Jun 22, 2007. /Lesprom Network/. The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) is pleased to announce the addition of Richard J. James to its staff. Mr. James will serve as AF&PA’s chief financial officer and vice president of finance and administration, replacing Ann Bittman who, after 10 years at AF&PA, is relocating to Hong Kong with her family. Mr. James comes to AF&PA from the American Institute of Architects, where he has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2000. With a total of 35 years of financial, investment, accounting, and administrative management experience, Mr. James has spent 12 of those years with trade or professional associations in Washington and the Metropolitan area. “We are very pleased to have been able to select someone with so many years of experience in Washington policy shops to lead AF&PA’s financial and administrative operations,” said AF&PA acting president and CEO Donna Harman. “Rich will be a valuable asset to AF&PA as it moves forward with its mission of representing the forest products industry in Washington and around the country.” The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) is the national trade association of the forest, pulp, paper, paperboard, and wood products industry.