Graham Moore has over thirty years’ experience of the global paper and board industry that has focused on process and product knowledge, recycling, wet end chemistry and product performance research. His recent focus has been directed towards the specialty paper sector where he has assisted a number of paper companies to successfully develop and exploit new specialty products and markets. He has been a regular presenter, chairman and advisory board member for Smithers US Specialty Paper conference held annually in conjunction with TAPPI. In addition to specialty paper, he has undertaken strategic futures based research that has examined the issues and technology trends that affect the papermaking supply chain and co-authored the TAPPI Futurist’s report ‘Postcards of the Future’. He is a member and Fellow of TAPPI, member, non-executive director and Deputy Chairman of PITA (UK), and member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK).
Kelly L. Helein brings 29 years of executive leadership in the capacity of sales, marketing and business development having worked for specialty paper companies, converters and manufacturers. A self-described highly motivated connector and collaborator, she has extensive experience in driving innovation and growth while working with leading consumer products companies. Passionate about sustainability and the impact of packaging on the global network, Kelly has championed change as the past Board President for the Paper Discovery Center and the Paper International Hall of Fame. She also serves on the advisory committee for Smithers Pira Sustain Pack Europe and US. Kelly previously worked as Vice President, Industrial for Coveris, now TC Transcontinental and now serves as Vice President, Strategic Accounts for Footprint.
Tom Carne has over 25 years’ management experience within Paper and Board industry. Today he works as a Business Development Manager for Barrier coatings within Kemira’s Global Pulp & Paper BD Team. Main focus is to develop new markets and applications and introduce new water based barrier coating products and concepts to the industry.
He started his career in developing dispersion barriers and pigment coatings working for paper chemical suppliers, but major part of his career he has made working for a paperboard supplier holding positions in product management, business development and international key account management.
Tom holds a M.Sc. degree in Paper Chemistry from the University of Åbo Akademi, Finland. He ranks sustainability and circular economy high on his personal agenda. He charges his batteries in nature doing outdoor exercise, fishing and hunting and therefore values environmental issues above all.
Mark is the founder of Columbia Pulp, the founder and CEO of Sustainable Fiber Technologies, Phoenix Pulp and Polymer and Sustainable Green Chemistries. Mark has over 40 years in the pulp and paper industry.
His experience spans research, Weyerhaeuser and GK Carbonate; manufacturing Weyerhaeuser, Noram Testing Equipment, sales and marketing, various entities and academia where he spent seventeen years at the University of Washington.
Currently there are over 20 employees within the SFT family of Companies. He is also the inventor of 6 issued patents and 3 patents pending.
Xiaobo Hu received his PhD in Polymer Science in 2011. His current position at Eastman Chemical Company focuses on fundamental research and product development for coatings. His current project is to develop bio-based and biodegradable polymer coatings in packaging/food contact applications based on the understanding of structure-process-property relationships. Before joining Eastman Chemical Company, Xiaobo worked as a Research Scientist at DuPont, where he researched engineering polymers for blown film and lamination applications.
Marc Foulger has 45 years’ experience in the pulp and paper industry, and is currently Technology Manager, Micro-fibrillated Cellulose, for Valmet Inc. Marc previously served as Director of Research for both GL&V and Black Clawson in the USA. Before joining Black Clawson he worked for Simons consulting and for Kimberly-Clark in Canada, and Reed International in the UK. Marc is a TAPPI Fellow, and has published more than 40 technical papers. He specializes in paper machine operations.
Based in the UK, Tom is responsible for FiberLean’s Business Development in Paper and Board applications. Tom holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and has over 10 years’ experience working with MFC in paper and packaging.
Bio coming soon
Mr. Yuta Taoka is currently the Manager of the Poval R&D Department, Kuraray Co., Ltd. in Japan. He earned a Master’s degree in polymer science from Kyoto University, Japan in 2008 where he specialized in the polymer rheology. He started his professional career with Kuraray Co., Ltd in 2008. As Technical expert, he has been in charge of developing various polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) polymers for adhesive and paper applications in the Poval R&D Department in Japan (2008 to 2013) and Kuraray America PVOH BU in Texas (2013 to 2017). From 2018 January, he has been assigned as a manager in the POVAL R&D Department to continue to develop new markets for PVOH in the adhesive and paper industries.
Innovative sales operations and supply chain executive with a record of tangible results. Broad international experience across critical areas of sales, supply chain, procurement, and customer relationship management. Exceptional interpersonal skills combined with a passionate, analytical approach to problem-solving.
Experienced professional in building public-private coalitions with systemic vision, project management skills, sustainability and governance expertise with a deep conviction that the size of the challenges that we will leave for future generations will depend on the collective action of governments, society and companies today.
Scott McNutt has over 40 years of experience in the paper industry, with a focus on process and product knowledge in the disciplines of papermaking, quality, engineering, operations management, Lean/Six Sigma, product development and innovation. He is well-versed in the downstream converting processes and end use requirements for cut sheet, QSR, flexible packaging, and technical specialty grades.
He started his career in specialty paper at Dunn Paper, serving in roles process engineering, quality management, and product dev. He transitioned to Fine Paper with Willamette and was part of the effort to infuse state-of-the-art papermaking technology into the fine paper industry in the US. He then managed the production operations for Wausau Papers, returning to his specialty paper roots. To bring his career full circle, he returned to Dunn Paper in Port Huron to drive operations success and innovation.
He has toured a vast number of pulp and paper mills in the US and abroad, exploring new technology. Scott has been a member of TAPPI since 1985, attending numerous events at the local Chapters as well as annual Conferences. In addition, he has been active in the Smithers Specialty Papers Conferences in Europe and North America. He is currently active in the TAPPI Mentor program and recently joined the Tappi Nanotechnology subcommittee.
His primary focus now with Nextep Partners LLC Consulting is on paper innovations for sustainable packaging applications.
As CMA’s Client Services Coordinator, Diana combines her passion for sustainability with an unparalleled enthusiasm for collaboration. Before CMA, she ran the sustainability department for Sodexo’s food service operations at Gonzaga University, where she implemented the company’s national sustainability goals at the local and regional level. Her rigorous background in Corporate Social Responsibility has inspired her employment or other local, regional, and national businesses including Resource Synergy and Red Bull. With a drive to build sustainable societies and a deep passion for food, her long-term goal is to reinvent the standard food system to be healthy for the individual, the industry, and the environment.
