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Tony Smurfit
Group CEO & President
Smurfit Westrock
Mike Doss
CEO
Graphic Packaging
George Staphos
Managing Director
Bank of America
David Feber
Senior Partner
McKinsey
David Feber is a Senior Partner in the McKinsey & Company Detroit office. He leads McKinsey’s Global Packaging Service Line and has deep expertise in the Packaging Space across all packaging substrates (metal, Glass, Plastic and paper). He serves multiple players in the packaging areas. David also co-leads McKinsey’s research in packaging sustainability and other mega trends. David has had two stints at McKinsey. He was at McKinsey from 2000-2004 as an Associate Partner, then rejoined the Firm as a direct-elect Partner in January 2017. During the time in between, David spent almost a decade in Senior Executive roles in the packaging industry.
Alejandro Mata
Director Europe Packaging and Graphic Papers,
Fastmarkets
Xinnan Li
Analyst
Rabobank
Charles Denison
Moelis
Charlie Denison is a Managing Director at Moelis & Company where he advises clients primarily in the industrials sector. Charlie has over 35 years of investment banking experience advising clients on M&A, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations and debt and equity financings across the packaging, paper and building products industries. Prior to joining Moelis & Company, Charlie managed the Chicago office of Deutsche Bank and its predecessor Bankers Trust, where he was responsible for overseeing the firm’s investment banking activities in the Midwest as well as coordinating the strategies of the private wealth and asset management businesses. Charlie holds an A.B. in Economics and Government from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Youth Centers and the Presbyterian Homes. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Chicago Children’s Museum.
Bill Moore
Consultant
Moore & Associates
Bill Moore is president of Moore & Associates, an international consulting firm that provides a range of strategic services and research to global recycling organizations. The description of the full range of services and background for Moore & Associates can be found on the company’s web site at www.MARecycle.com. Bill has had a forty-three year career as an environmental business professional. Prior to establishing his own consulting firm, Bill held a series of positions in the chemical, solid waste, paper, and recycling industries. This included Director of Recycling for Waste Management, Inc., where he was responsible for the startup of the “Recycle America” program, the largest introduction of recycling services in the United States. Earlier in his career, Bill was a hazardous and groundwater waste expert and was at the forefront of the US manufacturing industry’s move for waste reduction through process optimization. Bill’s unique knowledge base includes all aspects of the global supply and demand of recovered paper, where he is currently considered the leading expert. Over the last 28 years, Moore & Associates has served over 450 clients on more than 750 projects on paper recycling engagements. Details on Bill’s consulting project experience can be found at www.MARecycle.com/past-projects/. Bill is a sought after speaker throughout the world on subjects related to global recycling and the business side of environmental issues. He is highly published in the recycling field having authored more than fifty articles over the last twenty five years. A list of Bill’s publications can be found at www. MARecycle.com/articles/
Hannah Zhao
Director, Fiber
Hannah has specialized in the world recovered paper markets for RISI since January 2009. She writes for the World Recovered Paper Monitor and RISI's 5-Year and 15-year recovered paper forecasts. She also provides single- and multi-client studies on recovered paper markets. Hannah holds a Master of Science degree in Resource Economics from University of Rhode Island, a Master of Science degree in Climate Change from Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Steve Henry
President of Paper & Packaging
Domtar
Steve is a senior pulp and paper executive with 27 years of experience who is skilled at delivering performance as well as building and executing strategic roadmaps. His career has spanned diverse roles in strategy, project management, and general management in corporate and mill environments with International Paper, Weyerhaeuser, Georgia-Pacific. He joined Domtar general manager of the Hawesville, Kentucky, paper mill following its acquisition from Weyerhaeuser in 2011. He was named TAPPI/PIMA Mill Manager of the Year in 2016. Most recently he led Domtar’s entry into the packaging business, responsible for building and leading the business structure needed to produce and sell containerboard with a winning customer value proposition. Prior to leading the packaging business, Steve was Domtar’s vice president of strategy and business analysis, responsible for building a company-wide project management structure to help identify markets, products, and opportunities to innovate or commercialize new technology to meet customer needs. He also led work to achieve long-term growth and meet Domtar’s strategic objectives. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He previously served on the Board of Directors and as chairman at both Prisma Renewable Composites, LLC and Kenergy Corp.
