Sonoco's Bowen to Retire, Grups to Head Primary Materials
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Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., USA, reports that Jim C. Bowen, SVP, Primary Materials Group, North America, will be retiring from Sonoco following a 40-year career. As a result of his decision, John M. Grups has been named division VP and GM, Primary Materials Group, North America.
Bowen's retirement is effective March 31, 2012, and he will continue to work on several manufacturing initiatives until that time. He has been a SVP since 2002, holding various senior management positions in the company's paper, recycling, manufacturing, and internal supply functions. He joined the company in 1972 after graduating from the pulp and paper engineering program at North Carolina State University. He also received an MBA from Duke University.
In his new position, which became effective October 1, Grups will have responsibility for Sonoco's 12 uncoated recycled paperboard mills in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, Sonoco Recycling, and the company's Adhesives and Forest Products divisions. He will continue to report to Jack Sanders, president and CEO.
"John is a 35-year veteran of Sonoco and has extensive manufacturing experience, including division VP, Global Operations, Consumer Products, along with other operating leadership and plant management responsibilities," Sanders noted. "For the past eight years, he has led our Operating Excellence initiatives, which have enhanced our Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing operating philosophies and improved our purchasing and logistics functions."
Grups is a 1974 graduate of The University of Missouri with a B.S. degree in Math and a B.A. degree in Philosophy. He also holds a master's degree from Purdue University in Industrial Management.
To further leverage Sonoco's global manufacturing support efforts, the company's supply management organization, including purchasing, logistics and other support services will report to Marty F. Pignone, VP, Global Operating Excellence. Pignone will have responsibility for driving standardization with the company's global manufacturing processes while leveraging productivity, quality, supply management, supply chain, environmental services, safety, and engineering functions.
Pignone joined the Company in 1997 and has been VP, Global Manufacturing, since 2009. He graduated in 1978 from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering and received a M.S. degree in business administration from Stanford University in 1991. Prior to joining Sonoco, he worked for General Electric and Kodak.
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