Three Domtar colleagues were among those who received industry awards at PaperCon 2016, an annual conference sponsored by the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI).
Hawesville Mill Manager Steve Henry received the Paper Industry Management Association (PIMA) Mill Manager of the Year award, and two of Domtar’s young engineers, Steven White at Ashdown and Lesley Cook at Plymouth, were honored in TAPPI’s Top 20 under 30.
Steve Henry
“It is an honor and privilege to be selected by TAPPI/PIMA as Mill Manager of the Year,” said Steve Henry (pictured above, second from right). “More than individual recognition, I feel it is recognition of the tremendous team at Domtar’s Hawesville Mill as well as my colleagues throughout Domtar Pulp and Paper. I am fortunate to have been mentored and coached by many excellent people in the paper industry, as well being supported by my wife and family.”
Henry joined Domtar in 2011 and has worked in the pulp and paper industry since 1991, when he was an engineering co-op student at a mill in Big Island, Virginia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s in business administration. His career in the paper industry has taken his family to Virginia, Iowa, Tennessee and Kentucky.
In addition to leading the Hawesville Mill, Henry is active with Junior Achievement, serving on three boards and as a classroom volunteer at Hancock County High School for the past four years. He also serves on the board of directors for Kenergy, a not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative; is assistant scoutmaster for Troop 76; and enjoys coaching youth sports. He and his wife, Valerie, have three sons.
Lesley Cook
Lesley Cook is a process engineer at the Plymouth Mill, where she has worked on a variety of projects to improve performance. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University before joining Domtar.
Her newest project is at the Ashdown Mill, where she is co-leading a continuous-improvement team and supporting entry-level engineers at that location. She hopes to see the industry advance its technology and discover new end products that can be sustainably produced.
Steven White
Steven White graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology with a degree in chemical engineering. He first worked as an engineer for Cardinal Float Glass, but later joined Domtar as an entry-level engineer. He has since worked as a shift supervisor and a maintenance coordinator. Currently, he works as assistant superintendent for the paper machines.
He sees opportunities for advancements in the industry, particularly related to water use, and he would like to see more young professionals consider the pulp and paper industry. “Even in the digital age, paper plays a key role in many aspects of life,” White said.
