Richard P Wollenberg

Richard P. Wollenberg, son of Harry L. and Gertrude (Arnstein) Wollenberg, was born on August 1, 1915, in Juneau, Alaska.  Following education at the University of California at Berkeley (BS Mechanical Engineering, 1936) and Harvard University (MBA, 1938), Mr. Wollenberg accepted a position with Bethlehem Shipping in Quincy, Massachusetts.  In 1939, he joined Longview Fibre Company as safety engineer, beginning a 63-year career in the pulp and paper industry.

Mr. Wollenberg took a leave from Longview in 1941 to serve in the US Army Air Corps.  Returning to Longview Fibre in 1945, Mr. Wollenberg moved through the company ranks, and in 1969, he was named president.  Nine years later he was named chief executive officer, and in 1985, became chairman of the board.  Today he serves as Chairman Emeritus.

Richard P. Wollenberg was instrumental in the growth and success of Longview Fibre Company.  Under his guidance Longview Fibre’s gross sales grew approximately six-fold and most of the company’s national network of 17 container and bag converting plants in 12 states were constructed or acquired.

In addition, a lumber mill in central Washington was constructed to usher the company’s entrance into the solid-wood products business and the firm began producing niche products ranging from raisin trays to a new extensible paper for multiwall bags.  The world-class Longview, Washington, pulp-paper mill doubled its production capacity to approximately 3200 tons/day.  Timberlands, managed under Sustainable Forestry, nearly doubled to 570,000 acres in the Pacific Northwest.  Today the company is one of the largest producers of Kraft paper in North America.

Mr. Wollenberg consistently pursued an aggressive modernization program at Longview Fibre to stay globally competitive.  An energy co-generation plant was constructed at the Longview mill, making it virtually energy-sufficient and offering electric energy-marketing options.  The facility also houses a state-of-the-art recycling plant which provides up to 20% of wood fiber for the company’s mill.

Mr. Wollenberg’s work at Longview Fibre made an impact beyond the corporate structure.  Through cooperative projects with equipment manufacturers at the Longview mill, the company developed prototype pulp and paper manufacturing equipment.  From small valves to large pulping and paper machine components, the equipment has been widely used in the paper industry.

His dedication to the paper industry was also exemplified through participation in various national and regional associations including the Institute of Paper Science & Technology, the American Forest & Paper Association, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Pacific Coast Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers.

Mr. Wollenberg has received many professional honors including the World Forestry Center Memorial Chest (2000), Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award (1994), Washington Pulp and Paper Foundation’s Wall of Fame (2000), Kelso-Longview, Washington, Chamber of Commerce Business Individual Award (2002), and an Honorary Doctor of Public Affairs from the University of Puget Sound (1977).  He has been very involved in education initiatives in his community.

Mr. Wollenberg resides in Longview, Washington, with his wife of 64 years, Leone.  They have four sons, one daughter, and six grandchildren.  Son Richard H. (“Rick”) is now the president and chief executive officer of Longview Fibre. (Mr. Wollenberg died in 2014)

Raymond B Mundt

Born in Appleton, Wisconsin, on August 10, 1928, Raymond B. Mundt attended Appleton High School, graduating in 1945.  After serving in the US Navy, Mr. Mundt returned to Wisconsin to further his education.  He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1953 with a Bachelor of Science degree.  Many years later, he and his wife Ruth would present his alma mater with $2.5 million to develop a business school program to emphasize entrepreneurship and business ethics—the very principles that marked his career.

Mr. Mundt joined Kimberly-Clark Corporation in 1953 as a printing and business papers salesman for the Midwest region, based out of St. Louis.  This was followed by a promotion to the division’s Sales Manager in the firm’s Chicago regional office.  Several years later, Mr. Mundt was asked to go to California.  He was sent with the task of pre-selling product from a new Kimberly-Clark paper machine at the state’s first, fully integrated paper mill.  Because of his successful efforts, Mr. Mundt was promoted to vice president of marketing, and later also vice president of sales, for all of Kimberly-Clark’s printing paper output in the US.

In 1969, Mr. Mundt received his AMP degree from Harvard Business School.  The following year he left Kimberly-Clark and joined Alco Standard Corporation.  Mr. Mundt was named president of the company’s four newly acquired paper distributors ($600 million in sales) and set his sights on creating a national paper and paper products distribution organization.  Under his leadership, the business grew to have annual sales of $6 billion and, under the Unisource name, had a distribution network of companies covering all of North America.  He was named chairman and chief executive officer of Unisource in 1977 and retained the position through 1999.

Mr. Mundt grew this business by promoting the entrepreneurial spirit of the unique, individual companies within Unisource.  He created synergies between all of their presidents but retained their original management teams and encouraged them to operate and grow entirely on their own.  His supportive staff, with expertise in human resources, legal affairs, financial aids, warehousing, and trucking, numbered 12.

