committee meetings were reported in 2024 .
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Overall: High independence and attendance, balanced director pay structure (cash + full-value RSUs), robust ownership and anti-hedging/pledging policies, and no disclosed conflicts support investor confidence in board oversight .