For nearly half a century, the Westervelt Warner family has played a leading role in shaping the Demopolis community.

From operating a state-of-the-art paper mill to later stewarding hundreds of thousands of acres of Alabama forestland through The Westervelt Company, the family’s presence is inextricably tied Black Belt region.

That legacy continues with Cade Warner, who has joined the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation (ASHS) Board of Directors.

Warner, a member of the family’s current generation, will help guide the future of the innovative healthcare high school planned for Demopolis.

Warner, a Tuscaloosa native, serves as president and CEO of The Westervelt Company, a 141-year-old family business formerly known as Gulf States Paper Corporation. The company manages sustainable forestry, wood products, ecological services, recreation, real estate, and conservation efforts, with much of its portfolio in western Alabama.

His leadership experience will now support the foundation behind the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences, the nation’s first free, public residential high school dedicated solely to training the next generation of healthcare professionals.

“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 Foundation, said Warner’s family ties and professional connections make him an ideal addition to the 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 Westervelt in 2024 after previously serving in leadership roles including chief operating officer, chief sustainability officer, and director of business development. He also worked with Conservation Forestry, Hancock Natural Resource Group, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, and the Alabama Forestry Association.

He holds degrees from the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia and has completed professional training through Harvard Extension. He also maintains multiple professional certifications, including CFA, CAIA, and FMVA.

Outside of his corporate work, Warner is active in civic and industry leadership. He has served with the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce, United Way of West Alabama, Rotary International, the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business Board of Visitors, and multiple national forestry and wood products associations.

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

The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will open its first freshman class in August 2026 on a mini-campus at the University of West Alabama in Livingston. A permanent 10-acre residential campus in Demopolis will break ground Oct. 14, with the first phase expected to open in fall 2027.

Final plans for healthcare career pathways and curriculum are underway, and recruitment of faculty and students will begin soon. More information is available at alhealthcarehs.org.