New TAPPI leaders: TAPPI's new president and vice president will take office during the TAPPI Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony February 23, 2005 in Tampa, Florida, USA.
WILLIS J. POTTS, JR., TAPPI PRESIDENT [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Willis J. Potts, Jr. retired as the vice president and general manager at Inland Paperboard and Packaging in Rome, Georgia in June of 2004. Potts began his career with Union Camp in 1969 as an industrial engineer and worked his way through various operational and management positions. He was named general manager of the Kraft Paper and Board Division and senior vice president in 1992. Potts joined Inland Paperboard and Packaging in 1999. He holds a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and completed the Executive Program at the University of Virginia. A staunch supporter of both PIMA and TAPPI, Potts served as PIMA president in 1995. A TAPPI member since 1989, Potts is a former member of TAPPI's board of directors. In recognition of his outstanding service to TAPPI and the industry, Potts was named a TAPPI Fellow in 1999. Prior to his election as TAPPI vice president in 2003, Potts served as chairman of the Finance Committee of the board of directors. In addition to his TAPPI activities, Potts is active in numerous community, civic and industry groups. He is active in the local chapter of the United Way, the Boy Scouts of America, the Georgia Council on Economic Education, and several other organizations and philanthropic efforts. In 2002, the Pulp and Paper Safety Association presented him the Executive Eagle Award. MARK R. MCCOLLISTER, TAPPI VICE PRESIDENT [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mark R. McCollister is northeast regional manager for the C. A. Lawton Co. in DePere, Wisconsin. McCollister began his career with the Alton Box Board Co. as a maintenance engineer, before joining Howard Paper Mills as plant engineer. In 1976, he moved to technical sales with Sandy Hill Corp. and then Jagenberg Inc. as a regional sales manager. McCollister later re-joined Sandy Hill becoming vice president of sales & marketing and VP of Sandy Hill Canada. In 1990 he joined Sprout Bauer as vice president of the pulp and paper division with sales and marketing responsibility for the US, Canada and the Pacific Rim. In 1991 McCollister founded WEBTECH, a technical sales & service organization serving paper mills throughout the eastern United States. He joined the C .A. Lawton Co. in June 2002. McCollister studied mechanical engineering at Bradley University, earned an A.A.S. in marketing from Adirondack Community College an M.B.A. from Rennsalear Polytechnic Institute. In addition to being published in Pulp & Paper Magazine, McCollister has presented at the Paper Technology Course at the University of Maine as well as the university's Summer Institute. A TAPPI member since 1977, McCollister has been very active with the Empire State Section, serving as administrative secretary for five years and as Chairman in 1989-1990. He also served as Chairman of the Local Sections Operations Council Student Chapters Committee as well as the LSOC Representative for Empire State Section. He also served on two committees of the TAPPI board of directors, Public Outreach and Information Technology, and was a member of the TAPPI Operating Committee and served as liaison for the Local Sections. McCollister completed a three year term on TAPPI's board of directors in 2003 and served as chairman of the Finance Committee and McCollister was named a TAPPI Fellow in 2003. |