Susan Cornish
Insight + Action
Susan Cornish is Principal Consultant at Insight + Action. Here Susan helps clients identify issues and develop research questions. She leads client engagements and manages all aspects of projects from research design and data collection, through analysis, reporting, and other deliverables. Prior to Insight + Action, Susan was a Vice President at several global Consumer Insights firms. Here she worked with brand owners in Marketing, contributing to product and packaging development decisions. Susan led research teams, developed better reporting methods, and worked with clients and IT to create client portals and automated reporting. Susan has in-depth knowledge of packaging sustainability and the recycling industry, plus expertise in all aspects of product and packaging innovation research. Susan has worked with global clients in many sectors including packaging, consumer packaged goods, hospitality and foodservice, waste management/recycling and recycling non-profits. Susan holds an Honors BA, 1st Class, from Simon Fraser University where she majored in Geography and Economics. She has an MSc and PhD from the University of Toronto where her dissertation research focused on product innovation.
Vivek Singh
TD Securities
Vivek Singh is a Managing Director at TD Securities with over 15 years of investment banking experience across M&A and capital raising. He is focused on the forestry, paper packaging and building materials sectors, with involvement in over $200bn of M&A transactions. He has a BS in Finance from NYU's Stern School of Business and an MBA from University of Michigan's Ross School of Business
Wes Carter
Atlantic Packaging
Wes Carter is the third-generation leader of Atlantic Packaging, the largest privately owned industrial packaging company in North America. Atlantic supports major consumer products packaging needs across virtually every manufacturing vertical, specializing in packaging optimization through technology and comprehensive programs to drive sustainable value. Today, as the president of Atlantic Packaging, Wes is the driving force behind A New Earth Project, the company's sustainability initiative, and its commitment to working with brands of all sizes to transition away from problematic plastic packaging and help rid the world’s oceans, lakes, and rivers of plastic pollution. Wes is an avid outdoorsman, lifelong surfer, and traveler who resides in Charleston, South Carolina. He serves on the Board of Directors for The Conservation Alliance, the Packaging Producer Responsibility Advisory Board, the Lowcountry Land Trust Board, and the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Visitors in addition to other local and regional organizations fighting the waste crisis.
Rafael Barisauskas
Senior Economist
Rafael Barisauskas joined Fastmarkets in 2019 as the Latin America economist, analyzing the regional pulp, paper and packaging markets as well as the local economies. Having worked on economic forecasts since 2013, Rafael has a deep understanding of the global commodities trade and industrial organization. He is the main author of the Latin American Paper Products Monitor, the Latin American 5-year Forecast and the co-author of the Monthly Economic Commentary.Rafael has a Master's degree in Economics from KU Leuven in Belgium, focusing his research on global value chains analysis in the pulp and paper industry. He also was awarded merit scholarships through his BA in economics in Brazil and the best student award in his course.
Elena Despotou
FEFCO Director General
European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers
Charles Malo
President and COO
Cascades
After earning a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Charles Malo began his career as a controller at Etcan, a division of Cascades, in 1990. He joined Cascades Containerboard Packaging when it was created in 1997 and worked his way up the ranks. Over the years, he became Director of Administration, Regional General Manager, Operations, for Central Canada, and Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer in the Corrugated Cardboard business line. In 2008, he also took over management of the folding carton division, becoming Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Packaging. In April 2015, he was named Chief Operating Officer, overseeing not only transformation operations, but also the production of containerboard. He became President and Chief Operating Officer in January 2016. This appointment makes him the third President of Cascades Containerboard Packaging, succeeding Alain Lemaire and Marc-André Dépin. Like his predecessors, he embraces Cascades’ values and believes that everyone should work in a safe and secure environment. He continues to pursue the business objectives established in conjunction with the various management teams to ensure the growth of Cascades Containerboard Packaging and Cascades. Mr. Malo is well known in the industry for his knowledge and leadership. He is an active member of boards of directors for various associations, companies and non-profit organizations. For example, he currently sits on the board of the Fondation Hôpital Pierre-Boucher.
Ronalds Gonzalez
Associate Professor
North Carolina State University
Dr. Ronalds W. Gonzalez is an Associate Professor at North Carolina State University, specializing in conversion and process economics with a focus on the pulp & paper and hygiene tissue industries. He has been a regular lecturer at Universität für Bo den ku ltur Wien (Austria) and invited lecturer and opponent at Alto University (Finland) and Unversidade Beira Interior (Portugal). Leading a dynamic research group at NC State University, Dr. Gonzalez works with companies and federal agencies to accelerate the industrial adoption of emerging and sustainable technologies and materials. He founded the Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI), a consortium supported by 28 companies (go.ncsu.edu/SAFI), dedicated to promoting responsible sourcing and development of sustainable fibers to combat climate change. Dr. Gonzalez's research portfolio is valued at over $16 million.
