ASPI 2016 Spring Meeting

February 24-26, 2016
Thompson Miami Beach – Miami, Florida

Speaker Information

Steve Voorhees - CEO, WestRock

Steve Voorhees is Chief Executive Officer of WestRock. Previously he was Chief Executive Officer of RockTenn. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Steve served in various executive leadership roles, including president and chief operating officer; executive vice president and chief financial officer; and chief administrative officer. Before joining RockTenn, Steve was in operations and executive roles at Sonat Inc., a diversified energy company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. 

He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from Northwestern University and a master of business administration from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

Don Forst - Director - Global Sourcing, International Paper

Don Forst, age 53, is the Director - Global Sourcing, International Paper located in Loveland, Ohio. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He joined International Paper in 1997 at the company’s Texarkana, Texas, Coated Paperboard Mill. Don became the mill manager at the Prattville, Alabama Containerboard Mill in 2007 and moved into his current position in January, 2013. Prior to coming to IP, Don held numerous positions in operations leadership and mill technical support during a more than 12-year career with the former James River Corporation. Don is active in the community and has served as a volunteer and a board member for several organizations including the Greater Texarkana United Way, Autauga County United Way, Prattville Chamber of Commerce, Manufacture Alabama, Alabama Pulp and Paper Council and Junior Achievement.

  Don and his wife Julie have two children – a son, Michael (25) and a daughter,Taylor (22).

Matthew A. Szymanski - Vice President - Mill Operations, Green Bay Packaging 

Matt Szymanski is the Vice President/General Manager of Green Bay Packaging’s –Arkansas Kraft Division since 2004 as well as the Company's Pinecrest Slitting Division since 2014. Szymanski has over 25 years in chemical/process engineering, technical sales, operations management, and general management. Prior to his work at Arkansas Kraft, Szymanski spent the majority of his career at Green Bay Packaging’s 100% recycled, 100% closed water loop mill in Green Bay, WI. Szymanski held the position of general manager of the Green Bay facility prior to moving to Arkansas. Szymanski grew up in Pulaski, a small Wisconsin town, on a family farm. Szymanski and his wife of 20 years, Marie, now reside in Morrilton Arkansas and Pulaski Wisconsin with their three children; Mark age 18, Francis age 16, and Evelyn age 14.

Szymanski holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in business administration, both from the University of Wisconsin system. Szymanski has been honored with several local and national paper industry awards and scholarships and is an active member of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI/ PIMA).

 Szymanski is an instrument rated private pilot and believes very strongly in the value of general aviation for both travel and personal development.

C.A. (Chip) Dillon, III - Partner, Vertical Research Partners

 C.A. (Chip) Dillon, III is a partner at Vertical Research Partners covering the Global Paper and Packaging Industry. He is a   chartered financial analyst (CFA) and consistently ranks highly in the major polls/surveys of U.S. Paper and Packaging Analysts, including a #1 ranking on eight occasions in the Institutional Investor (II) poll. In addition, Chip is the only U.S. paper and packaging analyst to be inducted into The Wall Street Journal Analyst “Hall of Fame.” Chip was named the top stock picking analyst in the “General Industries” category in its annual “Best on the Street” rankings in 2010. That year, Chip also was recognized as the #1 Stock Picker and Earnings Estimator by StarMine. 

A Wall Street veteran, Chip has covered the industrial space for more than two decades. He joined Vertical Research in July 2011 after serving as a managing director at Credit Suisse and prior to that, Citigroup Investment Research. He also worked at First Manhattan Co. and J.P. Morgan Investment Management.

 Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Chip earned a BS from the University of North Carolina in 1980, and an MBA from Columbia University in 1986. Chip and his wife, Margaret, have five children and reside in the suburbs of New York City. He works out of the firm’s New York City office. When not engaged in his investment research work, Chip remains busy keeping up with his children’s activities, community and church commitments, sports and traveling.

Warren Allan- Vice President - Procurement, Resolute Forest Products

Warren Allan is the Vice President - Procurement at Resolute Forest Products.  Prior to this position he was the Director - Strategic Sourcing at Resolute Forest Products.  As a leader of procurement and supply chain management programs and operations, Mr. Allan specializes in strategic business planning, global procurement & vendor relations strategies, budget & cost containment, staff development programs & initiatives, process improvements, multi-site operations, contract negotiations, and logistics management.

Prior to working at Resolute Forest Products, Mr. Allan was a director at Smurfit Stone for ten years and a director at St. Laurent Paperboard, Inc. for both Supply Management and Materials Management. He also was the Director – Materials Management at Irving Forest Services Limited as well as the Director of Purchasing.  Prior to those positions, Mr. Allan worked as a manager at Irving Paper and Western Star Trucks, Inc. and worked at John Deere for thirteen years.