Over The Wire

TAPPI News

Colin South, Rick Holley Keynote at BioPro Expo in March 2011

Colin South, Ph.D., of Lignol Innovations Corp. and Rick Holley of Plum Creek will deliver keynote addresses at the BioPro Expo & Marketplace™ and the International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference (IBBC), which will take place in Atlanta on March 14-16, 2011, at the Atlanta Hilton.

BioPro Expo is the largest conference and exhibition in the Southeastern United States covering the full biomass processing spectrum for multiple industries, from supply through demand and utilization. In-depth educational sessions are backed by a trade show focused on cutting-edge technology, products and services available today. This event examines practical methodologies for quickly transitioning products, residues and waste streams into energy and biofuel.

Dr. South has diverse experience in the area of engineering, management and entrepreneurship. A chemical and bioprocess engineer by training, he has held a range of technical and leadership roles in the engineering, chemical, food and biotech industries. Active in the alternate fuels and chemicals area for much of his career, Dr. South graduated with a degree in Chemical and Process Engineering from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. He received his Ph.D. in Bioprocess Engineering at Dartmouth College, completing his thesis in the area of cellulosic ethanol production.

Currently he is the Chief Technology Officer of Lignol Innovations Corp., a Burnaby, B.C.-based company developing green fuels and chemicals from lignin, a multifunctional naturally occurring aromatic polymer. Additionally, he is the CEO of Novogy, a renewable fuels company based in Cambridge, Mass., and was the founding President of Mascoma Corporation, an industry-leading company developing and commercializing advanced biotechnology solutions for second-generation cellulosic ethanol.

Holley was elected President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Plum Creek in 1994. Prior to assuming this role, he served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 1985. Holley began his career at General Electric Company in 1974, where he served in a variety of financial management positions. In 1983, he joined Burlington Northern Inc. where he worked as assistant vice president, corporate audit. He held that position until joining Plum Creek in 1985.

He received a bachelor of science degree in accounting and business administration from San Jose State University. He also completed an advanced education program at Northwestern University. In addition to serving on Plum Creek's board, Holley serves on several private and not-for-profit boards including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc., National Alliance of Forest Owners and the Blethen Corporation.

More information about BioPro Expo & Marketplace is available online.

TAPPI Scholarship Deadlines Approach

Don't miss your last chance! Hurry and take advantage of the financial resources TAPPI makes available to the industry's next generation of leaders -- today's students. TAPPI offers scholarships in a number of areas and you just might be eligible.

We know you're busy and you've been "meaning to" get around to it, so here's one last reminder. The deadline of February 15, 2011 (for most applications) is fast approaching.

To recap, here are the basics.

Who is eligible: The scholarships are available for graduate and undergraduate students with an interest in the pulp, paper, converting, and packaging industries. There are two general types of scholarships:

1- TAPPI Division scholarships. Read more.
2- William L. Cullison Scholarship: Details available online.

If you're a student, this is a great way to apply for financial assistance for the 2011 – 2012 school year. Note that requirements will vary according to scholarship source (TAPPI Division) so you'll need to check the qualifications carefully. A reference document is available to help guide you through the process.

If you are affiliated with a college or university, share this with your students or other staffers who work with students. They'll be glad you did.

If you're in the industry, perhaps you know of students worthy of scholarship assistance with their education, so please pass this information along.

The deadline for the Technical Division scholarships is February 15, 2011. The deadline for the Cullison Scholarship is May 1, 2011. To be a winner you need to complete an application. Help us help you to fund a portion of your important education endeavors.

TAPPI and PIMA Announce New Members of Young Professionals Committee

Congratulations to the newest members of the TAPPI/PIMA Young Professionals Committee.

Fourteen young professionals in the pulp, paper and converting industry have joined the committee, a group shaped by soon-to-be college graduates, recent graduates, young professionals in the industry, and accomplished professionals who want to build connections and provide networks for its members. Its purpose is to encourage younger individuals to get involved and advance the industry by building from fresh, creative and driven minds.

The new members and their affiliations are: Laura Beauchesne – White Birch Paper; Maggie Gerhart – International Paper; Zachary Growe – Weyerhaeuser; Nichole Hartley – Ashland; Natalie Hughey – International Paper; Tim Li – Amec; Jamie Percy – Alpac; Eric Schweighofer – Rio Tinto; Derek Sorensen – Alpac; Michael Subilia – Sappi Fine Paper; Dan Sweeney – Utah University; Emily Tomes – Ashland; Ashley Urbanski – BHS; and Bailey Wandyg – Naval Surface.

