Bill Yemma, CF
Bill Yemma was raised in Austin, Texas and attended Stephen F. Austin State University, graduating in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, with an emphasis on Timber Management. During college he worked a total of 18 months over four fire seasons on the Chilao Hotshots & Chantry Flats Helishots, Angeles National Forest, California, with 60 assignments, delaying graduation by a year, but allowing him to cross paths with the former Tracy Hillman. From 1980-1982, he worked on a Master of Science in Forest Biometrics, but did not complete the degree prior to going to work professionally, getting married and starting a family. He learned a hard but fundamental lesson of management that came in handy down the road: triple the estimated time alloted to complete any big project and you will be best served.
From 1982 to 1991 Yemma worked for Texas Utilities Company in Killeen & Dallas, Texas, gaining experience in Customer Service & Marketing, Technical Services and Information Technology. Concurrent with this, he remained on the Civil Service Register for 0460 Foresters, and was offered a position after over 10 years on the list. So, in 1991, Bill & Tracy, along with three young daughters, packed up the covered wagon and drove the Oregon Trail up to the Yakama Indian Reservation, Washington, where he worked as a Timber Sale Officer, IT Specialist and Acting Glenwood District Officer for the USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Forestry. It was a glorious experience living on an isolated ranger station at the base of Mount Adams.
In 1995 the Yemma’s returned to civilization in Huntsville, Texas where Bill managed the forest inventory for a litle over a million acres of Champion International Corporation. In 2000 Champion was acquired by International Paper, and Yemma moved to Shreveport, Louisiana where Bill spent a year integrating the Champion data into IP’s systems. In 2001, when IP began divesting its’ timberland, Yemma returned to the BIA Division of Forestry, working out of Lakewood, Colorado, as a Forest Inventory Specialist, Contracting Officer Representative, and several other acting positions during a 17-year stretch with the BIA Division of Forestry.
In 2018, Bill transferred to the USDA Forest Service, Region 2, in Lakewood, Colorado and spent four and a half years as the Timber Harvest Administration Manager, retiring from full-time federal service in 2022 at age 65. At that time, the Yemma’s moved from Colorado to Sand Springs, Oklahoma, to be in proximity to four of their seven delightful young grandkids. Since retiring, Bill has worked part-time as an enrollee in the USDA FS ACES Program assigned to timber projects for Rocky Mountain Region and has done some part-time consulting, doing business as OK Consulting Forester. Yemma also serves as secretary of the Teal Ridge Homeowners Association and as secretary of the City of Sand Springs Planning Commission.
Society of American Foresters History
1980 – Became member
1994 – Served as Registrar for joint Oregon & Washington Annual Meeting
2002 – Became SAF Certified Forester # 1344
2008 – Elected Mile High Chapter Secretary-Treasurer, 3-year term
2011 – Elected Mile High Chapter Chair, 3-year term
2014 – Elected Colorado-Wyoming Chair Elect
2015 – Colorado-Wyoming Chair
2016 – Colorado-Wyoming Immediate Past Chair
2017 – Appointed Deputy States Chair, Administration, serving 5-year term
2018 – Named SAF Fellow
2020 – Served on SAF National Business Management Commitee
2021 – Served on SAF National Nominating Commitee, 2-year term
2022 – Retired from Forest Service, moved to Oklahoma, joined Ouachita SAF
2023 – Became member of SAF Founder’s Circle
2025 – Started OK Consulting Forester sole proprietorship.
2026 – Renewed SAF Certified Forester which will run through August 2029.
