volume 12 number 3 voorhees and forst receive … nl dec... · which recognizes extraordinary...
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Volume 12 Number 3December 2015
Inside This Issue
Voorhees and Forst Receive ASPI Awards .......................................... 1
Georgia-Pacific Hosts Record-Setting Fall Meeting ................................................. 2
ASPI Sets Two Records in 2015 – Meeting Attendance and New Members ............ 6
ASPI Staff .............................................. 7
ASPI Heads to Miami, Florida for 2016 Spring Meeting ...................................... 8
WestRock to Host ASPI 2016 Fall Customer Alignment Meeting ............... 9
Ensuring 21st Century Manufacturing Excellence: Georgia Tech’s Professional Master’s Degree in Manufacturing Leadership ........................................... 10
ASPI Welcomes Grayson Lutz and Deepa George ...................................... 11
ASPI Board of Directors ....................... 12
Association of Suppliers to the Paper Industry
Headquarters
15 Technology Parkway South, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
Phone: +1 770-209-7521Fax: +1 770-209-7581
Email: [email protected]: www.aspinet.org
Voorhees and Forst Receive ASPI Awards
S teve Voorhees, Chief Executive Officer of WestRock, has been awarded the ASPI 2016 Customer Executive of the Year Award which recognizes extraordinary effectiveness in working with a
range of suppliers to enhance productivity, efficiency and effectiveness. Steve Voorhees has successfully directed the merger of RockTenn and MeadWestvaco. Previously, Voorhees was chief executive officer of RockTenn. Prior to his appointment as CEO of RockTenn, he served in various executive leadership roles, including president and chief operating officer; executive vice president and chief financial officer; and chief administrative officer. Before joining Rock-Tenn, Steve was in operations and executive roles at Sonat Inc., a diversified energy company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
Don Forst, Director of Capital Equipment and Manufacturing Services – Global Sourcing, International Paper in Loveland OH, is the recipient of the ASPI 2016 Excellence in Leadership Award. This award honors unique and creative leadership of employees, company and key suppliers through major projects or ongoing relationships. Don joined International Paper in 1997 at the company’s Texarkana, Texas, Coated Paperboard Mill. Don became the Mill Manager at the Prattville, AL containerboard mill in 2007 and moved into his
current position in January, 2013. Prior to coming to IP, Don held numerous positions in operations leadership and mill technical support during a more than 12-year career with the former James River Corporation
Both awards will be presented at the ASPI 2016 Spring Meeting in Miami, Florida. February 24-26, 2016. F
(continued on page 2)
Steve Voorhees
Don Forst
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ASPI News December 2015
Georgia-Pacific Hosts Record-Setting Fall Meeting
With an emphasis on sharing their unique management philosophy and opening channels of com-munication with the supplier community, Georgia-Pacific hosted a record-setting ASPI Customer Alignment Meeting at its Atlanta headquarters October 12-14, 2015. A strong turnout from both
ASPI members and G-P representatives made this the largest Customer Alignment Meeting to date. More than 20 new member companies joined ASPI prior to the meeting, and most had delegates on hand to participate in the Fall 2015 program.
Each October, The Customer Alignment meeting offers ASPI members unprecedented access to executives from North America’s top pulp and paper companies. Every session includes question-and-answer sections where attendees may ask specific questions about customer relationships, preferred business practices, or other aspects of building strong relationships between vendors and producers. Before each meeting, ASPI members may even submit questions anonymously for host company personnel. This guarantees that meeting attendees, as well as host companies, address real issues and concerns to receive genuine value from the time spent at the meeting.
Growth and OpportunityThe Fall 2015 meeting kicked off
with an address from James Hannan, CEO and president of Georgia-Pacific. Hannan told attendees,
“I’m very excited about the future of G-P,” and shared background on the company and its acquisition by Koch Industries.
With annual revenues of more than $115 billion and operations in 60 countries around the world, Koch is the second-largest privately-held company in the United States. Completed in 2005, Koch’s acquisition of G-P transitioned the pulp and paper firm from a publicly-held to a privately-held company, and represented an example of the Koch strategy “to invest about 90% of its earnings back into the business,” said Hannan. The G-P acquisition was, in size and scope, the largest acquisition that Koch has ever made. G-P now boasts more than 200 operations in 30 states, responsible for about 32,000 direct jobs.