Craig Fuller
Founder and CEO
FreightWaves
Craig Fuller is the founder and CEO of FreightWaves, the leading provider of global supply chain market intelligence and news. Prior to FreightWaves, Craig was the founder of TransCard, a major provider of fleet fuel and debit cards. He is also the CEO of FLYING Magazine, the world’s most widely read aviation magazine. Previously, Fuller founded the Xpress Direct division of US Xpress, a leading provider of on-demand expedited truckload services. He holds a BBA from Baylor University and is a private pilot. He lives with his wife and 5 kids in Chattanooga, TN.
Joachim Klein
StepChange Consulting
Joachim is of German-Swedish origin and holds a master's degree in business administration. Since 1996 he has worked with global companies in the sector to define strategies, improve performance, transform supply chains and integrate acquired companies. Prior to founding StepChange in 2006, he worked for 10 years as a management consultant with a large international management consulting and technology firm, where he was operationally responsible for building the pulp and paper consulting practice. In addition to his specialization in the forest, pulp & paper industry, he has consulting experience from a wide range of other industries.
Ronald Sasine
Principal
Hudson Windsor
Ron Sasine is the Principal of Hudson Windsor, a boutique consultancy focused on packaging strategy, innovation, and sustainability. The firm draws on extensive experience in retail merchandising and consumer packaged goods and works with a wide range of packaging manufacturers, private-equity investors, and independent packaging companies. Ron is also the project development lead for Crossroads Paper and is frequently sought out by industry groups to share his insight on issues related to packaging innovation, manufacturing, and the evolution of retail. Prior to founding Hudson Windsor, Ron served as Senior Director of Packaging for Walmart from 2009 to 2015, where he was responsible for packaging design, execution and sourcing for the company’s largest global brands. He created a new visual look for over 7,000 individual retail items, bringing a national brand design standard to the Great Value, Spring Valley, Equate, Ol’ Roy and Parents’ Choice brands. He created first-of-its-kind supply chain visibility for the company’s global packaging network, working with over 5,000 packaging providers that supply Walmart worldwide. He led Walmart’s sustainable packaging initiative and implementation of the sustainable packaging scorecard, building supplier accountability into purchasing decisions and achieving a 9.4% global reduction in the greenhouse gas impact of the company’s packaging. Before joining Walmart, Ron was a global marketing and manufacturing executive with MeadWestvaco (now WestRock). He directed international sales integration, business development, and packaging design from 2002 to 2009 across multiple substrates, printing technologies, and geographies. In a previous role, he led strategic planning, M&A, and marketing for the company’s operations in Brazil and Latin America. He began his career in the packaging sector in 1990, with responsibility for sales of linerboard and converting grades to corrugated box plants and printing companies throughout Central and South America.
Beth Lis
Vice President, Asian Paper & Packaging
Thomas Blaige
Blaige & Company
Lasse Sinikallas
Macroeconomist Director
Lasse Sinikallas is the Director of Macroeconomics for Fasmarkets. Lasse joined Fastmarkest RISI in August 2017 from a foreign affairs post which he held for the past decade. Lasse’s early career background was in forest products and he also worked in management consulting for Pöyry, IBM and Accenture. He has real-world insight into geopolitical economic analysis, international trade issues, country risk analysis, and the legal and regulatory environment, along with the forest products industry. Lasse holds Master’s degrees in both Chemical Engineering and Economics and works towards a PhD about the impact of cognitive bias in intelligence analysis. He works out of Fastmarkets Helsinki office and is also the Managing Director of Fastmarkets Benchmarkets Administration Oy, the EU registered and FIN-FSA authorized and supervised benchmark administration entity of Fastmarkets domiciled in Finland.
