FEDERAL WAY, Wash., Feb. 16 -- Weyerhaeuser Company today announced that Patricia M. Bedient, 52, has been named senior vice president, Finance and Strategic Planning. Since 2003, Bedient has served as vice president, Strategic Planning. In her new role, Bedient becomes a member of the company's senior management team and will manage the integration of all company planning processes, including financial planning and budgeting, investment evaluation, and investment direction setting. She will report to Richard J. Taggart, executive vice president and chief financial officer, for her expanded role in financial planning. For her strategic planning responsibilities, Bedient continues to be accountable to Steven R. Rogel, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Patty's insight and experience make her the ideal candidate to take on this broadened responsibility for both finance and strategic planning," Rogel said. "By integrating all of our company planning processes under Patty we streamline our ability to analyze investment options, focus portfolio and business decisions and execute company strategies -- both short and long term." "Since joining the company, Patty has played a key role in developing the strategic direction of Weyerhaeuser," Taggart said. "In her new position, she will work with me to create and implement our financial strategies, as well as participate in our dialogue with the investment community." A certified public accountant, Bedient served as managing partner at Arthur Andersen LLP in Seattle before joining Weyerhaeuser. She also worked at the firm's Portland and Boise offices as a partner and as a CPA during her 27- year career with Andersen. Bedient serves on the Alaska Air Group board, Oregon State University Foundation Board of Trustees, the Weyerhaeuser Foundation board and the advisory board of the University of Washington School of Business. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Washington Society of CPAs. She has also served on the boards of a variety of civic organizations, including the World Forestry Center, the City Club of Portland, St. Mary's Academy of Portland and the Chamber of Commerce of Boise, Idaho.