In spite of the company’s continued success, Hannan says, G-P’s corporate strategy is focused on continued improvement. “A business must not only continually improve the value it creates, it must do so more rapidly than its competitors,” he said. This “out with the old, in with the new” strategy—which Hannan called “creative destruction”—helps make room for innovation.
It’s also one reason that G-P chose to host the 2015 ASPI Fall Meeting. When it comes to problem-solving, “the place we tend to go is where something’s on fire,” Hannan said, “but that may not be the best opportunity for improvement. We welcome interesting ideas and opportunities from suppliers.”
In fact, he said, G-P is willing to be the “beta company” for innovations and improvements suggested by its suppliers, when the risk level is appropriate; “the success of the project is not necessarily the goal—the knowledge gained is the goal,” he said.
A hallmark of ASPI meetings is the time provided for direct questions from meeting attendees. During his question-and-answer period, Hannan gave attendees deeper insight into G-P’s global vision, the supplier’s role within the company’s management strategy, and even into the company’s decision to remain a private company. “There’s a cost to going public,” he explained. “The short-term expectation cycles draw focus away from the long-term goals.”
(continued on page 3)James Hannan
ASPI News December 2015
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Georgia-Pacific Hosts Record-Setting Fall Meeting(continued from page 2)
An MBM OverviewA showcase session of the
meeting program was Tuesday morning’s panel on Market-Based Management® (MBM®), a proprietary business philosophy developed by Charles Koch. The panel consisted of the following Georgia-Pacific personnel:
• Mike Adams, Senior VP, Sourcing
• Steve Arendsen, VP Procurement Ops
• Darin Dredge, MBM Training Account Manager for G-P’s Building Products Division
• Kevin Glorio, Category Sourcing Director
• George Semenak, VP Engineering
• Todd Zielinski, VP Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
MBM expert Darin Dredge took the lead on the presentation. He’s a consultant with Market-Based Management LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, and has helped develop MBM training for operations personnel.
Over time, Dredge related, MBM has grown from a personal business
strategy to an enterprise-wide system of business management that has been systematically shared and applied across all the businesses within Koch Industries. Charles Koch has written two books on the subject: The Science of Success in 2007, and Good Profit, which was released just this year.
According to Dredge, MBM® creates a “win-win mindset” that has contributed to the huge growth enjoyed by Koch Industries over the past five decades—the firm grew in value from about $21 million in 1961, to more than $100 billion in 2014. The company attributes this growth to the rigorous application of MBM® principles—“this is not just a ‘flavor of the month,’” Dredge says. “It is a management philosophy that enables an organization to succeed long-term by applying the principles that allow free societies to prosper.”
He outlined “five dimensions” of MBM® that shape the approach:
• Vision:Thisisthe“whereandhow” of creating the most long-term value
• Virtue&Talents:The“who”of creating an MBM® culture through hiring and develop-ment
• KnowledgeProcess:Theideaof“what we need to know,” said Dredge
• DecisionRights:Encompassingexpectations, accountability, and individual contribution
• Incentives:Themethodsformotivating employees to make further contributions
All of these dimensions are related
and support each other, Dredge said; apply only one or two, and your business’ success will be limited. Yet, when properly applied, “these dimensions create an approach that is more than the sum of its parts,” he added. “It is continually transformative.”
Dredge called MBM® a “proscribed culture,” as opposed to an organically-created corporate culture; this means that every organization within Koch industries can reap the same benefits. At Georgia-Pacific, he said, mills in different locations used to compete against each other in terms of production goals; today, operators are guided by the goals of MBM® and the knowledge process, and will share knowledge and solutions among mill locations, enhancing the company’s overall success.
This is also why Georgia-Pacific management sees a benefit to communicating the MBM® culture with the supplier community, noted Dredge. With a greater understanding of Market-Based Management® philosophy and principles, “suppliers can fit their suggestions into Georgia-Pacific’s culture, values, and beliefs,” he said.
The session also included an in-depth look at the ten Guiding Principles of the MBM® philosophy, and a look at how they lead to the long-term success of the business.
Once again, the question-and-answer period proved lively and informative, as attendees were able to ask targeted questions about MBM®
Darin Dredge
(continued on page 4)
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Georgia-Pacific Hosts Record-Setting Fall Meeting(continued from page 3)
ASPI News December 2015
and how it might impact Georgia-Pacific’s supplier’s relationships. “We need to make sure that both teams—Georgia-Pacific, and our vendor—are aligned in terms of vision,” Dredge said.
