Chad Niman is a Forest Products Research Specialist in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Kentucky. He is engaged primarily in applied research and extension including serving as the Director of ForestryWorks of Kentucky workforce initiative, Director of the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association and Assistant Director of the Robinson Wood Utilization Center. Chad’s research is focused on hardwood markets, quality and value recovery of forest products; including wood grading systems, wood drying and utilization. Chad is one of the authors of the Kentucky Forest Sector Economic Contribution Report, which highlights how local value-added forest products add over $18 billion to the Kentucky economy. He also teaches classes in Forest Products Markets and Utilization, Wood Products and Wood ID. Chad is also co-founder of the Campus Woods Utilization program at the University of Kentucky.