Currently the Young Professionals Committee is working on installing a new Young Professionals track at 2011 PaperCon, heading a Young Professional Round Table at the 2011 Student Summit in Kingsport, Tenn., incorporating networking events at all TAPPI Conferences, and reaching out and engaging newly graduated young professionals.

The committee is in need of additional young professionals to be a part of the Young Professional Technical Track at 2011 PaperCon, which will include speakers, session chairs, and co-chairs. For each of the sessions, there will be one professional and one young professional teamed up to work together to produce an excellent session.

The rewards for a young professional to get involved include fine-tuning leadership, speaking, and presentation skills, the ability to work side by side with respected industry experts, and the chance to experience the ins and outs of a professional and technical conference in the paper industry.

Those interested in becoming involved and active on the Young Professionals Committee and 2011 PaperCon should contact Libby Hardison.

2011 International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Resources Announced

With a new name that reflects a growing interest in the nanotechnology sector, the TAPPI 2011 International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Resources takes place June 6-8, 2011, in Arlington, Va. USA. The conference will provide the latest findings in research and applications in nanotechnology from around the world.

In its sixth year, this conference continues to grow and is a gathering place for a unique community of industry experts, scientists, health and safety specialists, legal and government policy makers, and leading researchers to learn about the latest in nanotechnology research and development.

Formerly known as TAPPI's International Conference on Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry, the title of this annual conference has been changed to reflect the advances in nanotechnology in renewable materials and their widespread applications in many other industries.

This year's conference theme is "Nanotechnology for a Sustainable Future." Presentations will focus on several key thematic areas such as:

• Nanocellulosics and Nanocomposites
• Applications of Renewable Nanomaterials
• Nanostructured materials by Self Assembly
• Nanotech Coatings and Novel Nano-Enabled Functionalities
• Governmental & Environmental Issues

Abstracts are currently being accepted for this one-of-a-kind event. View the call for papers.

The TAPPI 2011 International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Resources will take place at the Sheraton Crystal City in Arlington, Va. More information is available online.

His TAPPI Membership Supports Lifelong Learning Idea

Start the New Year off right by getting to know TAPPI member Udaykumar Raval as he stars in the Member Spotlight. Uday is currently a Senior Process Engineer with Pall Life Sciences where he is responsible for membrane manufacturing, new product commercialization and yield improvement.

An active member since 1996, Uday has served in several officer roles on the Fibers and Process Committee, and is also active on various committees such as Filtration; Fibers and Process; Materials, Characterization and Modeling; Division Steering; and the NETInc Technical Program. Most recently he served as Technical Program Coordinator for NETInc 2010.

Spotlight participants are recommended by fellow members and staff. If you would like to nominate a member (or even yourself!) just send their name (or names) to MemberSpotlight@tappi.org. We will forward a Spotlight Questionnaire to fill out and return.

We look forward to seeing you in the Spotlight!

TAPPI SRW Workshop scheduled for April 11-13 in Nashville

The annual TAPPI Shipping, Receiving and Warehousing Workshop will take place April 11-13 at the Hilton Nashville Downtown. Join a dedicated group of mills, carriers, warehouses and printers as they establish standards to reduce in-transit damage to rolls of paper.

Highlights include a report from the participants in a six-month trial of the "qMetrix for Transportation" system, which provided real-time roll inspection reports to help identify the causes of roll damage. Preliminary results indicate there is a great potential for cost savings and improved profits for everyone involved in the printed media supply chain.

In addition, you'll hear presentations from publishers, rail and truck carriers and benefit by networking with contacts through the entire paper supply chain (mills, warehousing, shippers, rail, truck and end users. Registration is open and sponsorships are available. Learn more.

2011 Board Level Association Award Winners Announced

Congratulations to TAPPI's 2011 class of Board Level Association award winners. They include:

2011 TAPPI Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Winner
Richard A. Reese, Dick Reese and Associates Inc.

2011 TAPPI Herman Joachim Distinguished Service Award Winner
Peter D. Wallace, Arclin

TAPPI Fellows Class of 2011

Shih-Chin Chen, ABB Inc.
Ergilio Claudio-da-Silva Jr., Fibria Celulose S.A.
Thomas J. Garland, PaperWorks Industries Inc.
Kenneth C. Hill, Kadant Johnson Systems
J. David McDonald
Vince Newberry, Mondi Akrosil LLC
Ivan I. Pikulik, Ivan Pikulik Consulting
Nicki S. Slusser, International Paper
R. Duane Smith, Davis-Standard Converting Systems
Thomas O. Trueb, EFI Solutions Inc.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens. Circumstances and situations do color life, but you have been given the mind to choose what the color shall be." – John Homer Miller