Industry UpdatesThe afternoon sessions offered
attendees an opportunity to learn more about Georgia-Pacific’s operating groups and about the pulp, paper and packaging industries. Kathy Walters, executive vice president—Consumer Products Group for Georgia-Pacific, kicked things off with a discussion of the company’s consumer businesses and brands.
Georgia-Pacific produces some of the world’s best-known consumer brands of tissue, towel and paper products, such as Angel Soft and Northern bath tissues, Brawny and Sparkle paper towels, and Dixie cups and plates. “We serve all segments of the market—including value brands, high-end, and private label—that we feel will be profitable,” Walters said.
In addition to the familiar brands in the Consumer Business, Georgia-Pacific’s consumer Products Group includes Professional Products, which serve the away-from-home
market; Nonwovens, including hygiene and personal care products; and Commercial Papers. During her presentation, Walters gave a attendees a detailed look at each segment’s share of Georgia-Pacific’s overall business, with business projections, supply and demand overviews, and a look at the market factors affecting each area.
She noted that, in the low-margin packaged goods segment, production cost reduction is always a priority—and that suppliers could be part of the solution. “If we’re doing anything that raises costs with our vendors, we want to know,” she noted. “We really do value any feedback from the supplier community that helps us reduce cost.”
To round out the Georgia-Pacific picture for attendees, Christian Fischer, Georgia-Pacific’s executive vice president—Packaging Segment, offered a look at the company’s packaging and cellulose businesses. Products in this segment include bleached board (about 40% of which the company converts into its Dixie plates and cups); cellulose, or paper pulp, which is used for a wide variety of purposes across several industries; corrugated packaging; containerboard; and kraft paper.
This segment has presented its own challenges for Georgia-Pacific, Fischer explained. For instance, rising wood costs and a stronger U.S. dollar have made it difficult for North American mills to remain competitive across a global marketplace, and have attracted more imports in these product areas. In response, Georgia-Pacific has worked to align its innovation strategies with its business strategies, he said. Fischer noted that, in a two-year period, the company has doubled its R&D spending; they have also worked to “accelerate the assessment and commercialization of innovation opportunities,” he said.
Once again, suppliers can play a role. “How can vendors help?” Fischer asked. “Understand us. Share knowledge, and challenge the status quo. Anticipate change. Help us eliminate waste—in our processes, and in our decision-making.” By taking the time to understand real-life market factors and the Georgia-Pacific culture, vendors can forge relationships that foster innovation.
Aligned for SuccessIn developing the Customer
Alignment Initiative, ASPI’s goal was to create a new way of supporting members’ customer base (i.e., pulp, paper and packaging manufacturers) by giving them a chance to communicate their strategic objectives to the supplier community. At the Fall meeting, two Wednesday morning panel sessions provided that opportunity for attendees and for meeting host Georgia-Pacific.
Kathleen Walters
Christian Fischer(continued on page 5)
ASPI News December 2015
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Georgia-Pacific Hosts Record-Setting Fall Meeting(continued from page 4)
The first was the Operations Leader Panel Discussion featuring Georgia-Pacific’s Paul Frederickson, senior vice president–Consumer Products Group and Jeff Vermilyea, VP technical services—Manufacturing. For Consumer Products, said Frederickson, it’s all about value generation. “We’re a lumbering giant—but we work with real constancy of action and purpose,” he said.
Frederickson identified five critical value drivers for attendees; first on the list was the application of the Market-Based Management® principles that guide all Koch companies. Another was something he termed “Managing Critical Hazards”—in other words, worker safety. “Telling people to ‘stay safe’ doesn’t cut it for us,” he said. “We believe the way to have no incidents is to manage all the risks—not just use platitudes.”
Other topics discussed included managing the balance of energy, labor, and materials costs; meeting mill expectations; and Georgia-Pacific’s unique decision-making structure. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions specific to Georgia-Pacific’s capital
expenditure processes, giving everyone on hand valuable insight into working with the company on both small and large projects.
The day’s second panel discussion, titled Strategic Sourcing Perspective, featured Georgia-Pacific’s Mike Adams, senior vice president—Sourcing, and Kevin Heath, vice president—Strategic Sourcing. Again, the emphasis was placed on the application of MBM® “to create long-term value for customers, the company, and society,” said Adams.
