Gunnar Nicholson Award
The TAPPI Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award is the highest honor that the Association can bestow upon an individual. Established in 1928, the Gold Medal is granted to those "who have made preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven applied benefit to the world’s pulp, paper, board, and forest product industries. The forest product industries include forestry, derived products, their process technology, and their applications."
In 1984 former TAPPI President and Gold Medal winner Gunnar W. E. Nicholson donated $1 million to TAPPI to establish the Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award Fund. Since that time, the Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal has been accompanied by a cash honorarium worth 5% of the fund, which in recent years has been in between $60,000 - $80,000.
Gunnar W. E. Nicholson was a distinguished paper industry engineer and manager for nearly 75 years. He served as President of the Tennessee River Pulp and Paper Company prior to his retirement. Nicholson joined TAPPI in 1925, was elected TAPPI President in 1946, and received the TAPPI Gold Medal in 1954.
Nominations are due by August 1 of each year for the award to be presented the following calendar year.
Nomination form (interactive Word document)
Nomination form (pdf)