The Excellence in Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated leadership in capital projects, mill transformation, grade changes, mill restructuring, and/or human resource management. For 2022, ASPI chose George Semenak of Georgia-Pacific.

Semenak began his career as a contracted electrical engineer in 1984 after graduating from Michigan Technological University. Semenak did a variety of project assignments and eventually accepted a permanent role with Georgia-Pacific (Fort Howard) in 1990, where he has held a number of engineering and manufacturing leadership positions. Today, Semenak is vice-president of projects and engineering.

ASPI’s Customer Executive of the Year Award is the highest honor that ASPI can bestow on an individual, recognizing a customer executive who has worked within his or her company and with the company’s suppliers to dramatically increase the benefits the company derives from its supplied goods and services. This year’s recipient is Matt Szymanski, vice president of mill operations for Green Bay Packaging.

Prior to his current role, Szymanski was the vice president/general manager of Arkansas Kraft Division with more than 25 years’ experience in chemical/process engineering, technical sales, operations management, and general management. Previously, Szymanski spent much of his career at Green Bay Packaging’s mill in Green Bay, WI, where he was general manager. Szymanski is an active TAPPI member and the proud recipient of PIMA’s 2016 Glen T. Renegar Award.