While Georgia-Pacific has three separate businesses—Consumer Products, Packaging & Cellulose, and Building Products—the company’s reporting structure is actually organized by “capabilities” (including Operations/Engineering, Sourcing, and Finance, to name a few.) Adams explained these capabilities in more detail, to help attendees understand how their companies could build and maintain strong supplier-customer relationships within the Georgia-Pacific structure.
Adams and Heath also discussed the role that innovation can play in establishing vendor relationships. “We must innovate and improve
at least as fast as our most effective competitor,” said Adams. “Suppliers can aid us in this by offering new and different ways for Georgia-Pacific to create value; driving ‘creative destruction,’ and questioning the status quo.”
A Primer on the EconomyTo provide attendees with an
expert view on current economic conditions, host company Georgia-Pacific invited Emanuella Enenajor, vice president, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, to present an economic outlook. Her detailed summary gave ASPI members an eye-opening look into the mechanics of the U.S. economic recovery, current conditions, and the projected financial landscape.
Enanajor reported that, while steady, the U.S. economic recovery of recent years has been slower than expected—growth has been at a rate of about 2.5% per year, what she termed “a dollar headwind, not a hurricane.” One factor slowing growth slightly has been the appreciation of the U.S. dollar; she anticipates that, in 2016, it’s “quite possible” that the dollar will return to being “a more neutral force,” and
Jeff Vermilyea (left) and Paul Fredrickson (right)
Mike Adams
(continued on page 6)
Emanuella Enenajor
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ASPI News December 2015
economic recovery will continue.
According to Enanajor, the labor market is showing significant improvement; high-paying job sectors are contributing to job growth, and the share of part-time jobs is dropping. Both of these factors indicate “solid, substantial job growth,” she said. Following a dramatic increase in 2008, firing is continuing to decline, and hiring is up. At about 5.5%, the current U.S. unemployment rate is near to what Enanajor reports the Federal Reserve considers an “ideal” rate of 5% unemployment; if it were much lower, wages would rise too quickly, she says.
Other financial topics discussed include the Chinese economy and its impact on U.S. manufacturing; U.S. energy independence; and changing wage rate levels. During the question and answer period,
attendees targeted topics including health care costs and interest rates, ending a highly informative and valuable session.
Wrapping UpGeorgia-Pacific’s Kevin Heath
summed up the reason his company chose to sponsor one of the most successful ASPI Customer Alignment Meetings to date. “I think our leadership team has come to a better understanding of the value of doing this with our customers,” Heath said. When considering the meeting, the questions “how would this create value?” was a constant refrain; Georgia-Pacific was able to identify a host of positive outcomes, including:
• HelpingsuppliersunderstandMBM®
• Helpingtodefinesupplierstra-tegic relationships
• Puttingkeynamestofaceswithin the company
• Promptingsupplierstoaskthemselves, “how is what we’re doing aligned to Georgia-Pacific’s core values?”
• Knowledgetransfer—help-ing vendors share ideas with Georgia-Pacific
In his closing comments, ASPI President Mike Gray, Area SVP, sales and paper business NA for Valmet, noted that attendees were already reporting a highly successful meeting. “The feedback I’ve gotten is that (attendees) now have a better understanding of Market-Based Management, and of doing business with Georgia-Pacific,” Gray stated. “I’ve received so many positive comments about the openness that Georgia-Pacific has shown. It’s been an excellent day-and-a-half for ASPI members.” F
ASPI Sets Two Records in 2015 – Meeting Attendance and New Members
ASPI Sets Record Attendance at October Meeting
ASPI hosted its largest meeting to date this past October, with 138 supplier executives present at the 2015 Fall Customer Alignment Meeting with host Georgia-Pacific. Attendance surpassed last year’s Customer Alignment Meeting hosted by International Paper.
Georgia-Pacific’s senior staff shared expectations on how suppliers could support Georgia-Pacific’s growth. Comments from attendees included:
• “GPwasafantastichost–veryopen and honest information”
• “GreatpreparationbyGP”
• “[Thiswasmy]firstevent..wellrun meeting, great content and value, meeting at the customer venue adds value to content and knowledge gained.”
• “GPwasagreathost,veryopen
in their discussions, valuable information.”
