From the Director’s Desk: Everyone Remembered Their Jackets! – A Look Back at the 2025 Pellet Fuels Institute Annual Conference, PFI Board of Directors Installs Five New Members, Names Executive Committee, One More Big Thank You for Our Sponsors
Everyone Remembered Their Jackets! – A Look Back at the 2025 Pellet Fuels Institute Annual Conference
I had forgotten how pretty West Virginia was until I was climbing Highway 311, more or less north to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and the Greenbrier Resort. The road unfurls with twists and turns like those featured in automobile commercials. On Monday, June 16, the road was more or less deserted, and threatening, intermittent rain dogged me the entire hour I was on the road. Near Catawba, Virginia, I saw a sign that read “Appalachian National Scenic Trail,” and almost immediately after that, I saw a group of bearded backpackers sitting beneath an awning at a gas station eating Hunt Brothers Pizza. I was back in Appalachia, and it felt great.
After about eighty minutes on Highway 311, I was dropped onto Interstate 64 and, just a few short miles later, exited and was working my way along the main drag in White Sulphur Springs. Minutes later, I was talking to the guard at the entrance to the Greenbrier—and in I went. I was astounded at how quiet the place was—a temporary condition, I was to learn.
Our board met on Tuesday afternoon in what I thought was a productive and future-focused session. We talked about what the Pellet Fuels Institute is, what it could be, and more importantly, what it needs to be.
Tuesday night was our much-discussed and much-heralded Board and Conference VIP Night. Built specifically for our board members, producer members, and Platinum and Diamond Sponsors, the night promises an intimate and exclusive opportunity to network with wood pellet producers—and it delivered on that. While the hour-long tour of the Congressional relocation facility gobbled up a good portion of the time allotted, folks hung around in the bunker cafeteria well beyond the reception’s published conclusion. A big thanks to ProAmpac for once again sponsoring this important night.
On Wednesday, we hosted our golf tournament, sponsored by Reliance Packaging, and were pleased that nearly 50% of conference attendees chose to play golf with us. The course was stunning, and with the exception of a 10-minute rain shower, the weather cooperated. I heard at least three longtime PFI Golf Tournament players declare it to have been the most comfortable weather at a PFI golf tournament ever. We capped Wednesday night with an opening reception sponsored by Pit Boss.
On Thursday, during our educational sessions, we covered a lot of ground. Conference attendees saw presentations rich in data about the state of domestic and global wood pellet markets, effectively placing the 2024–25 heating season in the context of every wood pellet sold and utilized over the past year. Following the data updates, I had an opportunity to sit down with Darrell Smith, the new Executive Director at the U.S. Industrial Pellet Association. He impressed our audience with his professional history, his command of the issues within the sector considering his short tenure thus far, and his willingness to pass on questions he didn’t feel prepared to answer—yet.
From there, we worked our way down the wood pellet supply chain, talking first with participants in the broader hardwood manufacturing sector and hearing firsthand just how disruptive tariffs can be on a sector that relies on export markets.
Our morning included two different discussions that focused on federal (and state) policy, with an emphasis on the appliance tax credit currently available to qualifying consumers via the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C). Our lobbying effort to preserve this credit was extensive, reaching all the way back to our fly-in this April. We worked hard to align ourselves with larger coalitions working to preserve this credit, but its fate seems determined already, and we expect it will expire sometime around the new year.
Our afternoon sessions included a conversation with retailers and appliance manufacturers—a conversation I always look forward to having. A big thank you to Kyle Titsworth (Fireplace Showcase), Tad Tweed (Mace Energy), and Jim VerBeke (Hearth & Home Technologies) for their participation and candor. After our retailer panel, we hosted our annual producers’ roundtable—a cornerstone conversation of our conference every year.
Our conference concluded with a presentation from incoming PFI Board of Directors Chairman Scott Cummings (Barefoot Pellets) about the experience of living through a fire event at his facility’s sawmill. Our audience was captivated, and I’ve not seen someone present about a fire experience with as much honesty, emotion, and commitment to helping others glean something valuable from their experience. Thank you, Scott, for your presentation. We are delighted the plant is very nearly back to where it was one year ago.
A big thank you to everyone who joined me on stage and shared their observations and opinions about the spot on the wood product, hearth, or wood pellet supply chain they occupy. Our goal each year is to provide a sweeping view of our industry and the industries we rely on. With the help of our roster of speakers, I think we were able to accomplish that.
Thanks also to everyone who set time aside in their busy schedules to make their way to the Greenbrier. We hope to see you all again next year at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama, June 15–17, 2026.
PFI Board of Directors Installs Five New Members, Names Executive Committee
During the membership meeting at the conclusion of the PFI Annual Conference, we welcomed five new board members to their first term on the board. Joining the board are Alison Snider (Lignetics), Tom Plaugher (W.C. Bradley), Cameron Merrick (Somerset Pellet Fuel), Pat Curran (Curran Renewables), and Matt Klein (Easy Heat Wood Pellets).
The Executive Committee for 2025–26 will be:
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Kenny Lisle, Lignetics (Past Chair)
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Scott Cummings, Barefoot Pellets (Chair)
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Matt O’Malley, O’Malley Wood Pellets (Vice Chairman)
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Stan Elliot, Pacific Coast Pellets (Secretary/Treasurer)
The Board of Directors also celebrated two board retirements, saying goodbye to Billy Hoskins (Easy Heat) and Frank Kvietok (Lignetics). Thank you to everyone for your commitment to the Pellet Fuels Institute.
One More Big Thank You for Our Sponsors
For our association’s annual conference to be financially successful, it requires support from vendors who operate in our space and supply our members with products and services. I was beyond humbled this year by the financial commitment made to our conference, our organization, and our members. Please know that the proceeds from the conference support the Pellet Fuels Institute’s ongoing mission to protect our fuel manufacturers’ right to do business.
Please consider these organizations’ support of the Pellet Fuels Institute as you make purchasing decisions at your operations:
Diamond Sponsors
Pit Boss
ProAmpac
Reliance Packaging
Platinum Sponsors
Alfred H. Knight
Evergreen Engineering
KESCO
MDP Insurance
Primary Packaging
Gold Sponsors
BE&E
CPM
Fagus GreCon
McGriff
Rotochopper
Stela Drying Technology
Silver Sponsors
Andritz
Fram Renewable Fuels
SPR Packaging
Timber Products Inspection
Retailer Panel Lodging and Travel Sponsor
Hearth & Home Technologies
