Altivity Packaging Announces Senior Management Changes.

CAROL STREAM, Ill. -- Altivity Packaging, LLC announced today that John M. Riconosciuto, president and chief executive officer, has resigned to pursue other interests. George Bayly, an industry executive with more than 20 years in the folding carton, flexible and rigid packaging industries, and the chairman of Altivity Packaging's board, will assume the role of interim chief executive officer until a permanent replacement for Mr. Riconosciuto has been identified. Mr. Riconosciuto's resignation and Mr. Bayly's appointment are effective immediately.

The company also announced two additional senior executive appointments. Larry Field, former CEO and controlling shareholder of Field Container, has joined Altivity's board of directors. Field Container, formerly the nation's fifth largest folding carton company, announced in August it was combining its business with Altivity. Donald W. Sturdivant, most recently senior vice president of the Consumer Packaging business at Graphic Packaging, has been named executive vice president of operations, a newly-created position.

"John leaves our company well-positioned for the future after his successful leadership during the separation of the business from Smurfit-Stone and its integration with Field Container," Mr. Bayly said. "I have enjoyed working with him and look forward to continuing to work with our fine team to build on the momentum created during this exciting time for our company."

George Bayly has previously served in senior executive positions for International Paper Company, Packaging Corporation of America, Olympic Packaging, Ivex Packaging Corporation and U.S. Can Company. At Olympic and Ivex, he was chairman, president and chief executive officer, and at U.S. Can he was co-chairman and chief executive officer. Mr. Bayly serves on the boards of directors of ACCO Brands Corporation, HuhtamEnki, and Treehouse Foods. Mr. Bayly earned a BS in marketing and economics from Miami University in Oxford, OH, and holds an MBA in finance from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.

Mr. Sturdivant joins Altivity Packaging from Graphic Packaging International, a $2.3 billion packaging business with approximately 8,000 employees. Most recently, he served as senior vice president for Graphic Packaging's Consumer Products Division. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president of the company's Universal Packaging Division. Mr. Sturdivant joined Graphic Packaging in 1999 as president of the Performance Packaging Division when Graphic Packaging purchased the Division from Fort James Corporation. Mr. Sturdivant also held various executive assignments at Fort James from 1991 to 1998. Earlier in his career, he held positions at Jefferson Smurfit Corporation, Somerville Packaging and Packaging Corporation of America. Mr. Sturdivant has a BS from the University of Maine and an MBA from Florida Institute of Technology.

Altivity Packaging is a leading manufacturer of consumer packaging products and is one of the largest privately-held packaging companies. The company is a leading producer of coated-recycled boxboard and manufactures folding cartons; multiwall and consumer bag packaging; plastic packaging; label solution; inks/coatings; contract packaging; and laminations for a variety of consumer and industrial companies. The company also produces a full-line of high quality, decorative gift boxes for the mass market gift department stores and retail establishments. Altivity Packaging is a combination of the assets of Smurfit Stone's Consumer Packaging Division and Field Container Company, L.P. Altivity Packaging operates six recycled boxboard mills and 53 consumer packaging facilities in North America. The company is headquartered in the Chicago area and employs approximately 8,300 employees in North America.

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