• “Wellstructuredandexecuted.GP was a positive example of a large company that understands their need for effective supplier relationships.”
Georgia-Pacific Hosts Record-Setting Fall Meeting(continued from page 5)
(continued on page 7)
ASPI News December 2015
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ASPI Sets Two Records in 2015(continued from page 6)
ASPI Welcomes 24 New Members in 2015
ASPI is pleased to announce that a total of 24 companies have joined ASPI in 2015. This is the largest number of new members ASPI has seen in a calendar year. The success of the Customer Alignment Initiative and the executive level networking opportunities ASPI offers demonstrate the clear value that ASPI brings to its members.
Please join ASPI in welcoming the following new member companies in 2015:• Acrowood
• AlbanyInternational
• B&DIndustrial
• Can-AmMachinery
• Caraustar
• CaseyIndustrial
• CRMeyerandSons
• Elettric80
• EnzymeDeinkingTechnologies
• FabioPerini
• FuturaConverting
• Gambini
• Hargrove
• Henkel
• IES–SonicAire
• IFSIndustries
• Lantier
• Lundberg
• PaperConvertingMachineCo.(PCMC)
• Pepite
• Plamsine
• PulsarAmerica
• TriTec
• UMVCoatingSystemsF
Welcome Dinner at Georgia Aquarium
Attendees fill the Georgia-Pacific Auditorium
ASPI Staff Key Contacts
Eric FlettyASPI Excutive DirectorOffice: 770-209-7535Cell: [email protected]
Grayson LutzDirector of Member
RelationsOffice: 770-209-7215Cell: [email protected]
Marilyn JeansASPI Meeting PlannerOffice: 770-209-7296Cell: [email protected]
Deepa GeorgeASPI Member Services
CoordinatorOffice: 770.209.7257Cell: [email protected]
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ASPI News December 2015
ASPI Heads to Miami, Florida for the 2016 Spring Meeting
ASPI's Spring program features industry CEOs, plus ample networking opportunities, all in a relaxed, infor-mal setting. Join us in Miami this spring to build your relationships with your customers and other supplier industry executives.
Recognize ASPI Award Winners Voorhees and
ForstASPI will be recognizing recipients
of their two annual awards. Steve Voorhees, Chief Executive Officer of WestRock, will be presented the ASPI 2016 Customer Executive of the Year Award, and Don Forst, Director of Capital Equipment and Manufacturing Services – Global Sourcing for International Paper will be presented with the ASPI 2016 Excellence in Leadership Award.
Both awardees were nominated by ASPI members.
Get an Industry Financial Update from Analyst Chip
DillonChip Dillon returns to the ASPI
Spring Program. Chip presented at the ASPI 2013 Spring Meeting and received excellent marks in the post-meeting survey. ASPI is pleased that Chip can join us again this spring.
C.A. (Chip) Dillon, III is Partner with Vertical Research Partners and covers the Global Paper and Packaging Industry. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and consistently ranks highly in the major polls/surveys of U.S. Paper and Packaging Analysts, including a #1 ranking on eight occasions in the Institutional Investor (II) poll. In addition, Chip is the only U.S. Paper
and Packaging Analyst to be inducted into The Wall Street Journal Analyst “Hall of Fame.” Chip was named the top stock picking analyst in the “General Industries” category in its annual “Best on the Street” rankings in 2010. That year, Chip also was recognized as the #1 Stock Picker and Earnings Estimator by StarMine.
A Wall Street veteran, Chip has covered the industrial space for more than two decades. He joined Vertical Research in July 2011 after serving as a Managing Director at Credit Suisse and prior to that, Citigroup Investment Research. He also worked at First Manhattan Co. and J.P. Morgan Investment Management.
The Thompson Miami Beach
The meeting is being held at the Thompson Miami Beach, a recently renovated boutique hotel that resides
in a beautifully restored Art Deco Tower, bringing back the charm of the 1950's Miami Beach. Thompson Miami Beach offers fantastic options for food and beverage. Enjoy a relaxing and social dinner at the Seagrape, a communal restaurant of the James Beard Foundation Award winning chef, Michelle Bernstein. Guests can also grab an artisanal drink at the 1930s House and enjoy the historic bungalow along with a few of Michelle Bernstein's small plates. Meet a few friends by the pool with cocktails in hand and enjoy an eclectic Caribbean mix from a live DJ. For a more serene scene, take some time to enjoy the beautiful garden which is walled with native plants. The open-air rooftop spa offers body massages, facials, and body wraps along with complimentary fitness classes daily for hotel guests.