Craig Gunckel
Iconex
Craig Gunckel is Chief Executive Officer of Iconex, bringing nearly three decades of expertise in the paper, packaging, and retail industries. Under his leadership, Iconex has tripled in both revenue and profitability. More importantly, safety has become the core value at Iconex with the company dramatically reducing incident rates across its footprint. Gunckel’s forward-thinking strategies most recently led the company to invest in and capitalize on the high growth labels market. His commitment to a strong company culture and clear focus on innovation has established Iconex as a trusted business partner to the largest companies in the world. Most recently, Gunckel was named a 2023 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Southeast Award winner and received Atlas Holdings’ 2023 Chairman's Award for leading Iconex’s success, which is also noted by the company’s listing as one of the 50 largest private companies in Atlanta (Atlanta Business Chronicle). In 2021, he was named one of the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Most Admired CEOs and was an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Southeast finalist. Gunckel currently serves on the boards of the Wake Forest University Business School, Purdue University’s Krannet School of Management, and the Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts, which honored him with the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award for his contribution to serving at-risk youth. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta. Prior to joining Iconex, Gunckel served as President, Enterprise Solutions for WestRock. During his 20+ years with WestRock and RockTenn, he held progressing executive roles, including leading its merchandising displays and folding carton businesses.
Abigail Sztein
Executive Director, Recovered Fiber
American, Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA)
Abigail Sztein serves as Executive Director, Recovered Fiber for the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA). Sztein manages issues and programs that promote increased paper recycling and maintain member company access to mill-quality recovered fiber for use in manufacturing new pulp, paper and paperboard. Until March 2024, she led the state advocacy team and directly managed advocacy in the Northeast on behalf of AF&PA. Sztein’s experience with AF&PA spans various roles in government affairs and public policy, including state and local government affairs, sustainability, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B), recycling policy, and energy and water issues since 2010
Pat Cavanagh
Patrick Cavanagh leads the analysis for specialty pulp at Fastmarkets RISI. He is the author of several recurring and multi-client reports, including the Outlook for the Global Dissolving Pulp Market, the Outlook for World Fluff Pulp, the Nonwovens Price & Cost Monitor and the World Dissolving Pulp Monitor. Patrick holds a Master of Science in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Arts from American University, Washington, D.C
Greg Tucker
Bay Cities
• Chairman and CEO of Bay Cities Packaging and Design, a leading manufacturer of corrugated packaging, point of purchase displays, and digital printing solutions. • Chairman of Digital Print Partners, a joint venture between Bay Cities and Fujifilm that offers innovative digital printing solutions for corrugated packaging. • Former Region One Director and Chairman of the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC), the largest trade association for the independent corrugated industry. • Former Board Member of the Fiber Box Association (FBA), the trade association for the corrugated industry in North America. • Hall of Fame recipient of the AICC, the highest honor bestowed by the association for outstanding leadership and service to the industry. • Board Member of the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF), a non-profit organization that promotes corrugated packaging as a sustainable and innovative material. • Packaging Advisory Board Member and Graphic Communication Advisory Member of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO), a leading institution for packaging and graphic design education.
Michael D'Angelo
President
AICC, The Independent Packaging Association
Mike is a 40+ year veteran of the packaging industry with experience in the corrugated, folding carton and flexible packaging markets. After graduating from Villanova University, Mike went to work for Bobst North America in a sales support role. Over the next 32 years he rose through various leadership positions in the Bobst organization in diverse packaging equipment markets. This growth culminated in an 18-year role as Vice President of Sales and Service. Goss International recruited Mike to be its North American Managing Director and to transition its web offset printing press business from the publication and newspaper markets to the packaging markets. This challenge was successfully met, resulting in the sale of Goss to a private equity company. After Goss, Mike continued to pursue service to the paper-based packaging industry by joining AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, as Vice President in October 2016. He was elevated to the President’s role at AICC on July 1, 2019. Prior to joining AICC, Mike had been a 20+ year Associate Member of the Association. Mike has served on the Board of Directors of the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF) including a term as Chair. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA). Both Board experiences showed him the satisfaction that can be achieved in Association management. Mike and his wife Susan are the parents of two grown daughters. They live in Dumfries, Virginia.
