Appvion Inc, Appleton, Wis., USA, this week announced that David A. Roberts and has been elected to its board of directors. Roberts is executive chairman of Carlisle Companies Inc., a diversified manufacturing company based in Charlotte, N.C. He served as chairman and CEO of Carlisle from 2007 to 2015. 

 

Prior to joining Carlisle, Roberts served as chairman, president, and CEO of Graco Inc., a Minneapolis, Minn.-based company that designs, manufactures, and markets systems and equipment to move, measure, control, dispense and spray fluid and powder materials for industrial and commercial applications. He worked for Graco from 2001 to 2007.

 

Prior to joining Graco, Roberts held various engineering, manufacturing, plant management, and general management positions in a variety of industries including automotive, office equipment, printing, and management services.  

 

Roberts has served as a director of Carlisle Companies since 2007; a director of Franklin Electric Co. since 2003; and a director of SPX Corp. since 2015. He served as a director of Graco from 2001 until 2007, a director of Arctic Cat Inc. from 2006 until 2009, a director of ADC Telecommunications Inc. from 2008 until 2010, and a director of Polypore International from 2011 until 2015.

 

Roberts earned a master's degree in business administration from Indiana University and a bachelor's degree from Purdue University. 

 

"Dave has extraordinary manufacturing management experience and a distinguished history of service as a director for a diverse group of public companies," said Kevin Gilligan, Appvion's CEO. "Dave is a great fit for our board of directors and we welcome his expert knowledge and perspectives as we continue to implement our strategy for business growth."

 

Roberts joins Steve Carter, retired EVP, CFO, and treasurer of Woodward Inc.; Terry Murphy, retired EVP and CFO of A.O. Smith Corp.; Kathi Seifert, retired EVP of Kimberly-Clark Corp.; Mark Suwyn, president of Marsuw LLC, chairman of WorkplaceDynamics LLC, and retired chairman of NewPage Corp.; and George Wurtz, retired chairman of Soundview Paper Co. LLC, as independent directors. Gilligan serves as the only internal director on the Appvion board.

 

Appvion produces thermal, carbonless, security, inkjet, digital specialty, and colored papers. It has  manufacturing operations in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, employs approximately 1,400 people, and is 100% employee-owned.