Women in Industry Division Focuses on Leadership

Founded in 2015, the TAPPI/PIMA Women in Industry Division envisions a competitive, diverse and dynamic industry that offers long-term, fulfilling careers where women and men work in synergy. The group's mission is to inspire and support the development of women in the forest products, pulp, paper, tissue, packaging, and associated industries by serving as a resource for education and networking opportunities that result in more women leaders in the industry, fostering overall industry health.

"It really is about inspiring women to be leaders in their industry, and to feel that they have a career path," says Division Chair Pamela Cowan.

The Women in Industry Division works to provide easy access to a highly-valued portfolio of learning tools and networking opportunities to support personal growth and career development, and an industry with raised awareness and heightened appreciation for how the differences between women and men can lead to a more integrated, engaged, and successful workforce.
We've highlighted some of the Division's exciting projects below. Click on the links to learn more.

First-ever Women's Summit
This year, the Women in Industry Division has organized the first ever Women's Summit for the paper and packaging industry. Sponsored by Domtar, the Summit promises to be an event that will enlighten you as well as give you invaluable networking opportunities with Division members, industry experts, and other attendees. Registration is now open.

Industry professionals from across the US will gather in Charlotte, NC on Thursday, April 19, 2018 for the event. The Summit's theme is "Owning Your Power" and the four-hour program will address key topics prevalent and integral to women in today's workforce including:

• Keeping Composure in Difficult Situations
• Overcoming the Stigma of Being a Woman Leader
• Defining Moments
• What Can be Done Differently in the Future

Beth Troutman, television personality and motivational speaker, will deliver the keynote presentation, "Finding Your Why." Attendees will also have a chance to meet students and Young Professionals just startin g their careers in the paper and packaging industry.

Held in conjunction with TAPPI's PaperCon 2018, the Summit will convene at the Westin Charlotte Downtown in Charlotte, NC from 8:00am – Noon. Breakfast is included with the Summit registration fee. Everyone is invited to attend this important Summit and help make a difference for women in the future.
In addition to the Women's Summit, the TAPPI/PIMA Women in Industry Division will off additional programming at PaperCon to address industry issues of leadership and inclusion. All attendees are invited to meet Division members and benefit from the following offerings at PaperCon 2018:

• Panel Discussion – "Inclusion: How Teams Create Value": Monday, April 16th at 3:30 pm
• Hot Topics Breakfast
• Women in Industry Reception, sponsored by Domtar: Monday, April 16th, 5 – 6 pm
• Women in Industry Community Lunch: Tuesday, April 17th, Noon - 1:30 pm

Woman of the Year
In 2017, the Women in Industry Division created the Woman of the Year Award to further the group's goals and to help share the stories of accomplished women in the industry. The Woman of the Year award recognizes women that have demonstrated excellence in leading, motivating, and developing others within the pulp, paper, tissue, packaging and related industries. The 2018 honoree is Nickie Parker of WestRock.

Parker serves as the vice president of commercial excellence for WestRock. She has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, and her dedication to leading and mentoring others throughout her career is impressive. Her work to create and support WestRock's Women's Network in Evadal, TX has impacted a multitude of women within the mill. This organization promotes career development and networking opportunities for female mill employees. The network's programs and opportunities are aimed at helping women further their manufacturing careers—a win-win for an industry constantly seeking talented leadership.

When asked what TAPPI membership has meant to her, Parker comments, "WestRock is a strong promoter and sponsor of TAPPI…I support our employees' development and growth through TAPPI membership. Early in my career, TAPPI provided a platform to explore career opportunities and education. It is important that TAPPI continues to provide these services for the pulp and paper industry."
The Women in Industry Division is proud to honor Nickie Parker for her achievements and contributions to our industry. Her dedication to mentoring and promoting diversity within the paper and packaging industry are excellent representations of the ideals and mission of the Women in Industry division.

Committees at Work
The Women in Industry Division has several active committees to give members opportunity to develop leadership skills, network with peers, and contribute to the success of the Division and the industry. Whether you have an interest in recognizing outstanding women leaders, creating professional programming, mentoring, or driving growth through benchmarking projects, the Women in Industry Division has a place for you!

The Program Committee, chaired by Heather Jennings, has been hard at work planning several events throughout the week of PaperCon 2018. This committee has been the driving force behind the inaugural Women's Summit. The Program committee also works throughout the year to coordinate events and sessions at other TAPPI events; in 2017, Women in Industry presented at the PEERS Networking dinner and participated in the Young Professionals Panel and Hot Topics Tables at Student Summit.

The Benchmarking Committee, led by Paula Hajakian, has continued its work to gather data on the number of women in the forest products industries. The committee works to provide these statistics in order to give the membership a better idea of the community's needs. One of the projects the Benchmarking Committee is particularly proud of is the creation of a map that provides contact information for the Women in Industry members. This tool will assist members in forming connections and will help new members develop a sense of community within the Women in Industry Division. The Benchmarking Committee is also continuing its school surveys and maintaining statistics on the division's accomplishments throughout the year.

The Solutions & Strategies for Career Advancement Committee, chaired by Maja Mejsner, has worked diligently to provide the Women in Industry Community with its first webinar series. This three-part webinar series focused on time management, overcoming cultural stigmas, and work-life balance. Recordings of these webinars are available to TAPPI members.

The Celebrating Women Leaders Committee (Awards Committee), chaired by Terri Robinson, continues its mission to honor outstanding women throughout the paper, packaging, and other forest products related industries. Join the Celebrating Women Leaders Committee to help us show the whole of the industry how women are a driving force with the pulp and paper community.

The Engagement Committee, chaired by Marcina Rogers, is working build an involved community within the Women in Industry Division. The Engagement committee's big projects currently involve establishing a bi-annual newsletter and piloting a mentoring program with NCSU. The committee's goal is to create a series of networks to help women support one another in the development of their careers, from college to the workforce. They also want to promote and publicize the work being done within our committees to involve our volunteers at all levels of commitment.

These committees and their chairs report up to the Executive Council monthly. The Executive Council is lead by division Chair Pamela Cowan. The council works to ensure that the committees and division activities are leading to the overall success and growth of the Women in Industry Division.
The Women in Industry Division has even created an informational video on TAPPI's YouTube page. If you have any questions regarding the Women in Industry committees or how to be more involved with the division, please contact Emma Ragauskas.

For a modest investment of $174, receive more than US$ 1000 in benefits in return.
Visit www.tappi.org/join for more details.