TAPPI Announces Newly Elected Directors from Irving Consumer Products, Valmet and Auburn University

ATLANTA) February 28, 2024 – TAPPI’s membership recently elected three new members to its Board of Directors.  Representing a broad swath of industry segments, TAPPI’s volunteer BOD has successfully guided the policies and general affairs of the Association throughout the course of its 109-year history. The Board consists of a Chair, Vice Chair, and nine Directors. Its past and present list of Directors spotlights a long line of industry icons.

Meet the newest Directors on the TAPPI Board.

Wendy Cerilli has been in the pulp and paper industry for more than 30 years and has worked in operations, quality, continuous improvement, product development, and environmental management. In 2018, Wendy joined Irving Consumer Products in a product development role with a secondary focus on sustainability. As sustainability initiatives continued to grow, Wendy became the company’s Corporate Sustainability Manager. She has been involved with TAPPI throughout her career and a member since 2012. Wendy was also a member of the Operations Board of the RPTA (Recycled Paperboard Technical Association) and helped plan the RPTA stream at annual TAPPI conferences.

Michael (Mike) Gray began his career in the paper industry in 1983. Since 2000, he has worked for Valmet, contributing to various business and Sales Management roles. His most recent position involves leading Valmet’s Paper Business in North America. Mike's insight and expertise have been instrumental in steering the company through dynamic market changes and technological advancements. His career is a blend of technical expertise, strategic leadership, and a commitment to sustainability. His multifaceted role in the paper industry, from engineering to sales and management, and his contributions to TAPPI, highlight his broad expertise and his dedication to the sector's growth and innovation.

Dr. Maria Soledad Peresin has more than 20 years of academic and industrial experience in materials science and engineering, and product development of novel value-added products from biomass. Currently, she is an Associate Professor in the College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment, affiliated with the Department of Chemical Engineering at Auburn University, where she began as Assistant Professor in 2016. She earned her Licenciate in Analytical Chemistry with training and the Institute for Cellulose Technology from Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Argentina in 2006 and her Ph.D. in forest biomaterials from North Carolina State University in 2011. She completed additional postdoctoral training and worked as a scientist at Aalto University and the VTT-Technical Research Centre of Finland. Soledad is an active member of the TAPPI International Nanotechnology Division, including co-chairing the Nano Conferences in Madison in 2017 and Atlanta 2024, serving as Vice-Chair and Chair for the Research Committee and currently as Academic Division Co-Chair.

Meet the Rest of the TAPPI Board Officers and Directors

• Larry N. Montague, President and CEO, TAPPI
• Don Haag, Retired, PCA, Chair
• Kim Nelson, GranBio USA, Vice Chair
• Larry Anker, Solenis
• Bill Edwards, Domtar
• Michael Farrell, Graphic Packaging
• Kelly Frey, Chevron Phillips Chemical
• Greg Jones, Sun Automation Group
• Leslie Petrie, International Paper

Thank you to the following directors, who will complete their term in March 2024. 

• Karyn L. Biasca, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
• Suzanne Blanchet, S.L.B. Inc.
• David Buchanan, Voith Group, North America