The NeighborhoodThompson Beach Miami is
situated close to South Beach and away from the maddening crowd. It is also located close to Lincoln Road where there are a plethora of cafes and boutiques. Whether guests wish to shop, eat, relax on the beach, or grab a drink, the surrounding area offers a number of different options for them to explore.
C.A. (Chip) Dillon, III
(continued on page 9)
ASPI News December 2015
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ASPI Heads to Miami(continued from page 8)
The Spouse ProgramDuring this year’s ASPI Spring Meeting, the spouses
will be given the opportunity to tour the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Vizcaya is a national historic landmark that preserves the Miami estate of agricultural industrialist James Deering. It is an oasis of green and silence beautifully preserved just south of Miami's modern skyline. The gardens are among the most elaborate in the country and are reminiscent of seventeenth and eighteenth century France and Italy.
Following a tour, enjoy lunch in a casual South Beach restaurant before returning to the hotel for an afternoon of leisure or sunning by the pool.
Registration InformationRegistration is now open. The registration rate for ASPI
members is $855, and registration for the spouse program will be $335. Registration is open to nonmembers for the Spring Meeting. Registration rates for nonmembers to attend the Spring Meeting are $1250. F
WestRock to Host ASPI 2016 Fall Customer Alignment Meeting
November 17-18, 2016 - Peachtree Corners (Norcross), GA
WestRock has agreed to host the ASPI 2016 Customer Alignment Meeting in Fall 2016. As in past years, WestRock will bring their executive team together to share how suppliers can support their strategic growth. Check the ASPI website at www.aspinet.org regularly for details.
WestRock will be the ninth host in the Customer Alignment Initiative that ASPI launched back in 2007. ASPI launched this initiative to support the strategic growth of the pulp, paper and packaging industries. This initiative has brought great value to the supplier community as well as the customer hosts. The feedback ASPI recieves from hosts after the meeting is always very positive.
Please plan to renew your ASPI membership in 2016 so that you will receive updates on the meeting and have the opportunity to register. F
2016 WestRock
2015 Georgia-Pacfic
2014 International Paper
2013 Boise
2012 Domtar
2011 Temple-Inland
2010 Verso
2009 NewPage
2008 MWV
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ASPI News December 2015
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Ensuring Excellence in 21st Century Manufacturing: Georgia Tech’s Professional
Master’s Degree in Manufacturing Leadership (PMML)
As the manufacturing industry advances from the traditional assembly line structure to a complex, made-on-demand, highly customized and computerized process, it will need a workforce with more than tradi-tional technical skills to achieve global competitiveness. And the leaders of this workforce will need more
than technical knowledge. To manage the demands of a changing industry, manufacturing leaders will need to have a deep understanding of today’s dynamic supply chains and production planning as well as the capability to transfer knowledge from retiring employees to new hires.
To meet these challenges and develop operations and facility leaders with the knowledge, skills, and experience that will be needed in the coming decades, Georgia Tech has launched a professional master’s degree in manufacturing leadership (PMML). This new hybrid degree program is a result of Georgia Tech Professional Education partnering with the College of Engineering and the Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI). The degree is intended to prepare professionals to assume positions of business and technical leadership on a manufacturing site or at the corporate level. Since the program offers a concentration in forest bioproducts or chemical manufacturing, it has particular appeal to the broader pulp and paper industry.
Develop Expert Operations and Facility Leaders
As engineers and technologists advance within a manufacturing organization, either at the mill or plant or in the corporate office, they need wide-ranging skills to successfully resolve business or personnel issues. The professional
master’s in manufacturing leadership is a unique opportunity for technical professionals to build their business operations and personnel management skills and expertise. The degree equips the next generation of operations leaders and facility managers with enriching experiences in teamwork, leadership, decision-making, and professional skills development, as well as provides exposure to leading-edge technology.
The program meets a need within corporations that are seeking to develop manufacturing leadership capability. Such leadership requires a combination of business, management, and technical capability not found in current degree programs. An informal market scan showed significant enthusiasm among company officials and young professionals for the program concept.
