NPTA Presents Marjorie Pond with 2017 Stanley O. Styles Industry Excellence Award

NPTA, the association for the paper distribution channel, is pleased to present the 2017 Stanley O. Styles Industry Excellence Award to Marjorie Pond. With more than 25 years in the industry, Pond’s tremendous amount of institutional knowledge, creative approach and leadership make her deserving of NPTA’s highest honor.

Pond began her sales career in 1978 while putting herself through graduate school in New York City. She joined the Neenah Paper business sector of Kimberly-Clark in 1991. Based in Manhattan she began in sales covering distribution accounts, Fortune 500 companies, design firms and ad agencies in the NY Metro market area. She received the Sales Person of the Year award in 1993 and 1994.

In 1996, Pond was promoted to National Merchant Accounts Manager and became Director of Sales in 1999. Pond continued with Neenah following their spin-off from K-C in 2004 and was named Vice President of Sales in 2007 following the acquisition of the Fox River Paper Company. Since 2013 she has been VP, Sales – Commercial Print.

Pond has achieved many things during her career in the paper industry, here is just a sampling of the support that she received during the nomination process.

“Marjorie leads by example with the highest integrity, professionalism, transparency, candor and respect.” – Julie Schertell, President, Neenah Paper.

“Marjorie has demonstrated a unique ability to bring people together; be they customers or competitors, and she always manages to execute it with proper consideration for the complexities of the business.” – William C. Meany, President, Lindenmeyr Munroe.

“I have had the good fortune to do business with Marjorie for over 20 years. At that time and in the 15 years prior to our association I have never meet a better communicator. Few if any have accomplished so much with such grace and style.” – David Brown, Senior Vice President, Olmsted-Kirk.

Pond will accept the Stanley O. Styles Industry Excellence Award at Paper2017 in Chicago on March 28 at the Tuesday Luncheon. Donations to honor the Pond can be made to the Paper and Plastics Education Research (PAPER) Foundation 2017 Scholarship Program.

Tom and Ted O’Connor to Receive 2017 Peyton Shaner Award

Tom O’Connor, Jr, Chairman and CEO, and Ted O’Connor, Senior Vice President for Mohawk Paper Mills have been selected as the co-recipients of the 2017 Peyton Shaner Award. The presentation will be made at the 2017 AIPPM Annual Meeting to be held in March 1-4 in Hollywood, FL.  The Peyton Shaner Award was established to commemorate the founder of the Association of Independent Printing Paper Merchants.  The recipient is recognized as someone who has shared Shaner’s passion for our industry. Past recipients include Doug Adams and Bill Stemmerman of Appvion, Bill Frohlich of the NPTA Alliance, Jeff Kirchmer of National Envelope, Morris Dennis of Dennis Paper Co., Charlie Peth of Wausau Paper, Alain Villemure of LECTA, and Bill Koehn of Domtar.

As Chief Executive Officer, Tom O’Connor has doubled Mohawk’s business and positioned the organization for the future by leading Mohawk into new areas of growth. Through a series of strategic initiatives, he expanded global sales, operations and distribution channels; diversified Mohawk’s product portfolio to include envelopes and specialty substrates for digital printing; and upgraded IT and operational infrastructure. Mr. O’Connor has also expanded Mohawk’s distribution base through strategic initiatives including the acquisition of several companies, including the iconic Strathmore line of fine papers, which was acquired in 2005. In addition, he has served as chairman of the National Paper Trade Association, and on the boards of the American Forest Products Association

Ted O’Connor has been in the paper business on and off since 1980. He began his career with the Carter Rice Paper Company as a Sales Representative for their Boston and West Haven, CT divisions. In 1982 he started with Mohawk Fine Papers as a Specification Sales Representative for the New York City market. In 1985 he became the District Sales Manager for upstate New York and Canada. In 1987 Ted was promoted to National Sales Manager. In 1992 he left Mohawk to work in Bond Sales for Lehman Brothers in New York City. From 1998-2008 Ted continued his career in Bond Sales at First Albany Corporation. He returned to Mohawk in 2008 as National Sales Manager for the Eastern Region and in 2011 was promoted to Senior Vice President Sales, responsible for sales of fine paper across the United States and Canada as well as Mohawk’s growing envelope business. In 2016, Ted was promoted to Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mohawk Envelope and Converting. In this new role, Ted leads Mohawk’s sales and marketing efforts for envelopes, while working closely with manufacturing and supply chain teams to enhance Mohawk’s rapidly growing envelope and converting businesses.

