A 1982 B.S. Engineering graduate from Western Michigan University's Paper Science and Engineering program, Kerr began his career in Springfield, Ohio, working for what was then C-E Bauer. After the merger with Sprout-Waldron, he spent time in field sales, traveling the Ohio Valley and surrounding area. He worked for a short time with American Maize-Products as marketing manager in the Chicago area before moving back to Ohio to work for the Black Clawson Co. in Middletown.
Kerr has always been an active member of TAPPI, serving as Ohio TAPPl's chairman from 1992 – 1993 and as the Paper & Board Division chairman from 2000 – 2002, achieving the Division Leadership and Service Award in 2005. He was elected to TAPPI's Board of Directors in 2003 and served a three-year term, being named a TAPPl Fellow in 2006.
"I'm very pleased to be named the Foundation's executive director and look forward to the challenges that we face in preparing young engineers and scientists for careers in North America's pulp and paper industry," Kerr said. "As the Foundation's member companies face an ever-increasing number of retirements in the near future, the demand for engineering talent will increase to levels not seen in the past 20 years. And that talent must be well prepared to enter the unique environment offered by the paper industry. This means, of course, that Miami University's paper science and engineering program has an unprecedented opportunity for growth by leveraging this new situation. I am excited by that potential and look forward to being a part of the program's success."
TAPPI
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