A Multi-Disciplinary Approach
The multi-disciplinary nature of the PMML program enables candidates to acquire vital soft skills, such as leading change and handling conflict, as well as technical
competencies, including sustainable system design and computer integration. And the hybrid format of the program means that these aspiring leaders don’t have to disrupt their careers while pursuing the degree; they can keep their full-time positions and apply what they are learning to their current jobs.
A unique element of the PMML program is that it concludes with a capstone course, a comprehensive team-based project that challenges students to tackle a real-world industry problem and present the solution to a company sponsor.
About the Professional Master’s in Manufacturing
Leadership (PMML) Program
• PMML is a terminal degree for industry professionals who possess a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering, have at least one year of working experience, and seek advancement to leadership positions in manufacturing or on a corporate level.
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ASPI News December 2015
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Ensuring Excellence(continued from page 10)
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• The PMML degree is issued by the Georgia Tech College of Engineering. The PMML program is delivered through Georgia Tech Professional Education.
• The program is structured as online-learning with one-week on-campus sessions three times over two years.
• As opposed to a Master of Science degree, which typi-cally has a research focus and serves as a gateway to a Ph.D. program, the PMML program provides an applied, practical educational experience through projects, teamwork, and indus-try-relevant case studies.
• The program is cohort-based and takes two years to complete.
The Professional Master’s in Manufacturing Leadership
(PMML) Curriculum• The PMML curriculum con-
sists of eight core courses and two elective courses chosen from a specific concentration area: forest bioproducts or chemical manufacturing.
Core courses: Leadership Development; Production Planning and Control; Principles of Management for Engineers; Manufacturing Reliability; Manufacturing Supply Chain Operations; Leadership and Organizational Change; Quality Control and Lean Manufacturing; Leadership Capstone Design Challenge.
Elective courses: Foundational Topics in the Manufacturing of Forest Bioproducts, and Emerging Markets for Forest Bioproducts; OR Foundational Topics in the Chemical Manufacturing Industry, and Emerging Markets for the Chemical Manufacturing Industry.
• All students in a cohort go through the same ordered sequence of eight core online courses and two elective online courses in a specific concentra-tion area, at the same time.
Offered sequentially, each course takes seven weeks to complete except for the cap-stone project at the end of the program, which takes 10 to 12 weeks.
• Delivery of course content is asynchronous with synchronous office hours. Learners can access their course materials online at any time while interaction with faculty is limited to office hours.
• During the two-year program, students come together with their cohort three times for a week-long visit each time.
Key Dates• Application Deadline – May 1,
2016
• Program Start Date – August 2016
For more information on admission requirements or to download a brochure or register for a live Q&A online session, visit the PMML website. F
ASPI Welcomes Grayson Lutz and Deepa George
ASPI welcomes Grayson Lutz as the new Director of Member Relations, replacing Colleen Walker. Grayson brings several years of experience in customer relations management and event planning. “I am thrilled to begin working with ASPI,” notes Grayson. “I already know many ASPI members from my work at TAPPI’s PaperCon and PEERS events, and I look forward to working with the ASPI membership.”
Colleen is stepping down from ASPI as she has been promoted to Technical Director for TAPPI, which manages ASPI. ASPI wishes to thank Colleen for her many years of service to ASPI.
Deepa George has joined the ASPI Staff as ASPI Member Services Coordinator. ASPI welcomes Deepa to the team! F
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ASPI Board of Directors
Class of 2018
John FoxPresident
Voith Paper North [email protected]
Carl LuhrmannSenior Vice President
Andritz Inc. [email protected]
Ray EdmondsonBusiness Development Manager
David Withers President
Coldwater Group [email protected]
Class of 2016
Mike Gray, ASPI PresidentArea SVP, Sales and Paper Business NA
Carl Howe, ASPI Past PresidentVice President – Sales
Kadant [email protected]
Lynn Townsend-WhiteChief Executive Officer
Western Polymer [email protected]
Keith Kemp, ASPI Vice PresidentVP Paperchine Sales – Americas
AstenJohnson [email protected]
Class of 2017
Tony FandettiVice President – Sales
Sulzer Pumps Solutions [email protected]
Marcus Pillion, ASPI TreasurerCEOTriTec
Robert Quarles, ASPI SecretaryDirector of Strategic Marketing
Buckman North [email protected]
Rod YoungChief Economic Advisor
Bob Harrison, ASPI Emeritus DirectorPrincipal
RHarrison Inc. [email protected]