PPSA Honors 2025 Safety Leaders with Prestigious Industry Awards

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The Pulp & Paper Safety Association (PPSA) is pleased to announce the recipients of its two highest honors for 2025: the Executive Eagle Award and the Safety Leader of the Year (SLY) Award. These prestigious awards recognize individuals who exemplify exceptional leadership and commitment to safety across the forest products industry.

Bill Edwards, Senior Vice President of Pulp, Paper, and Packaging Operations for the legacy Domtar business unit, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Executive Eagle Award. This award is PPSA’s most distinguished recognition, honoring an executive who has made major contributions to accident prevention within their organization and the industry at large.

“Bill’s leadership has made safety not just a goal, but a guiding principle within Domtar and beyond,” said PPSA Chairman DeWayne Bone. “His impact on safety culture and operational excellence is felt throughout the industry, and we’re proud to recognize him with our highest honor.”

With more than 30 years of experience in the pulp and paper sector, Edwards has demonstrated unwavering leadership and a deep commitment to fostering a culture of safety. In his current role, he oversees all pulp, paper, and packaging operations, including environmental, safety, quality, and innovation teams across Domtar’s legacy facilities.

His career includes key leadership roles such as Vice President of Paper Manufacturing, General Manager of Domtar’s Bennettsville Mill, and multiple other senior operational posts. He serves on the TAPPI Board of Directors and is actively engaged with industry organizations such as the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement. Edwards is a past recipient of TAPPI’s Ray H. Cross Award and was named South Carolina Economic Ambassador of the Year for Marlboro County in 2011.

PPSA proudly presents the 2025 Safety Leader of the Year Award to Robert Knoll, Director of Safety for Green Bay Packaging’s Mill Division. This award celebrates a safety professional who has developed innovative and effective safety programs, resulting in significant positive impact on workplace safety across the industry.                                                                                                                                    

“Robert brings heart, strategy, and vision to every aspect of safety,” commented Bone. “His hands-on approach and tireless advocacy have created environments where people not only feel safe—but are truly empowered to stay safe.”

With over 30 years in the paper industry—including 22 years in health and safety—Knoll has built a reputation for fostering strong safety cultures and employee trust. At Green Bay Packaging, he has championed a proactive approach to accident prevention, focusing on behaviors, system design, and building safety independence within the workforce.

Knoll’s career path has taken him from team leadership at Fox River Fiber to applications engineering at Voith/Meri, to spearheading culture shifts across multiple Green Bay Packaging divisions. He is recognized for promoting psychological safety, empowering employees to speak up, and addressing root causes instead of blame.

“These two outstanding leaders represent the very best of our industry,” added Bone. “Bill and Robert exemplify the excellence we strive for in this industry, and PPSA is proud to honor their contributions.”

The awards will be formally presented during PPSA’s 81st Annual Safety and Health Conference, August 24-27, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

For more information, visit www.ppsa.org.