Angela Shannon Named 2023 TFA President

Angela Shannon was elected president of Texas Forestry Association (TFA) during the recent annual meeting held in College Station. She is a forester, timberland owner, and VP of Forest Products Lending at Texas Farm Credit. Angela has spent her entire career with Texas Farm Credit, spanning 27 years.

Angela was born and raised in Cobeyville, Kansas, where the nearest pine tree was hundreds of miles away. Her family still farms there today. Although her parents were not able to teach Angela anything about forestry, they were able to instill in her good values, such as integrity, a strong work ethic and great faith. She is the middle daughter in a family of all sisters. “When you grow up on a farm, you learn to work at a very early age,” says Angela. That work ethic is still one of the cornerstones of her life. “Someone once told me, ‘There will always be someone smarter than you, but you can always outwork them.’ That resonated with me.”

Upon moving to Texas and getting a job at TFC, it didn’t take long for Angela to figure out that if she was going to do business in East Texas, she needed to learn about forestry. Fortunately, she had some good customers who were willing to take Angela under their wing and share their knowledge of all things related to growing and harvesting timber. “The more I learned, the more I wanted to know,” says Angela. “Because Texas Farm Credit was committed to serving the industry, they fully supported me in pursuing a Masters of Forestry degree at SFA.”

Because of her position at Texas Farm Credit, Angela brings a unique perspective to TFA. “I have provided financing for great people in every corner of the forestry industry, from timberland owners, to loggers, to sawmills. Being able to see the needs of people in different parts of the chain will help me represent all members of the TFA,” says Angela.

Angela believes that to gain the most from TFA, you need to get involved. She says, “I am by no means the best forester in East Texas, but because of my involvement in TFA, I always know who to call when I need an expert.” There are many opportunities to volunteer, attend educational programs, or to get involved and get to know other TFA members. Angela says, “Not only are my TFA contacts the best experts in the industry, they have also become lifelong friends. I can’t imagine a better group of people to know. TFA members are hardworking, knowledgeable, and always willing to help.”

In her free time, Angela is always moving. She is very passionate about health and wellness. She believes that when you are physically strong, you are sharper mentally as well. Every day she does some form of exercise such as Pilates, weightlifting, or yoga. She is also an avid traveler. Her favorite trips are the ones that combine her love of hiking and the outdoors with a new destination.

Angela says, “I consider myself very blessed to have had the opportunity to travel the world and explore forests and glaciers, large cities and small villages, deserts and rain forests. I expect I will always want to see new places and learn new things.”

Angela foresees a busy year with many opportunities for TFA to thrive. She says, “TFA has a great team of professional stab, board members, officers, and committees working to promote the forestry industry in Texas. If a TFA member has a need related to forestry, please call me at 936-645-6091. I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Together we can make a great organization even stronger.”