When the Institute of Paper Chemistry (now the Renewable Bioproducts Institute at Georgia Tech) opened in 1929, Dr. Otto Kress was responsible for the academic direction of the organization. From the beginning, his many contributions have been critical in establishing the success of the organization.

For the first 18 years of IPC’s existence, Dr. Kress served as the inaugural Technical Director, setting the tone for cutting-edge graduate programs for the industry, conducting invaluable research and maintaining a complete library on the subject. With his help, the Institute of Paper Chemistry became the first graduate program in pulp and paper sciences in the United States. He was the first practitioner and likely creator of an IPC academic program to produce “scientific generalists” who understood and could apply a wide range of scientific disciplines to paper manufacturing.

He navigated the treacherous conditions of the Great Depression and the economic impact of World War II and was still able to energize and bring the American paper industry to the forefront of the international scene. The substantial donations made by Dr Kress and his wife, Florence, to the IPC Foundation have grown during the years and have supported the graduate education of thousands of contributors to the industry through Paper Science and Engineering fellowships.

Kress had 22 publications and 38 patents to his credit. He died in 1970.