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TAPPI announces recipients of 2020 fellowships and young professionals awards

The Technical Association of the Pulp & Paper Industry (TAPPI) has announced its 2020 Fellows as well as the recipients of the Young Professional of the Year awards.

Fellow is an honorary title given to a small percentage of TAPPI’s membership. It’s reserved for individuals with extraordinary technical or service contributions to the industry and/or the association.

TAPPI Fellows

The following nine individuals have been named 2020 TAPPI Fellows

• John Bergin, owner, Technical and Investor Consulting
• Fernando Bertolucci, chief technology and innovation officer, Suzano
• Jim Brewster (retired), former senior project advisor, Irving Pulp & Paper, Limited
• Donald Haag, vice-president of manufacturing services, Packaging Corporation of America
• Mark Lewis, CEO of Sustainable Fiber Technologies (SFT) and Phoenix Pulp and Polymer; recipient of the 2020 Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award
• Przemyslaw Pruszynski, Ph.D., consultant, Pruszynski Paper Chemistry Consulting
• Jack Tippett, Ph.D., consultant, EnTech Engineering, PC
• Roland J. Trepanier, Ph.D., president, OpTest Equipment
• Angela Wensley, Ph.D., P.E. (retired), former consultant, Angela Wensley Engineering

Each year, the association may elect members as TAPPI Fellows in recognition of their service to the association and the industry.

The title Fellow is also conferred upon TAPPI board chairs, vice-chairs, and directors at the end of their terms of office, and upon Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Awardees and Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service recipients.

TAPPI Young Professionals of the Year

The Young Professional of the Year is an annual contest that identifies aspiring young leaders in the global forest products, pulp, paper, tissue, packaging and associated industries. Eligible nominees are age 35 or younger with less than 10 years of industry experience.

The five winners of the 2020 TAPPI Young Professionals of the Year awards are:

• Peyton Clifton, mechanical project engineer, Domtar
• John DeJarnette, senior researcher, WestRock Corporation
• John Edwards, operations superintendent, Domtar
• Natasha Melton, senior researcher, WestRock Corporation
• Nika Wanserski, shift supervisor, Neenah, Inc.

The award recognizes young professionals who have made significant contributions to the forest products industries in the following areas: leadership, community service, and problem-solving contributions to scientific or engineering projects.

Winners are recognized in TAPPI’s various publications and online. In addition, they are granted one full year of TAPPI membership and are invited to attend their division specific TAPPI conference during 2020 to receive their award.