In 1973, Mr. Mundt was promoted to vice president of all of Alco Standard and one year later, president and chief executive officer.  He became chairman and chief executive officer of Alco in 1985 and served in that capacity through 1995.  Under his watch, the company had become a $12 billion American corporation with two businesses:  Unisource and Ikon Office Products Company.  Alco reported 25 consecutive record profit quarters and increased shareholders value by 18% compounded every year.

Beyond his work at Alco, Mr. Mundt has contributed to his community on the Board of Directors for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Harvard Business School, Temple University, Philadelphia Symphony, Philadelphia Zoo, and Philadelphia Savings Fund Society.  Professionally he is also a member of the National Paper Trade Association.  The many honors he has received include the Brotherhood Award, National Conference of Christians & Jews (Sept. 1992); Financial World Bronze Award (1982), National Award (1990), and CEO of the Year (1991); Stanley O. Styles Paper Industry Excellence Award (1994); Philadelphia Chapter of Corporate Growth, Peter Hilton Award (1989); American Jewish Human Relations Civic Achievement Award (1992); and Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (1998).

Mr. and Mrs. Mundt live in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, and are the parents of R. Scott, William, Robert, and Mary (deceased).

John P Reeve

Born in Neenah, Wisconsin, on October 22, 1912, John P. Reeve spent his college years at Lawrence University.  Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1934, Mr. Reeve found employment with Appleton Papers, where he spent the rest of his 43-year career.

His first position was sales assistant to the sales manager.  The network and friendships he developed with industry peers in the early years proved to be indispensable as he moved into positions of personnel manager, mill manager, vice president, executive vice president, president, and chief executive officer.

Mr. Reeve is credited with leading the company through its tremendous development as a prime supplier of carbonless paper.  There were considerable business and technology risks to be taken with this path.  While NCR had the pressure sensitive technology, Appleton Papers had to develop and implement technology that could coat this material and subsequently handle the rolls of coated paper, while eliminating premature release of the chemicals.  Other, much larger, companies were offered the opportunity and turned it down because of the risk.  Mr. Reeve accepted the challenge.

From a personnel standpoint, he met the goal through astute hiring policies.  From a management standpoint, he spearheaded the construction of several new coater buildings and installation of additional coater capacity.  The efforts resulted in the company being favorably received and becoming NCR Corporation’s major supplier.  Mr. Reeve’s role in bringing the firm to its eminence in the coating field helped propel the company to a billion dollar enterprise.

Mr. Reeve was a leader through inspiration—bringing out the best in people.  It was he who made the success possible by quietly urging people on to discharge their responsibilities.  It never seemed that he was in charge or in a leadership role.  He was on the sidelines when it came time to acknowledge those who had accomplished the goals he had set.

Under his leadership, Appleton Paper contributed leaders and financial support to community organizations including Lawrence University, The YMCA, and Boy Scouts of America.  Mr. Reeve was personally involved as chairman of the board of Lawrence University.  He also helped with the development of Appleton Memorial Hospital, participating in the original fund drives.  He was president of the Ephraim Historical Foundation in Door County.  He served on Lawrence University’s Board in an emeritus position.

Mr. Reeve is survived by his wife Jean.  They have three children:  James, Elizabeth, and Barbara.

Douglas Atack

Born on August 16, 1923, in Wakefield, England, Douglas Atack received his undergraduate and advanced degrees from the University of Leeds.  He earned his Bachelor of Science (Hons) Chemistry in 1942 and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry in 1945.Dr. Atack’s 33 years as a scientist, leader of a team of talented scientists, and R&D manager at PAPRICAN were preceded by several research and academic positions.  In 1945, he worked as personal assistant to Professor M.G. Evans, FRS, at Leeds University on a UK Government Ministry of Supply project on technical developments for the petrocarbon industry.  That assistantship was followed by positions as post-doctoral Fellow at the National Research Council in Ottawa (1948-1950), I.C.I. Leverhulm Fellow at the University of Manchester (1950-1951), and NRL Fellow at the University of North Carolina (1951-1953).  In 1953, Dr. Atack accepted an assistant professor of chemistry position at Syracuse University.

Dr. Atack began his long career with PAPRICAN in 1954.  The positions he held were many:  head, Wood and Fibre Physics Section, Applied Chemistry Department; chairman, Wood and Fibre Physics Department; director, Applied Physics Division; director, Applied Physics and Engineering Sciences Division; director of education; director of academic affairs; director of research; and vice president.  He retired as vice president in 1989.

Dr. Atack conducted studies on the friction of wood in the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge (1955-1956), which eventually led to an understanding of the mechanisms involved in wood grinding.  This research contributed to the development of the pressurized stone groundwood (PGW) process and the thermomechanical (TMP) and chemithermomechanical pulping (CTMP) processes and their introduction to the Canadian industry.  The articles he wrote on the main mechanisms involved in pulpwood grinding and chip refining are now standard references for further development of the TMP and CTMP pulping processes, which, in addition to PGW, today yield 36 million metric tons of pulp per year worldwide.

