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Born: I was born June 1, 1982, in Oregon, Ohio.
Education: I earned two Associate of Applied Science degrees from the Community College of the Air Force—one in Construction Technology in 2007 and the other in Human Resource Management in 2008. Also in 2008, I earned a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree—with a focus on Interpersonal Communications—from Bowling Green State University and, in 2012, a Master of Business Administration degree from Ohio University.
Family: I met my better half, Lanah, in Bowling Green, Ohio. We’ll be married 16 years this October, now living in Canal Winchester, Ohio. We have two incredible daughters—Noelle (14) and Harper (13) who play tennis, golf, and run track.
When and how did you enter the recycling industry? When I returned to school for my MBA in 2010, I met so many impressive people throughout that experience—friendships that will no doubt last a lifetime. One of those connections happened to be a future leader in recycling who was building his new sales team, and I was lucky enough to be afforded an opportunity to join the recycling industry in 2014. I quickly traded in my corporate cubicle for a stack of business cards and a high-vis vest at Waste Management. I spent several years there ingrained in everything from plant operations and marketing to national brokerage. I even got involved in the technical/back-office portion of the business—the true engine of our industry. From there, in 2021, my appetite for growth took me across the transactional aisle to learning the art of mill buying for secondary fiber at Greif, where I joined the team that supports third-party procurement for one of the industry’s largest containerboard mill groups. Today, I’m excited to be leading Greif Recycling’s national account strategy across the country while continuing to work with our industry-leading customer service teams in developing technical and process improvements.
What was it about the industry that prompted you to build a career in it? Spending the early part of my career in the military conditioned me to seek a higher purpose in my work beyond the paycheck. But I didn’t realize that I needed this type of intangible fulfillment until I left the military to work in corporate finance. Although short-lived, I found myself searching for that meaningful connection with what we do in our day-to-day and how that impacts the world around and beyond us. In recycling, you can see the impact you can make on your colleagues, customers, community, and environment on a daily basis. And I don’t know of any other industry that can replicate that experience.
What have been your most rewarding professional achievements? Personal achievements? Raising my right hand a few days after 9/11 to serve our country overseas has always been a proud moment of mine and proved to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. In a short time, I traveled the world and worked in several different industries and environments, and I can confidently say that nothing could have prepared me better for life as a professional than my experience with the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard.
On a personal note, there is nothing I’m more proud of than my beautiful family and watching my daughters grow into kind and strong young women.
What are you passionate about? The connections and relationships that we make in this industry are what motivate me each and every day. But outside of the tip floor, you will find me smiling from ear to ear sitting in a tree stand, slicing Pro-V’s into the woods on the golf course, or moseying around Apple Valley Lake in a pontoon boat.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people. I had lead roles in several musicals and plays in high school and even studied film and theater in college for a couple of semesters—and I’m not gonna lie, I crushed it! Little did I know how much this would develop my public speaking and interpersonal skills that I so heavily rely on today in my career.
If you could improve anything about yourself, what would it be? Doing something you care so much about every day will inevitably illicit emotion that can sometimes impede more thoughtful strategic decisionmaking. While I consider myself to be a solid decisionmaker, this is an area where I feel I can always make improvements. The real pros compartmentalize that emotion and can make the best decision that benefits most or all parties. That is always the goal.
What do you like to do in your free time? I’ve been slowly renovating our 30-plus-year-old home for the past six years (on a five-year plan). There’s always work to be done at the house, and every time I open up a wall, my skill and patience are heavily tested.
When and why did your company decide to join ISRI and the PSI Chapter? Greif has been making containerboard and fiber drums since 1955 and has been an ISRI member for several years. When Greif purchased Caraustar in 2019, we doubled down on our commitment to the paper and packaging industry, and our partnership and involvement with ISRI and the PSI Chapter continues to grow every year.
What PSI leadership positions have you held? What motivated you to become a PSI leader? As a member of the PSI Specifications Committee, I get to work with some of the smartest folks in the industry, constantly evaluating the standards and practices that provide guidance on the quality of the commodities we transact every day. This work is highly impactful and important to supporting a healthy and competitive trading environment.
What benefits have you received from your PSI involvement? Meeting and networking with a diverse group of people within PSI has proven to be very valuable in my growth and development. Involvement in PSI has also helped to hone some of the more technical standards and practices that guardrail our industry and have bolstered the skill set needed to become a leader at Greif.
What are the major challenges facing your company and the overall recycling industry today? It’s no secret our industry today has challenges from secondary fiber generation to mill capacity to finished-good demand. Every large integrated packager has had to face these hurdles, in some form or another, over the last year and a half. At Greif, we leverage our diverse cadre of talent and unique manufacturing capabilities to continue to provide industry-leading products to the market with legendary customer service. By focusing on these core strengths, placing safety as a priority, and relentlessly innovating, there is no challenge that Greif or our partners cannot overcome.
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