Born: I was born in 1974 in Alexandria Bay, N.Y., along the Canadian border.
Education: In 1996, I earned a dual Bachelor of Science in Forest Resource Management and Environmental Forest Biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse (the longest name of any university and largest campus of any university!). Then, in 1999, I earned a Master of Science in Forestry from Clemson University in Clemson, S.C., completing my thesis on how the restriction of natural fire on Forest Service land has led to the change in tree composition and reduced biodiversity. I also earned a Master in Business Administration in 2001 from Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. I have been a registered forester in several states as well as a Certified Arborist (ISA), and I became a private pilot when I was 18.
Family: My wife Michelle and I have been married for 23 years. We have two daughters (ages 17 and 19), two cats, a dog, and a rabbit. We all live in Germantown, Tenn.
When and how did you enter the recycling industry? I have always felt connected to nature and especially the forest. I chose a career that allowed me to have a direct say in the management and policy of both private and public land. From my interaction with landowners on a daily basis, I gained a lot of insight into how we can all protect resources for today and provide a sustainable solution for the resources of future generations. It is necessary to provide both virgin and recycled material to achieve this goal. Both have diminishing returns of sustainability depending on how far you need to transport the resources and the total carbon footprint. While working at International Paper from 1999 to 2020, I was able to transition from virgin fiber to the recovered fiber side of the business and coordinate the purchases for all IP mills. From there, I worked for West Fraser, a dimensional lumber and OSB company, from 2020 to 2021 when I joined Pratt.
What was it about the industry that prompted you to build a career in it? I was pleasantly surprised with the similarities of both the virgin and recovered fiber industries. Both are primarily made up of hardworking, dedicated, passionate, small and large businesses. Many are family-run and dedicated to providing sustainable solutions while partnering with like-minded individuals. Price needs to be in a market range, but we choose to do business with people. The people make this industry a family, and I am proud to be a member.
What have been your most rewarding professional achievements? Personal achievements? I’ve had numerous memorable achievements in my 25-year career in the forest products industry. I’ve lived in seven different states and moved over a dozen times. I’ve worked for many companies and been part of many teams. The most rewarding part of all of that was to be part of so many different communities, with different accents and backgrounds and to truly embrace the differences among us. These experiences have humbled me and given me perspective on how I should better live my life.
What are you passionate about? At the end of the day, did the things I accomplished matter? As leaders and team members, we all have several roles to fulfill. Going home in the same condition we went to work is the most important focus for our whole industry. I have a passion for safety and continuous improvement to get to an incident-free workplace. I’m also passionate about personal development. I want to assist all those I work with to achieve more than they first thought possible and to do what they love and love what they do. I want to find that for myself and for others.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people. I hiked across the Grand Canyon twice in one day.
If you could improve anything about yourself, what would it be? The list is long, but my current focus is to improve my integration with new allies in the recycling industry to better provide quality recycled material.
What do you like to do in your free time? I devote a good deal of my free time to running/hiking, biking, and yoga. I will have run races in all 50 states once I go to Alaska in July.
When and why did your company decide to join ISRI and the PSI Chapter? ISRI is the face and voice of the recycling industry. Pratt is dedicated to the sustainability of the environment, its customers, and its people. The cornerstone of Pratt’s mission is to protect and nurture the planet’s natural resources while reducing our impact on the environment. A partnership with ISRI is the perfect relationship to achieve our mutual goals.
What are the major challenges facing your company and the overall recycling industry today? Pratt is America’s fifth-largest corrugated packaging company and the world’s largest, privately held 100% recycled paper and packaging company. Pratt has more than 10,000 highly skilled, green-collar employees dedicated to the environment and sustainability. Our biggest challenge is to find and deliver high-quality recycled material from the communities we work and live in to support this growth.
