Spotlight: Danny Haynes
Danny Haynes
Professional Member
Tucker, GA
For more than 100 years, TAPPI membership has included the best and brightest in the pulp, paper, packaging and converting industry. Like their predecessors, today’s members also bring an extraordinary passion to the field, combined with many unique and impressive backgrounds.
Such as member Danny Haynes.
His first professional experience upon graduating in 1986 with a M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Tennessee Technological University was not in pulp or paper. It was in the space industry. His initial project? Determine the feasibility of using solar water heaters on the Space Station, the moon, and on missions to Mars.
Now that sounds pretty unique … and impressive.
When his contract ended after several years, and following a brief sojourn in academia, Danny made his way to Atlanta and was hired by AkzoNobel; they were looking for a deinking specialist. In the early 90s, Danny explains, there was a shortage of people knowledgeable in flotation deinking and his new boss thought it would be easier to hire and train someone. With his background in chemistry, chemical engineering and data analysis, he was selected for the position. So, where did Danny’s boss direct him?
“On day one he told me to join TAPPI,” Danny said.
The reasoning was simple. TAPPI was the place to go for learning about technical aspects of the industry and for sharing new technical approaches. Throughout the 22 years he has been with AkzoNobel and TAPPI, Danny has made good use of nearly all the benefits membership has offered. “TAPPI’s publications help me keep up with the latest business news and new development of applications for the Pulp and Paper Industry,” he said. “And, their Standards and TIPs are always helpful to me when needing to run tests or look at a technical application that has not been tackled before.”
But Danny says he also reaps benefits by being actively involved as this gives him the opportunity to gain leadership experience and use some of his creative talents that don’t necessarily fit into his day-to-day activities. An author of nearly 100 papers and publications, he is a frequent presenter and participant in many TAPPI conferences, including PaperCon, IBBC, PEERS, and EPE. His additional activity on numerous committees and divisions was just one reason he was selected as TAPPI’s 2013 Pulp Manufacture Division Leadership and Service Award winner.
“TAPPI’s role to educate, share technical information, be a technical network, and to warehouse knowledge, were incredibly important to me as I began my career,” Danny said. “And, they still are today as I continue to help AkzoNobel provide the most customer-relevant testing protocols and drive the creation of application networks,” Danny said.
Q. Why did you decide to join TAPPI?
A. My first position was in technical support and marketing and TAPPI was the place for learning about the technical aspects of the industry, and for sharing new technical approaches in the P&P industry. On my first day of work my boss told me to join.
Q. How has TAPPI helped you in your career pursuits?
A. The insights and stories from mill sites in TAPPI’s publications make the work done in the lab more real. The P&P industry requires such a diverse set of technical skills and TAPPI’s publications provide a chance to glimpse into the challenges and advancements in other parts of our technical community. Additionally, TAPPI’s Standards and TIPs are always helpful. Customers often come up with unique problems and issues and you find yourself working out some new test method for your lab with the Standards being an important guide.
The eLibrary is a tremendous resource, too. So much good technical work has been done over the years and having the ability to learn and build on their efforts is of incredible value. When looking at a new area, the eLibrary is the first place I go to see what has been done and what is currently happening.
Q. What are some of the TAPPI activities you’ve been involved in?
• Deinking Sub-Committee Secretary
• Deinking Sub-Committee Vice Chair
• Deinking Sub-Committee Chairman
• Fiber Recycling Secretary
• Fiber Recycling Vice Chairman
• Fiber Recycling Chairman
• International Program Committee for 6th Research Forum on Recycling
• International Program Committee for 7th Research Forum on Recycling
• Conference Chairman for 8th Research Forum on Recycling
• Pulp Manufacturing Division Secretary
• Pulp Manufacturing Division Vice Chairman
• Pulp Manufacturing Division Chairman
• Editorial Board of TAPPI Progress in Paper Recycling
• International Program Committee for International Conference on Pulping, Papermaking and Biotechnology 2008
• Conference Chairman for 9th Research Forum on Recycling
• Biorefinery Committee Secretary
• Biorefinery Committee Vice Chair
Q. Tell us about some of your interests outside of TAPPI and your professional life.
A. I enjoy church activities, walking, history, and archaeology.
Q. Can you share a unique or fun fact about yourself?
A. Having been active in aerospace dealing with launch vehicles, my colleagues will often say something like “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist” to which I reply, “It may not take a rocket scientist, but isn’t it nice to have one around?”
Q. Please provide a few thoughts on what you believe have been the most significant contributions/breakthroughs in areas of our industry? Also, what is your favorite paper or packaging product?
A. First, the Kraft Process is just amazing when you think about how the process would just not be viable without reprocessing the chemicals to reuse them. You have to give the nod to the technical insight and determination to make that all work. Secondly are the contributions and breakthroughs in the world of paper recycling. I am impressed with the fortitude of men like Mahendra Doshi, Wayne Carr and so many others, along with the financial commitments of numerous companies who made that effort real.
My favorite product is the unfolding paper robot, I love showing that video when teaching the Pulp and Paper merit badge. My future favorite paper product will be Harry Potter Paper – when we can give the ability to have moving images in a newspaper or magazine. It will be so cool and it seems so close to being a reality. An additional favorite are the videos by Domtar’s “Paper Because” which show just how helpful paper is to our daily lives. The series is a good reminder of the importance of the paper business.
Q. Closing sentiments?
A. TAPPI membership has giving me a valuable technical resource and connections to so many different people working in the industry. I have taken a good number of courses over the years because I always seem to need to learn some new aspect of the industry. The teachers of those courses even give you a connection to others who have taken the same course at a different time. To those of us coming newly into the recycling world of the early nineties, Loreen Ferguson will be a common connection in our education.
I recommend TAPPI because it gives you a chance to hang out with some people who have a similar passion. So often when trying to learn about some new aspect of the industry, I can start talking to someone about what they do and see a gleam and excitement in their eyes about the topic which just makes you want to learn more about the field.