Longtime TAPPI Member Peter "Pete" Snyder Retires from HarperLove
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Longtime starch-based corrugating adhesive expert Peter “Pete” Snyder, an active member in TAPPI’s Corrugated Division for 36 years, has announced his retirement from HarperLove.
Pete worked 42 years in the corrugating industry, including for National Starch, Corrugated Chemicals, and Ringwood. For the past 24 years, he was the National Accounts Manager at HarperLove, specializing in wet strength adhesives, triple wall production, bonding waxed and coated substrates, research and development, and board testing. His noted accomplishments include the development of both powder and liquid polymer bonding additives for starch adhesives and the invention and refinement of the chemistry for the popular and valuable One Bag Mix (OBM) products.
He joined TAPPI in 1986, and his 36-year membership reflects a deep passion for advancing the industry. He instructed both “Best Practices on the Corrugator” and “Intro to Corrugated” courses for TAPPI, and along with Ed Riley, also designed and participated in the Corrugated Short Course. Pete has presented technical sessions at Corrugated Week®, CorrExpo® and SuperCorrExpo®. He also participated for 22 years in the peer-reviewed Standards testing and approval process as a Standard-Specific Interest Group (SSIG) member, working toward measurement, evaluation, and description of pulp, paper, packaging, and related products. Pete was also involved in supporting the future of the industry as an active volunteer in the TAPPI Foundation, a student-focused philanthropy that funds generous scholarships, supports the annual Student Summit, and provides assistance to all TAPPI Student Chapters.
“TAPPI was an invaluable investment in my career,” Pete notes, “and I look forward to remaining involved even after retirement.”
An incredibly active Corrugated Division volunteer, Pete’s honors included the 2021 President’s Choice Award, Corrugated Packaging Division Technical Award and Harry J. Bettendorf Prize in 2004, the 2011 Corrugated Packaging Division Leadership and Service Award, and the 2016 Corrugated Lifetime Achievement Award. He served as Chair of the Corrugated Board Technical Service Committee (CORBOTEC), the Fiberboard Shipping Container Technical Committee (FISCOTEC), the Corrugator Scholarships and Awards Committee, and the Cullison Scholarship Committee. He also actively served on the Division Council, Division Steering Committee, Technical Services Committee, the Corrugated Supplier Advisory Committee, the Marketing Advisory Committee, the TOC Awards Committee, the In-Process Subcommittee, Process Control and Quality Assurance Committee and the Technical Information Papers (TIPs) Review Subcommittee.
His Local Section Committee memberships included Chicago TAPPI (Corrugated), Minnesota Local Section, South Central TAPPI Local Section (Corrugated), and the Virginia-Carolina TAPPI Local Section.
Upon learning of Pete’s retirement, TAPPI President & CEO Larry N. Montague said, “Pete represents the best of the best of our TAPPI membership and his successful, rewarding career is proof-positive that being an active member can bolster and improve not only your industry knowledge, but your professional network and growth.”
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In retirement, Pete plans to tutor math at local schools and is considering consulting work. “I will miss all of my friends and colleagues at HarperLove and in corrugating plants in the U.S. and Canada,” Pete said. “Cheers!”
Pete can be reached via private email at peterasnyder@outlook.com.
