Cade Warner of Westervelt Co. joins Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation board

The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation has added a new board member from the paper mill industry with ties to Demopolis.

Cade Warner, Tuscaloosa native and president and Chief Executive Officer of The Westervelt Company, joins the board of the school that will be based in Demopolis.

For nearly half a century, the Westervelt Warner family helped shape the Demopolis community through their direct community involvement and the economic impact of their state-of-the-art paper mill. Following the sale of Gulf States Paper Corporation’s pulp and paper business, the Westervelt Warner family’s organization, The Westervelt Company, has provided stewardship for hundreds of thousands of acres of the region’s forests.

Warner runs the 141-year-old family business formerly known as Gulf States Paper Corporation. The Westervelt Company specializes in sustainable forestry, wood products, ecological services, recreation, real estate, and natural resource conservation with much of their portfolio residing in western Alabama. Warner brings extensive corporate, civic and philanthropic leadership to the Foundation, which supports development of the ASHS in Demopolis. ASHS is the nation’s first free, public, residential high school dedicated exclusively to preparing the next generation of medical professionals in partnership with educational and healthcare institutions. 

“Demopolis holds a special place in Westervelt’s history, and it is an honor to help build something so important here for Alabama’s future,” Warner said. “The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will not only provide high-quality education for students from across the state, but it will also create a powerful pipeline to meet critical healthcare workforce needs for our state’s rural communities.”

Scott Huffman, President and CEO of the ASHS Foundations, said Warner’s direct ties to the Demopolis community, combined with his relationships across the nation, make him a natural fit for the ASHS Foundation board.

“Cade Warner's experience and leadership will have an immeasurable impact on our foundation and school,” Huffman said. “If I was compiling a profile on the perfect board member, I would copy and paste Cade's resume. His love of Alabama, particularly the Black Belt region, and his desire to transform education and healthcare will serve this school and our foundation immediately.”

Warner became CEO of The Westervelt Company in 2024 after holding a series of leadership roles with the company, including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Director of Business Development and Improvement, and Continuous Improvement Manager. Prior to joining Westervelt, he worked with Conservation Forestry and gained additional experience in forestry and investment through roles with Hancock Natural Resource Group, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, and the Alabama Forestry Association.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration and an MBA from the University of Alabama, as well as a master’s degree in forest resources with a specialization in forest business from the University of Georgia. Warner has also pursued advanced professional training through Harvard Extension, is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and maintains multiple professional designations including Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®), Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA®), and Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA®).

Warner’s civic and professional leadership roles include the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Leadership Tuscaloosa, United Way of West Alabama’s Young Leadership Society, Rotary International, World Forestry Center, the Tuscaloosa Rotary Foundation Board, and the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business Board of Visitors. 

He has also served on national and industry boards, including the Wood Products Council | WoodWorks, American Wood Council, National Alliance of Forest Owners, and the Alabama Productivity Center.

Warner and his wife, April, have two children and enjoy traveling and exploring natural wonders around the world.

ASHS will welcome its first freshman class in August 2026 at a separate mini-campus on the grounds of the University of West Alabama in Livingston.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the permanent 10-acre residential campus in Demopolis is scheduled for Oct. 14, with the first phase scheduled to open in fall 2027.

Final decisions are being made on healthcare career pathways and curricula that will enable recruitment of faculty, staff and students. For the latest news on ASHS campus and curriculum developments and to stay informed about recruitment events around the state and application deadlines, visit www.alheathcarehs.org.