2021 TAPPI PIMA Executive of the Year

President and CEO of Graphic Packaging Holding Company Receives TAPPI/PIMA 2021 Executive of the Year Award

Highest honor recognizes management excellence and outstanding industry contributions

TAPPI, the leading technical association for the worldwide pulp, paper, tissue, packaging and converting industries, today announced that Michael P. Doss, President and Chief Executive Officer of Graphic Packaging Holding Company, has been named TAPPI/PIMA Executive of the Year. Graphic Packaging, headquartered in Atlanta, is a leading provider of paper-based packaging solutions to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies.

In making the announcement, TAPPI President and CEO Larry N. Montague said, “Under Michael’s guidance, Graphic Packaging has made environmental, social and corporate governance a top priority, earning them a spot on Newsweek's 2021 list of America's Most Responsible Companies. He has championed the organization’s efforts to develop diversity and inclusion programs and is a big supporter of the TAPPI/PIMA Student Summit.” 

“Being selected as the TAPPI/PIMA Executive of the Year is a great honor,” said Doss. “ Like TAPPI, Graphic Packaging has been involved in this industry for more than a century and both organizations have served as leaders – breaking new ground, forging new paths and inspiring our industry onto a better, stronger and more sustainable future.”

Doss began his career at Graphic Packaging in 1990 as a sales representative and went on to serve as the plant manager for the Gordonsville, Tenn. and Wausau, Wis. folding carton plants. He has held positions of increasing management responsibility ever since. Prior to January 2016, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of Graphic Packaging and also served in various leadership roles, including Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations; Senior Vice President, Consumer Packaging Division; Senior Vice President, Consumer Products Packaging; Vice President of Operations, Universal Packaging Division; and  Director of Web Systems for the Universal Packaging Division.

He serves on the Board of Directors for Sealed Air Corporation, the American Forest & Paper Association, the Sustainable Forest Initiative, the Paper Recycling Coalition, the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Paper & Packaging Board Check-off Program. He is also active in the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Doss holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial marketing and a Master of Business Administration in finance, both from Western Michigan University. He is also a graduate of Harvard University’s General Manager Program.

The award will be officially presented at TAPPICon, October 3-6, 2021 in Atlanta, Ga., USA.

About TAPPI:
TAPPI is the leading association for the worldwide packaging, paper, pulp, tissue and converting industries and publisher of Paper360°, Tissue360° and TAPPI Journal. Through information exchange, events, trusted content and networking opportunities, TAPPI helps members elevate their performance by providing solutions that lead to better, faster and more cost-effective ways of doing business. It has provided management training and networking to the industry’s leaders for more than 100 years. For more information, visit tappi.org.

About the TAPPI/PIMA Executive of the Year Award:
Among the highest honors bestowed by TAPPI and PIMA, the Executive of the Year Award is presented to senior-level executives in the pulp, paper or converting industries for excellence in management and outstanding contributions to the industry as a whole.