2011 TAPPI-PIMA Student Summit Wrap-up

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TAPPI and PIMA had another great and successful Student Summit this year. It was held in Kingsport, Tenn., during MLK weekend, hosted by the local Domtar Paper Mill. This year there were 106 students and 165 total attendees, a record attendance. We had a great show from all of our sponsors, exhibitors, and committee members who were there to support our paper industry students. With high level speakers, hot topic sessions, plentiful exhibitors, and tons of fun events, this year's Student Summit really was the "Best One Yet."

The TAPPI-PIMA Student Summit was held in the new and beautiful MeadowView Marriott Conference Hotel, located centrally to downtown Kingsport. Our speakers were top notch this year, speaking on topics such as:

• Key Note speaker Mike Edwards, Domtar Group Senior VP, Pulp and Paper "New Directions"
• "YP Roundtable" consisting of :Maggie Gerhart (IP), Natalie Hughey (IP), Pascal Perreault (Kruger), Emily Tomes (Ashland), Bailey Wandyg (Naval Surface), and Diana Hoffert (Domtar)
• Tom Phillips with Bobst Group "Corrugated Presentation"
• "New Technologies" featuring Mike Ciesinski, FlexTech Alliance
• "What's a Supplier?" with Steve Sena, Eaton Corp
• Med Byrd from NC State "What's Going on with Biofuels Energy"
• Larry Grogan, President of Grogan Advisory Services "Personal Finance"
• Karen Kemp with AGFirst Farm Credit Bank "Resume, Interviewing, &
Co-opting"
• "Carbon Management" featuring George Weyerhaeuser, Houghton Cascade
• "OP Roundtable" highlighting Charlie Floyd (Domtar), Roger Smith (Domtar), Keith Kemp (AstenJohnson), Anitra Collins (Kapstone Kraft Paper), and Debbie Cooper (Ashland Hercules)
• Jeff Siegel with Mica "Importance of Networking"

Students participated in a wonder paper mill visit to industry leading Domtar Paper Mill. Their mill is highly recognized as a sustainable and clean producing facility, which was a treat for the students to see. The mill visit took place on Sunday afternoon and resulted in many highly spoken words of Domtar and its mill. The outreach of Domtar and its employees with the Student Summit was outstanding and appreciated, as they participated in interviews, presentations, sponsorship, and had a high showing of attendance at the Summit.
Interviewing, showcasing at the trade fair, and providing funds for the Student Summit, our generous sponsors include: OMNOVA, Ashland, Domtar, International Paper, Kruger, Longview Fibre, Nalco, Weyerhaeuser, and Virginia-Carolina Local Section. The Industry Networking & Career Fair and the interview process was exceptional as we had a record high of interviewing companies and many students were offered positions onsite.

On Monday morning, the students battled it out in the Engineering Competition. The project this year was the "Marshmallow Challenge." Each team of 6-7 people had to build a structure consisting of only spaghetti sticks, string, tape, and 1 marshmallow, with the marshmallow having to be on top. The team with the highest measured, free-standing structure won gift cards for Best Buy. This was a fun and challenging competition that highly focused on team work building skills.

Of course the Student Summit is not all hard work and technical sessions, there are also opportunities for the students to network with one another and enjoy their time at a TAPPI event. On the opening night, everyone enjoyed a Casino Night with food and participation from our exhibitors. After the mill tour on Sunday afternoon, the students ventured to a local favorite, "Bays Mountain," to experience some Wolf Howling from live, captive wolves and did a little star gazing in their state-of-the-art planetarium. Following Bays Mountain, everyone enjoyed a Barbecue dinner, billiards, music and dancing at the local pub and restaurant "The Bus Pit," catered by the "Bonefire Smokehouse."

This year's TAPPI-PIMA Student Summit was a fantastic success, offered excellent learning experiences, and left everyone looking forward to next year's event. Congratulations TAPPI on an outstanding Student Summit and the best of luck for next year.