The Paper Industry International Hall of Fame Recognizes 6 New Inductees

Every year, the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame recognizes new honorees for their innovation and leadership in the paper industry. The event, which attracts hundreds of industry leaders, aims to acknowledge the contributions these innovators have made to building and improving the paper industry.

The Paper Industry Hall of Fame inducted six industry innovators into its hallowed halls at its annual banquet on October 9, 2014. Our congratulations to the six inductees:

Arne Asplund – late founder and chairman of Defibrator Group (now Metso); Stockholm, Sweden
Hardev S. “Doug” Dugal – held various positions at the Institute of Paper Chemistry, co-founded Integrated Paper Services; Appleton, Wisconsin
Martin Keyes – late founder and president of Keyes Fiber Co. (now Huhtamaki) – Waterville, Maine
William Markley Gilbert – late co-founder and president of Gilbert Paper Co. – Menasha, Wisconsin
Marja-Sisko Ilvessalo-Pfäffi – late research manager for Fiber Physics at KFCL, author of “The Fiber Atlas”; Helsinki, Finland
George Tomlinson – late vice president of Howard Smith paper Co., inventor of recovery boiler; Westmount, Quebec, Canada

The Hall of Fame honors inductees such as the late William Markley Gilbert, who founded the Gilbert Paper Company in 1887 and revolutionized the distribution of paper. However, this year held special significance industry leaders and Appleton locals alike.

According to Kathleen Lhost, the Hall of Fame’s executive director, half of this year’s attendees were there to honor Hardev Dugal, a well-like local paper leader.

Hardev Dugal and Kathleen Lhost at the Hall of Fame's annual dinner.

Photo: Joshua Bessex, Post-Crescent Media

Dugal, who received a standing ovation, was the Environmental Director at the Institute of Paper Chemistry when it was based in Appleton. He also founded Integrated Paper Services in Appleton and helped start the Hall of Fame in 1995. In addition to his fame in the paper industry, Dugal is something of a local celebrity. He has penned over 100 articles for the Appleton Post Crescent, mostly on the state of the paper industry, but also about his own personal experiences.

Going Paperless?

Dugal questions the belief that we are transitioning into a “paperless society”. He notes that “going paperless” usually refers to eliminating the use of writing paper, but that writing paper only accounts for 20% of the paper industry. Instead, other aspects of the industry, such as packaging, tissue, and specialty papers, are exhibiting growth.

The event’s keynote speaker, Russ Wanke, isn’t worried about the perception of a “paperless society”. Instead, Wanke spoke about the industry’s need to respond to the financial burden posed by some government regulations, and suggested that the industry needs to be innovative and vocal about their concern over the impact of government regulation.

The Paper Industry International Hall of Fame is located on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin. The Fox River Valley is home to the greatest concentration of paper mills in the world.