TAPPI’s 2025 Award Winners: Leadership in Action
Leadership is more than a title: it represents an attitude of service and a commitment to bettering our industry. Recognizing exemplary leadership, scientific achievement, professional excellence, and service to their industry and community, TAPPI National- and Division-level awards honor our industry’s best and remind us of the qualities that TAPPI members value.
Most awards were presented during this year’s TAPPICon in Minneapolis, MN. Visit tappi.org and choose the “Get Involved” tab to learn more about TAPPI Awards & Honors. Finally, if you recognize the names of peers, colleagues, or customers on this list—congratulate them! Their contributions have enriched our industry for the benefit of all.
For Scientific Achievement:
GUNNAR NICHOLSON GOLD MEDAL AWARD
Wadood Y. Hamad, Ph.D.
Seprify AG (Switzerland)
Chief Technology Officer
Dr. Hamad leads efforts to scale up production of cellulose particles and hybrid materials, including a flagship product, cellulose white pigment. He also works to develop applications in a multitude of sectors spanning foods, pharma/nutraceuticals, cosmetics, paints, coatings, and organic electronics. “Dr. Hamad’s work has made a tremendous impact in colloid science, materials physics, chemistry, and nanotechnology,” says TAPPI President and CEO Larry N. Montague. “His focus on advancing sustainable cellulose materials and structures embodies the true meaning of the Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award.”
A TAPPI Fellow and a member since 2013, Dr. Hamad received the Distinguished Nanoscientist Award and FiberLean Industries Prize from TAPPI’s Nanotechnology Division in 2018. His work includes 33 patents and 150+ peer-reviewed book chapters, scientific papers, and authoritative reviews.
The prestigious Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award is TAPPI’s highest technical honor in recognition of an individual’s exceptional industry contributions. It is presented annually only to those, like Dr. Hamad, who have made preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven commercial benefit to the world’s pulp, paper, board, and forest products industries.
For Service Leadership:
HERMAN L. JOACHIM DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Anthony “Tony” Lyons, Ph.D.
Paper Lyons, LLC
President & CEO
The Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals for voluntary leadership and their support in advancing the mission and vision of TAPPI and the industry. This year, TAPPI recognizes a man who has made a huge impact within so many areas of TAPPI.
“Over the course of 40 years, Tony Lyons has consistently worked for the betterment of the association through his commitment to service and leadership, as well as countless technical contributions,” says Montague.
Dr. Lyons retired from IMERYS as director of science and technology and established Paper Lyons LLC, a paper and packaging technology consultancy, in 2017. He holds patents in pigments, barrier, inkjet, and agriculture.
A TAPPI Fellow and member since 1985, Dr. Lyons served in leadership roles including the TAPPI Board of Directors and multiple TAPPI divisions and committees. His volunteer roles include the Finishing and Converting Division and the Coating and Graphic Arts Division, where he earned both divisions’ Leadership and Service Awards. He served on the steering committee for the International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials from 2005-2011.
For Business Leadership:
TAPPI/PIMA EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Tony Smurfit
Smurfit Westrock
Group Chief Executive Officer and President When Smurfit Kappa and WestRock combined, they created a world leader in sustainable packaging. This new company operates in 40 countries with a team of 100,000 employees and combined sales of approximately US$31 billion. For 2025, we honor the leader who made this historic merger possible.
“Tony’s leadership is the catalyst behind Smurfit Westrock’s innovation and commitment to sustainable packaging,” Montague says. “That is the personification of the TAPPI/PIMA Executive of the Year.”
Smurfit is a member of the European Round Table of Industrialists and holds an Honorary Fellowship of Medicine and an Honorary Doctorate of Management Science from University College Dublin. He graduated from the University of Scranton, PA, with a degree in Management Science. Prior to the merger, Smurfit was CEO of Smurfit Kappa Group since 2015. He joined the company in 1986 and held several management roles in both the US and Europe; he was elected to the board of directors in 1989.
The Executive of the Year Award is among the highest honors bestowed by TAPPI and PIMA.
For Peer Leadership:
PAUL W. MAGNABOSCO OUTSTANDING LOCAL SECTION AWARD
David Schwerbel, PE
Telos-US
Principal
Schwerbel is an active member and treasurer of the TAPPI Lake States/North Central PIMA Local Section, serving as a member of its board and executive committee since 1998. For nearly 40 years, Schwerbel has worked as an ambassador for the local section, bringing together TAPPI student chapters, plus the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point’s and the University of Minnesota’s foundations, to support students and future leaders of the forest products industries. He continues to mentor college students and give valuable direction to those entering the industry workforce.
