Sappi also announced the appointment of Mike Schultz as managing director of the previously announced, upcoming $170 million capital project to convert Cloquet's pulp mill from hardwood kraft pulp to produce chemical cellulose, the largest capital investment in Cloquet since the 1990s.
"We are very excited to announce the appointments of Rick Dwyer and Mike Haws as managing directors of our Cloquet and Somerset Mills and Mike Schultz as managing director of the pulp mill conversion," said John Donahue, VP of manufacturing, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "Dwyer, Haws, and Schultz bring an expertise and leadership that is critical to operating our world-class coated fine paper and pulp mills safely and sustainably. Managing a large-scale manufacturing site like Cloquet and Somerset is no easy task. I am confident our mills, under their direction, will maintain the highest standard of performance," Donahue added.
Dwyer brings more than 34 years of paper industry experience to his new role as managing director of the Cloquet Mill. In his new position, he will continue to support the mill on quality and operating improvements. Most recently, he played an important role in the work leading to the Sappi Limited Board's approval of the Cloquet Mill's upcoming capital project on chemical cellulose. Prior to this project, he served as managing director of the Muskegon Mill. Before joining Sappi, Dwyer held positions at International Paper and Fox River Paper.
For the upcoming conversion of Cloquet's pulp mill to chemical cellulose, Dwyer will work closely with Schultz. With more than 20 years of experience at the Cloquet Mill, including his previous roles as managing director and pulp production manager, Schultz brings extensive experience in pulping and project leadership to this initiative.
Haws joins Sappi Fine Paper North America as managing director of the Somerset Mill with more than 26 years of experience in the paper industry. Previously, he served as VP of operations at Verso Paper's Bucksport Mill during which the mill notably improved its safety and paper machine performance. His experience includes serving as manager of operational services at IP's Jay Mill and holding manufacturing roles with Champion International and St. Regis Paper.
Haws' predecessor, Fred Oettinger, will be retiring from Sappi at the end of this month after a 36-year career in the paper industry, of which he spent the past five years running the Somerset pulp and paper mill. Under Oettinger's leadership, the Somerset Mill increased paper machine operational efficiency and successfully rebuilt the wet end of PM 1. He was also responsible for significantly reducing the mill's dependence on oil and rebuilding the recovery boiler, which resulted in significant energy and pulp production improvements.
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