Larry Montague: Leadership and Legacy

The following article was first published in the Nov/Dec 2025 issue of Paper360°, TAPPI's membership magazine. It is being shared here for readers interested in the future of TAPPI.

With a firm handshake and a Southern, welcoming style, Larry Montague has become well-known throughout the paper and packaging industry as "the face of TAPPI." As 2025 draws to a close, so will Montague's time as CEO and President of TAPPI. Over almost two decades, Montague has shaped the Association's growth, leading TAPPI's impressive financial turnaround and fostering a future-focused culture that puts members first.

During Montague's tenure, TAPPI followed a strategic roadmap that has led to 18 consecutive years in the black. He has targeted membership growth and forged numerous partnerships that have opened doors to new products and services benefitting TAPPI members and the forest products industry.  

Baseball to Boxes

Montague earned his BBA in Marketing from the University of Memphis, where he also played baseball. He joined the pulp and paper industry as a market specialist for Boise Cascade Corp., later serving its Corrugated Container Division. Montague then joined Republic Group, Inc., where he also did graduate work in accounting. He then spent nearly a decade with The Newark Group, achieving the position of VP, sales and marketing. Along the way, Montague says, he "learned a lot from some great people."

In 2006, he received a surprise call from a recruiter conducting a nationwide search for TAPPI's next leader. After a rigorous interviewing process, Montague joined TAPPI as president and CEO in October, 2006. His passion and experience made him a perfect fit.

The first thing he did was to sit down with every staff member—and some of TAPPI's long-time members—to get feedback on how they would improve the association. That's when he moved "Members" to the top of TAPPI's organizational chart. Says Montague, "We wanted to 'walk the walk' about meeting member needs. You need to be able to see it if you're really going to believe it."

It was the first step in a 19-year journey for Montague and TAPPI. During his tenure, TAPPI added new divisions to meet the needs of an evolving industry (including Young Professionals, the PIMA Management Division, Women in Industry, and Advanced Renewable Materials); launched its successful TAPPISAFE program; and weathered COVID while remaining in the black.

TAPPI even discovered a new revenue stream: providing member services for smaller, forest products-related associations. "When we started doing better, the smaller associations came to us and said, 'Hey, what's your secret?' We were able to parlay that into some revenue, and then they got better. That takes us right back to the story of TAPPI— which is about bringing different parts of the industry together," Montague says.

When asked what he finds most exciting about TAPPI's future, Montague is quick to answer. "The young folks that are getting involved—golly, they're smarter than anybody in the room. They've finally opened their eyes to this industry, how green it is, and they want to be involved. That's why we have student chapters all over the place. We're even reaching down to some high schools now for workforce development. I'm really happy to see that."

Passing the Torch

In 2020, Montague approached TAPPI's Board of Directors about creating a five-year succession plan. During that time, he continued to work closely with TAPPI's chief operating officer, Lawton Roberts. The BOD again conducted a nationwide search of industry-experienced leaders; though they interviewed many strong candidates, Roberts' name rose to the top. On November 3, Roberts officially became TAPPI's new president and CEO, with Montague staying through the end of 2025 to smooth the transition.

Roberts comments, "One thing that Larry has instilled in me is that members are our lifeblood. We rely on them. We want them to grow. That growth mindset is part of our mission—we want that for staff, for our member base, and for those that aren't quite yet members."

As for Montague, he and his wife Suzanne ("she's my soul mate, we've known each other forever", he says) plan to travel and enjoy more time with family and friends. Yet TAPPI will continue to be part of his life, Montague promises.

"TAPPI's been here way longer than I've ever thought about being here. And the kicker is it's just going to keep getting better," he says with a smile. "I can't run away from TAPPI—it's in my blood. Also, I already paid my three-year membership!"

Which, for the first time in 19 years, puts Montague right at the top of the org chart.

Author information:

Jan Bottiglieri is Editorial Director, Paper360° magazine. Reach her at jbottiglieri@tappi.org. If you have a comment or positive "wish" for Larry Montague as he retires, you may send to this address for your message to be forwarded.

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