Shin-Chin Chen, corporate executive engineer with ABB Inc. in Westerville, Ohio, USA. A graduate of National Cheng-Kung University in Taiwan with a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Chen earned his master of science degree in power mechanical engineering from the National Tsing-Hua University in Taiwan. He holds a Ph.D. in systems engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and has held various positions at ABB since joining the company in 1984. He holds 10 patents and has published more than 40 technical papers during his career. Dr. Chen has pioneered numerous initiatives to improve control of paper machines, reducing costs and enhancing quality. He has also received the 2009 Jasper Mardon Award.
Ergilio Claudio-da-Silva Jr., technology GM with Fibria Celulose SA in Sao Paulo, Brazil, South America. Dr. Claudio-da-Silva Jr. attended the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the Federal University where he earned both his bachelor of science and master of science degrees in chemical engineering. He worked for two years as an assistant professor of chemical engineering at State University Campinas before joining Aracruz Celulose SA in 1977. He earned two additional graduate degrees, first at the Norwegian Institute of Technology in Trondheim and his Ph.D. in paper science and engineering at State University of New York-CESF in Syracuse, N.Y. At Aracruz, Dr. Claudio-da-Silva led the team that built a process and product development unit in a joint initiative with the Forestry R&D unit. At Fibria, the resulting merger of Aracruz and VCP, he has maintained the position of GM of forestry research, production process, and product technology development. He has published more than 30 technical papers and holds four patents.
Tom Garland, president and CEO of PaperWorks Industries, Philadelphia, Pa., USA. Garland has been president and CEO of PaperWorks Industries since the company's founding in 2008 through the acquisition of two coated recycled paperboard mills from Graphic Packaging. Garland has been responsible for the development and implementation of the strategic operating and growth plan for the company. In 2009, PaperWorks absorbed the Specialized Packaging Group, effectively doubling the size of the company. In January of 2011, PaperWorks nearly doubled in size again through the acquisitions of Manchester Industries and the Rosmar Packaging Group. Today, PaperWorks operates 19 locations in the U.S. and Canada, employing more than 1,850 people. A 20-plus year veteran in the paper and packaging industries, Garland was most recently EVP and GM of paperboard operations at RockTenn in Norcross, Ga., where he was responsible for RockTenn's coated, uncoated, SBS, and market pulp mills. Previous experience included senior management.
Kenneth C. Hill, systems group president for Kadant Johnson Inc. in Lenoir City, Tenn., USA. A graduate of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont., Canada, with a degree in mechanical engineering, Hill has been a member of TAPPI since 1983. Throughout his career he has been involved in the area of paper drying and the design of paper drying equipment. He has worked for Huyck Drying Productions, Enerdry Corp., Poyry BEK, Valmet Enerdry, Hill Drying Systems, Johnson Corp., and Kadant Johnson. While with Enerdry Corp. and Valmet Enerdry, he led product developments in the areas of heat recovery, high-humidity hoods, pocket ventilation, and paper machine runnability.
J. David McDonald, consultant. A graduate of the University of Toronto with a bachelor of science degree in physics, he holds a master of science degree in physics from McMaster University. Before joining Paprican in 1984, McDonald served at Abitibi-Price Research Centre. He has won numerous awards, including PAPTAC's top honor, the John Bates Memorial Gold Medal, and also received the Jasper Mardon Award and the Weldon Medal two times. He has published 56 papers and has made 65 conference presentations. He has lectured around the world and been a significant influence on the partnerships between the industry, the government, and academics.
Vince Newberry, Ph.D., technical manager for Mondi Akrosil LLC in Menasha, Wis., USA. Born in London, England, Dr. Newberry started his career as an assistant scientific officer with the U.K. Ministry of Defense, Chemical Defense Establishment. After a promotion to scientific officer, he was awarded a full MOD scholarship, and received a BSc. in chemistry from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1978. He later moved to the U.S. to continue his education at Auburn University and received his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1984. He taught chemistry for two years at what is now Montana State University Billings. Dr. Newberry joined English China Clays International in 1986 and worked at the Sandersville, Ga., research labs for eight years before joining Appleton. He became a U.S. citizen in 1993, and joined Appleton Papers in 1994. In 2008, Dr. Newberry began consulting in the industry. He became technical manager for Mondi Akrosil in 2009.
Ivan I. Pikulik, Ph.D., president of Ivan Pikulik Consulting, Point Claire, Que., Canada. A graduate of Slovak Technical University with a degree in chemical engineering, Dr. Pikulik earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from McMaster University. He served as a research fellow at Swiss Federation Institute of Technology. From there, he joined Spring Chemicals as resident chemist before taking a position at Facelle Co., a division of CIP. He has worked for 28 years at Paprican where he was director of the Papermaking Division. Dr. Pikulik has published 82 papers, holds eight patents, and has made 100 conference presentations. He has made a number of key contributions to advance the understanding of pressing and drying operations and has provided insights into papermaking chemistry. He has twice received the Weldon Medal, twice the Jasper Mardon Medal, and once the John S. Bates Medal.
Nicki S. Slusser, P&C papers converting operations manager, International Paper, Memphis, Tenn., USA. Slusser has responsibility for coordination and operation of the converting facilities as integral components of the P&C papers converting strategy. Slusser began her paper industry career as a project engineer in 1979 with the Mead Corp. in Mahrt, Ala. She progressed through various operating roles at the Mahrt mill as well as at Mead's Chillicothe, Ohio, mill. In 1991, Slusser joined Champion/IP as manager of Nos. 30-31-32 machines at the Courtland, Ala., facility. After eight years of progression in operations management, Slusser joined the Pensacola, Fla., mill as mill manager in 2000. She moved to Memphis in 2005 as P&C papers supply chain operations manager and assumed her current role in early 2007. Slusser holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Kentucky. She is a past president of the Paper Industry Management Association (PIMA) and has held various community board positions. She has been a member of TAPPI since 2007, when PIMA became a division of TAPPI. She has served on the TAPPI Board of Directors since 2008.
Duane Smith, product manager of unwind, winding, and slitting systems at Davis-Standard Converting Systems / Black Clawson Converting Machinery Group in Fulton, N.Y, USA. A graduate of the Rochester Institute with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering, Smith has worked for more than 35 years with Black Clawson. He has received two patents dealing with winding and has made more than 50 technical presentations throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Duane has been an instructor at nine TAPPI short courses and has published two books through TAPPI Press. He has been active in TAPPI for more than 30 years, serving as chair of the Winding Technical Committee and chair of the Finishing and Converting Division. He also has been the TAPPI PLACE Conference session chair, Flexible Packaging Technical Program Committee chair, and chair of the Flexible Packaging Committee.
Thomas O. Trueb, president of efiSolutions Inc., Atlanta, Ga., USA. A graduate of Rose Polytechnical Institute in Terre Haute, Ind., with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering, Trueb first worked with Proctor & Gamble/Charmin Paper Products. He has also served in various management and leadership positions with Union Camp Corp. and Simons-Eastern Co. before co-founding Dean Oliver International. In 2003, he founded efiSolutions Inc. to provide specialized services to the industry, specifically related to paper machine drives and catastrophe recovery services. He has worked on the restoration of pulp and paper mills from numerous hurricanes, floods, and other events. He has been a member of TAPPI since 1978, serving in various capacities on the Electrical Engineering Committee, co-founder of the Paper Machine Drives Short Course and PCE&I Divisions technical program chair, as well as division chair. Trueb received the 1998 Technical Award from TAPPI's Process Control, Electrical, and Information Division, and has twice been recognized with TAPPI's Honors for Contributors.
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