Paper360 - March/April 2018 - 81

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ASPI NEWS

ASPI Award Winners Announced
As a group that identifies itself as "The
Forum for Connecting Industry Leaders," ASPI
strives to recognize great leadership within the
industries it serves. ASPI offers two awards each
year: ASPI Customer Executive of the Year, and
the ASPI Excellence in Leadership Award. These
awards not only provide recognition for the
recipient, they also promote ASPI's mission of
supporting industry performance.
This year's recipients are featured below.
Both awards were presented at the well-attended
ASPI 2018 Spring Meeting held in Hollywood,
FL, in February.
ASPI'S CUSTOMER
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Customer Executive of the Year Award
is the highest honor that
ASPI can bestow on an
individual. This award is
presented annually to a
Customer Executive who
has worked diligently
within her company and
Linda K. Massman, with her company's supClearwater Paper
pliers to dramatically
increase the benefits the company derives
from its supplied goods and services. This
year, the honor goes to Linda K. Massman,
president and chief executive officer, Clearwater
Paper Corporation.
Massman provides the strategic leadership
and management of the US$2 billion tissue
paper and bleached paperboard company,
which is headquartered in Spokane, WA. With
more than 3,200 employees in the United States,
Clearwater Paper is a premier supplier of private
label tissue to major retailers and wholesale distributors, including grocery, mass merchants,
discount stores, and drugstores. The company
also produces bleached paperboard and offers
services that include custom sheeting, slitting,
and cutting.
Massman was elected Clearwater Paper's
CEO in 2013. She previously served as president and chief operating officer since 2011,
and as the company's chief financial officer
beginning in 2008. Before joining Clearwater
Paper, Massman was the group vice president of finance and corporate planning for
SUPERVALU Inc. She has accrued more than

25 years of experience in corporate finance and
business strategy development.
Massman earned a bachelor's degree in
finance from the University of North Dakota
and a master's of business administration from
Harvard University. She currently serves as a
director for Treehouse Foods Incorporated and
Black Hills Corporation, and previously served
as the chairwoman for the American Forest &
Paper Association.
ASPI EXCELLENCE
IN LEADERSHIP AWARD
Established in 2010, the Excellence in
Leadership Award recognizes outstanding
leaders within the paper
industry. The award honors unique and creative
leadership of employees,
company and key suppliPaul O'Bernier,
ers through major projects
International Paper
or ongoing relationships.
Nominations are made by ASPI members of
individuals they feel have demonstrated creative
leadership in capital projects, mill transformation, grade changes, mill restructuring, and/or
human resource management. Paul O'Bernier,
International Paper, is this year's awardee.

O'Bernier was born and raised in Everett,
WA. He attended the University of Washington,
where he received a Bachelor of Science degree
in pulp and paper science and technology, and
the University of Portland, where he received
an MBA.
O'Bernier has worked in the pulp and paper
industry for 34 years. He started his career
with Boise Cascade in St. Helens, OR, and later
joined Smurfit Newsprint in Oregon City, OR.
For the past 17 years, O'Bernier has worked
for International Paper, and is currently the
manager of the Board Manufacturing Solutions
Group at the corporate technology center in
Loveland, Ohio. He and his wife Jo Ann have
been married for 31 years and have two daughters, Erin and Sarah. O'Bernier is an active
member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in
Milford, OH, where he serves as a head deacon,
growth group leader, and Sunday school teacher.
NOMINATE YOUR CUSTOMER!
Nominations are now open for the 2019
ASPI awards, which will be presented in
February 2019. This is an excellent opportunity
for ASPI members to recognize a pulp and paper
industry customer that has achieved outstanding
results at their facility or company. Registration
forms are available at www.aspinet.org; please
submit no later than June 1, 2018.

Recent Honorees
Over the years, the ASPI Awards have recognized some of the pulp, paper, and packaging industry's top leaders, including the following:
ASPI'S CUSTOMER EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD
2017 - Michael P. Doss, President & CEO, Graphic Packaging
2016 - Steve Voorhees, CEO, WestRock
2015 - Randy Nebel, President, KapStone Kraft Paper Corp.
2014 - M. Jack Sanders, President and CEO, Sonoco
2013 - Alexander Toeldte, President and CEO, Boise Inc.
2012 - James A. Rubright, Chairman and CEO, RockTenn
ASPI EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP AWARD
2017 - Jack Bray, VP-Manufacturing Operations, Domtar
2016 - Don Forst, Director of CEMS, Global Sourcing, International Paper
2015 - Tony Hobson, VP and Resident Mill Manager, West Monroe, Graphic Packaging
2014 - Paul Duncan, Mill Manger, KapStone Paper
2013 - Sandra L. LeBarron, Director of EHS, Finch Paper LLC
2012 - Mike Edwards, Senior VP, Pulp and Paper Manufacturing, Domtar

Paper360º MARCH/APRIL 2018

http://www.aspinet.org

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