2020 TAPPI PIMA Executive of the Year

TAPPI/PIMA Executive of the Year

STEVE VOORHEES, WESTROCK
Bringing together different companies, and different corporate cultures, may be the ultimate test of a leader—but it’s a challenge Steve Voorhees has met time and time again. Voorhees is CEO of WestRock and is also a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to his current role, Voorhees was CEO of RockTenn and also served in various executive leadership roles, including president and chief operating officer. Voorhees earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and mathematics from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

Since WestRock was developed in 2015 from the merging of packaging giants RockTenn and MeadWestvaco, the company under Voorhees has completed nine acquisitions, including the US$2.28 billion buy in 2017 of Multi Packaging Solutions (MPS), as well as the spin-off of its specialty chemicals business, the sale of its dispensing business, and the sale of most of its land and development assets. The acquisitions dramatically grew WestRock in size, and with greater geographic and end-product reach. WestRock, on track to US$16 billion in revenue and with 45,000 employees, is the second largest US paper industry company and is ranked No. 2 in containerboard and No. 1 in boxboard. Voorhees has earns this prestigious honor, which is presented to senior-level executives in the pulp, paper, or converting industries for excellence in management and outstanding contributions to the industry, for leading WestRock through unprecedented growth and success.