Packaging Corporation of America has planned to separate the roles of Chairman and CEO into two positions between Paul Stecko and Mark Kowlzan, respectively.
Packaging Corporation of America, a US based containerboard and corrugated packaging products producing company, would separate the roles of Chairman and CEO into two positions. Paul Stecko will remain as chairman of the board and an executive officer of the company, while Mark Kowlzan, who has also been named to the board of directors of the company, will function as the CEO.
As Executive Chairman, Stecko will focus primarily on major strategic issues and initiatives as well as other important board and shareholder matters. In this regard Stecko has entered into a new employment agreement with the company which includes financial incentives that require that he remain with the company until June 30, 2013, to achieve.
Prior to being named CEO, Kowlzan served PCA for the past ten years as senior vice president- containerboard with responsibility for the company’s containerboard mill operations. Kowlzan joined PCA in 1996 and has over 25 years experience in the paper and forest products industry serving in a wide variety of technical, manufacturing and leadership positions.
Commenting on the announcement, Stecko said, “The separation of the Chairman and CEO roles facilitates our succession process, giving Mark Kowlzan overall responsibility for the leadership of the company while allowing me to continue to contribute in important strategic aspects of the business as well as helping ensure a smooth and effective transfer of responsibilities within the organization.”
Stecko added, “Mark Kowlzan has clearly demonstrated his strong leadership and technical skills by building one of the lowest cost and most efficient containerboard mill systems in the industry.”