Rachel Kenyon
Senior Vice President
Fibre Box Association (FBA)
Rachel Kenyon is the Senior Vice President of the Fibre Box Association (FBA), a nonprofit trade association representing North American manufacturers of corrugated packaging. Rachel’s primary responsibilities include the association’s management, communications, marketing, and member relations. Rachel joined the Fibre Box Association in 2008 as FBA’s Director of Member and Industry Relations and began serving as Vice President in 2011. She was promoted to Senior Vice President in December 2019. Prior to joining FBA, Ms. Kenyon was the Vice President of Marketing and Product Development and a member of the business management team for Weyerhaeuser’s Containerboard Packaging and Recycling Business. During her nearly ten years with Weyerhaeuser, she held several positions in marketing and management. Rachel was the first director of the Corrugated Packaging Council, the precursor to the Corrugated Packaging Alliance, and was active in several industry committees during her time at Weyerhaeuser. Ms. Kenyon is a former board member of the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation. Rachel is a proud Spartan graduate of Michigan State University
Nedim Nisic
Group eCommerce Director
Mondi Group
Nedim Nisic is an experienced executive in the eCommerce and packaging industry, currently serving as the Group eCommerce Director at Mondi Group. In his role, he spearheads the company's efforts to support online retailers and marketplaces in transitioning to sustainable, innovative, and consumer-friendly eCommerce packaging. With a team of cross-segment experts, he helps eCommerce companies develop and execute packaging strategies that combine their economic objectives, sustainability requirements, and consumer expectations. Mondi Group is a global leader in packaging and paper, offering a full range of multi-material custom eCommerce packaging solutions, including kraft and functional barrier paper, paper bags, and corrugated solutions.
Christopher Davidson
Vice President, Sustainability
Christopher Davidson is based in Richmond, Virginia, and serves as vice president, Sustainability for Smurfit Westrock, a global manufacturer of sustainable paper-based packaging solutions. He develops strategy, policies, goals and metrics for the company’s sustainability platform and is accountable for internal and external reporting to measure its progress. His work with customers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around the world focuses on optimizing the impact of sustainability on businesses and communities. Chris’ experience in the forest products industry spans nearly 30 years. He serves on the board of directors for GreenBlue and the Virginia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. He is also the co-chair of the Corporate Sustainability & Environment Executive Committee of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Chris earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forest management and forestry from North Carolina State University and received a doctorate in forestry from Virginia Tech
Mohamed Azzouz
Continuous Improvement Manager
Royal Containers Ltd
Mohamed Azzouz started his career in graphic design, information technology, marketing, and multimedia, including photography and filmmaking. He honed his skills in these diverse disciplines before transitioning into the manufacturing sector, specifically the automotive industry, where he first delved into and applied lean principles. In 2017, Mohamed joined Royal Containers Ltd, where he held various roles, including Pre-press coordinator, plant manager, and currently, continuous improvement manager. He played a pivotal role in the successful planning and execution of relocating new and existing assets to the current state-of-the-art sheet plant in the city of St. Thomas. Passionate about lean manufacturing, Mohamed advocates for the integration of technology and automation in the packaging industry. Born and raised in Cairo Egypt, Mohamed developed a passion for technology from a young age. This passion led him to pursue Managerial Information Systems at the Modern Academy. Throughout his career, Mohamed has demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement, striving to achieve operational excellence. Outside of his professional endeavors, Mohamed enjoys photography, volunteering for various charity causes, and spending time with family. Currently residing in London, Ontario, Mohamed continues to work on multiple projects always seeking new opportunities for growth and making an impact in the packaging industry.
Derek Mahlburg
Director, NA Graphic Paper
Markus Gartner
Mondi Corrugated Packaging
Markus Gärtner is responsible for the entire corrugated value chain at Mondi as CEO Corrugated Packaging since 2019. Prior to joining Mondi, he held various roles in strategy, sales, and general management with Novelis, a global aluminium rolling company. Markus started his career at McKinsey & Company, working on numerous operational and strategic projects across a variety of industries. He holds a Doctorate of Technical Sciences from ETH Zürich and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
George DuCharme
Associate Director for Procurement
Tyson Foods
George DuCharme is based in Springdale, Arkansas and serves as an Associate Director for Procurement for Tyson Foods. His team is responsible for the commercial & strategic sourcing activities for the paper based and rigid plastic categories. George began his career in Finance with various companies before transitioning to Procurement in 2010 with Alcoa. In 10 years with Alcoa/Arconic, George served in a number of procurement roles including plant operations, international projects, and development of a centralized capital procurement team. Now with Tyson for nearly 5 years, he focuses on supply chain continuity for Tyson’s network of +100 facilities, optimization of packaging materials, continuous improvement, and sustainability opportunities related to his categories. George is on the forefront of alternative material development for single use plastics in protein applications and deeply passionate about finding the best solutions in this space. George earned his Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Arkansas State University and his MBA from the Walton College of Business.