“Mr. Schwerbel’s passion for helping our industry’s future leaders is unsurpassed,” notes Montague. “His continued service and dedication to the Lake States/North Central PIMA Local Section is truly commendable.”
Schwerbel earned a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and began his career as an environmental engineer with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Industrial Wastewater Section before consulting roles with several leading engineering firms. Schwerbel’s career has expanded to the biofuels and agricultural markets, although his focus remains in pulp and paper.
DIVISION AWARDS
Coating, Printing, and Surface Enhancement Division:
Division Leadership and OMYA Prize
Greg Welsch
Binders – Global Innovation and TS&D Leader
Trinseo LLC
Division Technical Award and BASF Charles W. Englehard Prize
Prakash Malla
Retired
Division and WestRock Outstanding Educator Award
John Roper
Retired
Engineering Division:
Division Leadership and Service Award
Meg Murphy
Manager of Fabrication Sales
Fab-Logix
Dennis Anliker Memorial Award
Michael Lykins
Pulp & Paper Services/Principal Consultant
Corrosion Probe, Inc.
Technical Award and Beloit Prize
Vic Uloth
Chemical Engineer
Independent Consulting
International Research Management Committee:
R&D Technical Award and William H. Aiken Prize
Lucian Lucia
Professor
North Carolina State University
Paper and Board Division:
Division Leadership and Service Award and Oscar May Prize
Paula Hajakian
Principal Technical Specialist, Paper
US Gypsum Company
Division Technical Award and Harris O. Ware Prize
Mark Harrison
Product & Applications Specialist
Southern Erectors, Inc.
Jasper Mardon Memorial Prize for Best Papermaking Technology Paper
Torsten Haverinen-Nielsen
Solution Architect, Digital Solutions
Kemira
PIMA Division:
Division Leadership and Service Award
Med Byrd
Director of Undergraduate Programs in Paper Science and Engineering
North Carolina State University
Process and Product Quality Division:
Division Leadership and Service Award
Jessica Carette
R&D Project Director
Cascades
Process Control Division:
Division Leadership and Service Award
Amanda Sans Senior Project Engineer
Andritz
Division Best Paper Award
Shahrum Iqbal
Global Vice President of Control Valves & Automation
Bray International
Mill Professional of the Year
David Clapper
Process Control Leader
Georgia-Pacific
Pulp Manufacture Division:
Division Technical Award and Johan C.F.C. Richter Prize
Rick Gustafson Professor
University of Washington
Dave Wethernhorn Best Paper Award, Alkaline Pulping & Bleaching Committee
Nayara Casagrande
Research Scientist
Klabin SA
Wayne Carr Memorial Best Paper Award, Fiber Recycling Committee
Nayara Casagrande
Research Scientist
Klabin SA
William Fuller Award for Best Fiber & Raw Materials Paper
Nayara Casagrande
Research Scientist
Klabin SA
Tissue Division:
Leadership and Service Award
Jeff Peters
Tissue Applications Manager, Americas
BTG
Technical Award
Lucyna Pawlowska
Process Application Expert
Kemira Water Solutions Inc.
Mill Professional of the Year
Jean Francois-Pion
Supervisor, Tissue Machine
Cascades
Division Best Paper Award
Trip Jobe
VP Sales, Forest Value Chain
ResourceWise
Women in Industry Division:
Division Leadership and Service Award
Breanna Van Nuland
Sr. Product Development Engineer
Amcor
Women of the Year Award
Margaret Gorog
Member
Houghton Cascade Holdings, LLC
Heather Jennings
Director
Huma International
Couch Pit University:
Brookshire Moore Superintendent of the Year
Dane Watford
Final Products Manager
Domtar
TAPPI Young Professional of the Year
Hannah Haynes
Associate R&D Scientist
Smurfit Westrock
This annual honor identifies aspiring young leaders in the global forest products, pulp, paper, tissue, packaging, and associated industries. These early-career professionals have made significant contributions to the forest products industries in the following areas: leadership, community service, and problem-solving contributions to scientific or engineering projects. Eligible nominees are age 35 or younger with less than 10 years of industry experience.
Haynes graduated from Purdue University with a BS in chemistry and joined Smurfit Westrock in 2022. In her current role, Haynes focuses on recycling and sustainability, developing test methodology, leading pilot trials, and working with mills to implement sustainable solutions. She co-leads Smurfit Westrock’s Women in Science and Engineering group.
TAPPI congratulates Hannah Haynes—we can’t wait to see where your career leads you!
