Bauerbach Named CEO of Portola Packaging.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Board of Directors of Portola Packaging, Inc. appointed Brian Bauerbach to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Bauerbach recently served as Chief Operating Officer of Portola, a global provider of tamper-evident plastic closures, containers, and related equipment and services.

Bauerbach succeeds Portola founder Jack Watts as CEO. Watts will be the company's non-executive board chairman.

"Portola is facing a new set of challenges, and we must become a more customer-focused and much leaner organization to be competitive in today's environment," said Bauerbach. "This company has a great deal of potential, and I look forward to driving the changes required for success."

"Since joining Portola, Brian has demonstrated the values, talent, and experience required to lead Portola in the coming years," said Watts.

Prior to joining Portola as Chief Operating Officer in January 2005, Bauerbach spent 18 years at Alcoa, where he worked in the Rigid and Flexible Packaging and Closure Systems business units, serving the beverage, food, industrial, tobacco, and pharmaceutical markets. His last role was General Manager of Alcoa Flexible Products, a $250 million unit. He joined Alcoa in 1987 after graduating from Ohio University, where he earned a B.S. degree in Industrial Technology.

Portola Packaging manufactures plastic closures and containers for leading dairy, beverage, and food companies worldwide. The company also supplies the cosmetic and personal care industries with packaging through its Portola Tech International division. The company has over a dozen manufacturing plants in the United States, Europe, China, Mexico, and Canada, and sells to companies throughout the world.