As Domtar celebrated Earth Week, colleagues and the community of Kingsport, Tennessee, celebrated the 100th year of operations at the Kingsport Mill.
Throughout 2016, the Kingsport Mill is commemorating this milestone anniversary with local activities and events.
During Earth Week, representatives from Domtar and Keep Kingsport Beautiful announced the company’s contribution of 100 trees — Cherokee princess dogwoods and paperbark maples — planted along both sides of Fort Henry Drive.
These are some of the new trees planted in honor of the Kingsport Mill’s centennial.
“Our long-standing support of Keep Kingsport Beautiful has been a natural outgrowth of our shared interest in the environment,” said Mill Manager Bill MacPherson. “It is our hope that when people travel along Fort Henry Drive, lined with these majestic and thriving trees, they will see them as a reflection of the vibrant community that makes up the city of Kingsport.”
Kingsport Mayor John Clark added, “We are honored to celebrate 100 years with a company that has a long-standing tradition of giving back to its community. Thank you, Domtar, for making Kingsport a greener place to live now and for the next 100 years.”
Domtar also sponsored a Kingsport Chamber breakfast on April 22, International Earth Day. Regional leaders — including state legislators, congressional representatives and the mayor — attended a celebratory luncheon and toured the mill.
Kingsport Mill colleagues, from left: Tom Howard, vice president of government relations; Roger Smith, director of public affairs and manufacturing support; Bill MacPherson, mill manager; Ron Nussman, controller; and Mike Quinn, human resources manager.
Tom Howard, Domtar’s vice president for government relations, and Roger Smith, director of public affairs and manufacturing support, spoke to the group about all Domtar is doing to prepare for 100 more years of success in the region.
Over the years, the mill has been diligent in fostering a culture that supports and promotes giving back to the local community. The mill was a key proponent of the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing and the Kingsport Center for Higher Education. In addition, the mill has contributed more than $5 million to the community in land, financial donations and labor for numerous recreational and social efforts.
