The Appvion Board of Directors (Appleton, Wis., USA) has appointed Kevin Gilligan CEO, effective August 4. Gilligan had been serving as president of the company's paper division. Current CEO Mark Richards will assist with the transition and continue to serve as chairman of Appvion's board of directors through December 31 when he will retire from Appvion. Richards has served as Appvion's CEO and president since joining the company in April 2005.

Richards said that Appvion recruited Gilligan as his potential successor. "Kevin brought a wealth of global business experience in operations and corporate management and has a passion for teamwork, innovation, and partnership with customers," Richards said. "He has added significant depth and breadth to our leadership team and is well prepared to lead the company into the future."

 

Gilligan joined Appvion in June 2014 as president of Appvion's paper division. Gilligan previously worked for H.B. Fuller Co., a publicly traded, global specialty chemical company focused on adhesives and headquartered in St. Paul, Minn. Gilligan's career at H.B. Fuller included 20 years of management experience. He most recently served as VP of global operations where he led H.B. Fuller's operations, including supply chain, sourcing, 45 manufacturing plants, customer service, engineering, and environmental, health, and safety. Gilligan earned a master's degree in business administration from Indiana University and a bachelor's degree in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan.

"I am excited to have the opportunity to serve as Appvion's chief executive officer," Gilligan said. "Our resourcefulness and technical expertise, our market leadership positions, and our passion for serving customers have made our company successful for more than 100 years, and those strengths remain the foundation for our growth."