Atlanta, Ga. – TAPPI is pleased to announce that Charles P. “Chuck” Klass of Klass Associates Inc. has been awarded the Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award.  This is the highest honor the Association can bestow upon an individual.

Established in 1928, the Gold Medal is granted to those "who have made preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven applied benefit to the world’s pulp, paper, board, and forest product industries.”

In addition to an engraved plaque, Mr. Klass will receive a cash honorarium, a gold medallion, a gold lapel pin, and a lifetime TAPPI membership.  The award will be presented during the PaperCon awards dinner and dance on April 21.

“I feel honored and humbled,” said Klass, “Recognition by one’s peers is a great honor. It is the high point in my five decades of experience in the industry and 57 years as a TAPPI Member. My career has been focused on recognizing opportunities for new value-added products and also implementation of new technologies, equipment and chemicals to improve the industry’s profitability and sustainability. Helping to mentor the next generation of paper industry technical and business leaders is my greatest source of satisfaction.”

Mr. Klass graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in pulp and paper technology and received a master of business administration in marketing management from Pace University.

He is recognized as an expert in the development of coated and other value-added papers, processing and use of recycled fiber, and application of innovative technology to the paper industry.

Mr. Klass' five decades of paper industry experience include technical and operating positions with Hamilton Paper, Oxford Paper, Union Camp, and Westvaco; editorial experience with Paper Trade Journal; sales/marketing management positions with Merck Chemical, Lockport Felt, Asten Group, and Inventing/BTG Coating Systems.

Mr. Klass serves as Adjunct Professor of Paper Engineering at Western Michigan University.  He is a Fellow of TAPPI, has served on the association's Board of Directors, serves on the Editorial Board of Paper 360° and previously received the TAPPI Distinguished Service Award. 

He has numerous publications on paper technology and marketing management.  He developed and taught the TAPPI short course, "How to Market Effectively to the Pulp and Paper Industry." He also teaches TAPPI courses on “Improving Paper Machine Operations,” “Linerboard and Corrugating Medium Manufacture” and “Paper and Paperboard Coating.” He serves on the Editorial Board of

Mr. Klass has also been honored with the TAPPI Distinguished Service Award, the TAPPI Paper and Board Division Silver Medal Award, the Harris O. Ware Prize for outstanding contributions to paper manufacturing technology, and the TAPPI Coating and Graphic Arts Division Leadership and Service Award. He serves on the Board of the Western Michigan University Paper Technology Foundation and has been elected to the PTF Hall of Fame and the WMU Academy of Engineering Excellence.