Don Clampitt of Clampitt Paper in Dallas says, “I have always been a big fan of the O’Connor family and feel they run a top notch family business that is not afraid to explore new markets or reenergize traditional ones!! Not much dust gathers under Tom and Ted’s feet!” Bayard Tynes of the Strickland Companies states, “Tom and Ted are a dynamic duo. They are lions in our industry that represent the first family in paper with old fashioned values and exciting new products and services that make this crazy business fresh and fun. When the O’Connor family succeeds, we all succeed! Congratulations on this well deserved honor.”

Please join the AIPPM in congratulating Tom O’Connor, Jr. and Ted O’Connor for earning this worthy recognition that honors its founder.

Tom O’Connor, Jr, Chairman and CEO, and Ted O’Connor, Senior Vice President for Mohawk Paper Mills have been selected as the co-recipients of the 2017 Peyton Shaner Award. The presentation will be made at the 2017 AIPPM Annual Meeting to be held in March 1-4 in Hollywood, FL.  The Peyton Shaner Award was established to commemorate the founder of the Association of Independent Printing Paper Merchants.  The recipient is recognized as someone who has shared Shaner’s passion for our industry. Past recipients include Doug Adams and Bill Stemmerman of Appvion, Bill Frohlich of the NPTA Alliance, Jeff Kirchmer of National Envelope, Morris Dennis of Dennis Paper Co., Charlie Peth of Wausau Paper, Alain Villemure of LECTA, and Bill Koehn of Domtar.

As Chief Executive Officer, Tom O’Connor has doubled Mohawk’s business and positioned the organization for the future by leading Mohawk into new areas of growth. Through a series of strategic initiatives, he expanded global sales, operations and distribution channels; diversified Mohawk’s product portfolio to include envelopes and specialty substrates for digital printing; and upgraded IT and operational infrastructure. Mr. O’Connor has also expanded Mohawk’s distribution base through strategic initiatives including the acquisition of several companies, including the iconic Strathmore line of fine papers, which was acquired in 2005. In addition, he has served as chairman of the National Paper Trade Association, and on the boards of the American Forest Products Association.

Ted O’Connor has been in the paper business on and off since 1980. He began his career with the Carter Rice Paper Company as a Sales Representative for their Boston and West Haven, CT divisions. In 1982 he started with Mohawk Fine Papers as a Specification Sales Representative for the New York City market. In 1985 he became the District Sales Manager for upstate New York and Canada. In 1987 Ted was promoted to National Sales Manager. In 1992 he left Mohawk to work in Bond Sales for Lehman Brothers in New York City. From 1998-2008 Ted continued his career in Bond Sales at First Albany Corporation. He returned to Mohawk in 2008 as National Sales Manager for the Eastern Region and in 2011 was promoted to Senior Vice President Sales, responsible for sales of fine paper across the United States and Canada as well as Mohawk’s growing envelope business. In 2016, Ted was promoted to Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mohawk Envelope and Converting. In this new role, Ted leads Mohawk’s sales and marketing efforts for envelopes, while working closely with manufacturing and supply chain teams to enhance Mohawk’s rapidly growing envelope and converting businesses.

Don Clampitt of Clampitt Paper in Dallas says, “I have always been a big fan of the O’Connor family and feel they run a top notch family business that is not afraid to explore new markets or reenergize traditional ones!! Not much dust gathers under Tom and Ted’s feet!” Bayard Tynes of the Strickland Companies states, “Tom and Ted are a dynamic duo. They are lions in our industry that represent the first family in paper with old fashioned values and exciting new products and services that make this crazy business fresh and fun. When the O’Connor family succeeds, we all succeed! Congratulations on this well deserved honor.”

Please join the AIPPM in congratulating Tom O’Connor, Jr. and Ted O’Connor for earning this worthy recognition that honors its founder.