Ford Chair in Advanced Wood Manufacturing

In early 2022, a $6 million commitment from Allyn C. Ford and Cheryl Ramberg Ford created an endowment for a faculty position in advanced wood manufacturing and a faculty position in integrative forestry and manufacturing. Previously the couple created an endowment supporting the college's dean. Honoring teaching and research excellence, the Ford Professor in Advanced Wood Manufacturing will support integration of robotics, machine vision, artificial intelligence in wood products manufacturing.

Allyn Ford became president and CEO of Roseburg Forest Products in 1997. The company was founded by his father, Ken Ford, in 1936 and became one of the largest family-held wood products corporations in the nation. A strong partner of the College of Forestry, Roseburg Forest Products was a lead donor for construction of the Oregon Forest Science Complex. 

The Ford family has a long history with Oregon State University. Allyn's sister, Carmen Ford Phillips, is an OSU alumna who has been actively engaged with her alma mater for many years. A gift from Allyn's and Carmen's late mother made possible the construction of the Hallie Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families, named in her honor. Allyn and Cheryl Ford are both highly involved with The Ford Family Foundation, which helps to fund OSU programs and outreach in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences. The foundation also provides scholarship support for hundreds of students in Oregon post-secondary schools.

Current Faculty Holder

Wenjia Wang