Greg received a bachelor of science degree in forestry from Iowa State University. He then received a masters degree in forestry and plant physiology from Yale University, and a PhD in plant physiology from Duke University. His career has been in research and teaching, having been on the faculty of several universities. He most recently retired from Virginia Tech where he served for 12 years as dean of the College of Natural Resources. He currently resides near Hendersonville, North Carolina, and is active in the Rotary Club of Asheville. He also remains active with the National Society of American Foresters. He continues to serve on the steering committee of the Asheville chapter of FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway and on the FRIENDS Board, for which he previously served as president. He recently served on the FRIENDS of the Carl Sandburg Home, an NPS National Historic Monument in Flat Rock, NC, and previously served as their president for two years.