Justin Tapp joined the industry well before his professional career actually began. The summer before college, he began working part-time for RLH Logging, where he learned all about logging, sawmilling, and cruising timber. While at MSU, he honed his skills filling in at the sawmill, locating property lines, and communicating with landowners and logging crews. By the time he graduated, he had quite the introduction into the industry. "I learned a lot about the technical side & communication," Tapp added.

His first job out of college was as the first in-house forester at Gibson Electric before joining Natural Resources Group in Tuscumbia. After being at NRG for 11-plus years, Tapp moved home and opened his own forestry consulting firm and real estate brokerage, DreamTree Forestry & Farms. Officially based in Booneville, Mississippi, Tapp also works heavily in Northwest Alabama, helping landowners of 10 acres to 4,000 acres with everything from timber sales and reforestation projects to real estate brokerage. "I love working with people, building relationships, and serving their needs," he said. "The the best part of what I do is getting to know landowners and helping them meet their objectives."