Jari Koskinen Honoured with "2015 Opinion Leader in Forestry" Title

Former minister (2002-03, 2011-14) and MP (1996-2009) Jari Koskinen has been honoured with the "2015 Opinion Leader in Forestry" title. When acting as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in the Katainen administration between 2011 and 2014, he had a strong influence on amending forestry legislation. The selection was published at OP's Forest Day event in Jyväskylä on 1 June 2015.

- Under Koskinen, market economy was successfully brought into forestry. The sector has embarked on a new growth path, one of the reasons for this being a forestry policy reform. Koskinen is a highly experienced forestry expert both at political level and in practice. This made it considerably easier to reform forestry policy, explains the jury.

Every year, OP Financial Group rewards a private individual, working group or organisation in recognition of his/its contribution in the forestry sector. The jury comprised Esa Härmälä, Director General of Metsähallitus; Juha Ojala, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; Mikko Tiirola, Chairman of the Forestry Council; and Panu Kallio, Vice President, and Tapio Tilli, Forest Service Manager, of OP Financial Group .

Past holders of this title include opera singer Jorma Hynninen, film director Markku Pölönen, Permanent Secretary Sirkka Hautojärvi, Secretary of State Raimo Sailas, forest management associations when they celebrated their 100th anniversary, Director of the Forestry Group of the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners Juha Hakkarainen, Executive Director of the Finnish Forest Association Juhani Karvonen, Managing Director of the Finnish Sawmills Association Jukka-Pekka Ranta, Helsingin Sanomat editor Jyrki Iivonen and Managing Director Ilkka Kylävainio.

For more information, please contact:
Ari Pöntinen, Director, OP, Corporate Customer Business Support, tel. [phone]
Teppo Pöllänen, Development Manager, OP, Agricultural and Forestry Customers, tel. [phone]

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Source: Pohjola Pankki Oyj via Globenewswire

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