TAPPI Toasts Corrugated Stars

From the main stage at Corrugated Week 2022, TAPPI was pleased to present several awards honoring a few corrugated professionals who have made a difference:

Kristi Ledbetter received the Corrugated Packaging Division Leadership and Service Award for her many years of service as the division manager at TAPPI (see photo). Until her retirement in July 2022, Ledbetter was well-known for her tireless efforts on the division’s behalf—first as technical program manager, beginning in 2002; as division manager, from 2004; and as Corrugated Packaging Council facilitator since 2006. She has served and supported members through countless events, committee meetings, and Chicago TAPPI Local Section proceedings. She was the lead staff person for seven CorrExpo^® events and five SuperCorrExpo^® events; the latter is now one of the largest corrugated conferences in the industry. Ledbetter also played an integral role in formulating the very first Corrugated Week conference in 2014.

Lena Sharesky, Packaging Corporation of America, was recognized with the Young Professionals (YP) Division Leadership and Service Award. Through PCA’s GIFT Program, she was able to rotate through various departments to gain a strong understanding of the company and corrugated industry before moving to her current role as a sales representative. She is the Young Professional Liaison for the Corrugated Packaging Division Council and the incoming vice chair of the YP Division. Sharesky graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s in Business Administration from Monmouth University.

Greg Jones, executive vice president at SUN Automation Group, was recognized as the retiring Corrugated Packaging Council (CPC) Member-at-Large. The CPC was formed in 2002 as an advisory board to TAPPI in all areas related to the members of the Corrugated Division. It is comprised of six appointed members, both integrated and independents, and nine elected members, who all volunteer their time and knowledge to strengthen TAPPI’s Corrugated Division. As a valued member of TAPPI, Jones will certainly be missed as he steps down from the CPC; but TAPPI looks forward to his continued involvement in the Corrugated Division.