While at PAPRICAN, Dr. Atack’s research group clarified the chemical changes to lignin caused by softening through steaming and sulfonation.  This led to the development of ultra high-yield processes used by both integrated and market-pulp mills.

He is also credited with introducing scanning electron microscopy to Canada.  Through his work in assisting with the design of the first prototype scanning electron microscope at Cambridge University during a year-long sabbatical, Dr. Atack pioneered the use of the technique in research of fibre morphology during the mechanical pulping process.

His contributions to academics have been many.  As PAPRICAN’s director of academic affairs, Dr. Atack enhanced the cooperative academic program with McGill University, University of British Columbia, and Ecole Polytechnique.  Since 1961, Dr. Atack has also served as auxiliary professor for the Department of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University.  He has been an inspirational teacher and advisor for many graduate students.  Dr. Atack holds two patents and has 51 key publications.

The significant additions Dr. Atack has provided to research and the mechanical pulping industry have been recognized by many honors:  John S. Bates Memorial Gold Medal (1992), L.H. Weldon Award (1962 and 1980), Raimbault de Montigny Award (1984), TAPPI Fellowship (1975), Royal Society of Canada—Fellowship (1989), Chemical Institute of Canada—Fellowship (1989), TAPPI Pulp Manufacture Division—Johan C.F.C. Richter Prize (1994), Association of Pulp and Paper Chemists and Engineers of Germany—Walter Brecht Medal (1982), and Arne Asplund Foundation (Sweden)—Arne Asplund Award (1987).  The Douglas Atack Award was created in 1990 by the Mechanical Pulping Committee of Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada.

Dr. Atack was a member of the Technical Section, CPPA; TAPPI; APPITA; and American Physical Society.  He and his wife made their home in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.  They have one son.

Darwin Smith

With beginnings as an Indiana farm boy, Darwin E. Smith rose to great prominence in the paper industry and business world as chairman and chief executive officer of Kimberly-Clark Corporation.  Mr. Smith was born on April 16, 1926, in Garrett, Indiana.  Having served his country in World War II, he returned to the United States and attended Indiana University and Harvard Law School and graduated from both institutions with distinction.

Mr. Smith began his legal career at Sidley & Austin in Chicago.  In 1958 he joined Kimberly-Clark’s legal department and was named general attorney one year later.  He was elected vice president of law and finance in 1962, executive vice president in 1969, president in 1970, and chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1971.  He was elected to the board of directors in 1967.  Mr. Smith retired as chief executive officer in 1991 and chairman in 1992.

Mr. Smith is credited with turning what was perceived as a stodgy old paper company into an innovative consumer products powerhouse.  As noted in a Harvard Business Review article, Kimberly-Clark is one of eleven companies on the Fortune 500 since 1965 that has been elevated from good to great and has maintained its transformed status.  Mr. Smith was recognized for making this accomplishment possible.

Mr. Smith achieved this transformation by building strength within the company.   He redefined and raised corporate goals.  To reach this end he persistently examined the company’s leadership group, winnowing those who did not meet his specifications and promoting those who did.  Mr. Smith also increased the geographical diversification of Kimberly-Clark’s facilities.  The emphasis he placed on consumer products was exemplified by the money he allotted to research and development ($111 million in 1987) and his decision not to give up on the fledgling diaper business, against much opposition.  His vision helped lead HUGGIES® diapers to its rank as the number 1 brand in the country today.

Additionally, he strengthened the company’s position in the tissue segment of the paper industry, pushing both Kimberly-Clark and its competitors to improve and strengthen their tissue technology and facilities.  The financial strength of the industry’s tissue segment today is testament to his efforts.  Mr. Smith also established approaches to strengthen Kimberly-Clark’s people:  forming the Educational Opportunities Plan to provide continuing education to all workers, and the Health Management Program to improve physical and mental health.  He also worked to increase diversity among the workforce.

During Mr. Smith’s tenure as chairman and chief executive officer, Kimberly-Clark stockholders experienced returns of 19.6% annually, generating cumulative stock returns that were 4.1 times greater than those of the general market and outperforming venerable companies including industry rivals.  It had been a welcomed change from the 20 years prior when Kimberly-Clark stock had fallen 36% behind the general market.

His ethics and personal integrity were further exemplified away from Kimberly-Clark.  He served as director of both King Ranch and The Texan Research League, and was on the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America.

Mr. Smith was the type of leader who gave credit for success to the employees, the managers, his predecessors, and the customers.  He passed away on December 26, 1995, in Florida and is survived by his wife Lois, sons Steven and Blair, and daughters Pamela and Valerie.