Behind every great company is a story. Ours begins in 1931, during the Great Depression, when my grandfather, George O’Connor, took a chance and bought a bankrupt paper mill in Upstate New York. Convinced that the mill and the craftspeople who worked there were worth saving, he chose to begin making paper that was as enduring and unique as it was well-crafted and beautiful. This purposeful foresight became a philosophy embraced by four generations of my family and remains a guiding principle that informs everything we do today.

At our core, we are a company of makers. We make real things that make a real impact. We make meaningful connections between people and ideas. And we are bullish on the future of fine paper. This is our core, our unrelenting focus and the reason we are completing our 3rd consecutive year of growth, against all odds. In an industry that many considered outdated, we are committed to building on our heritage of innovation, from products, to partnerships. That’s because we take our role as leaders seriously, driving us to make strategic decisions for the long term, not just the next quarter. We never stop reaching for what’s next. We are a family-owned business and try to treat everyone like family; from our 600 Mohawk employees to our customers and partners. That’s because our business is dependent upon personal relationships, handshake-level trust, honest communication and the desire to build for future generations.

In that spirit we are excited to announce some organizational changes that will help us to continue to prosper for years to come.

Bruce Hogan has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer for Mohawk. Our business is changing and our manufacturing group needs to be in step with the entire company. Bruce will ensure that the needs of our business are met with manufacturing capability, scheduling, logistics, IT and business analytics.

Melissa Stevens has been promoted to Chief Revenue Officer for Mohawk. The sources for revenue also continue to change and it is more than just about selling transactional paper. Melissa will be responsible for helping Mohawk reach our topline goals and objectives by leading our sales, marketing, and product teams and working in close alignment with operations and finance.

Paul Biesiadecki has been promoted to Chief Strategy Officer for Mohawk. The future is bright and we need to make sure that our strategy is in line with our objectives. Paul will be looking at merger & acquisition opportunities as well as take on responsibility for the Southeast.

John O’Connor has been promoted to EVP of Human Capital for Mohawk. People are our greatest asset and we need to continue to create a culture for growth. John will expand our recruiting efforts and help identify opportunities for existing employees.

Ted O’Connor has been promoted to EVP of Converting and Envelopes for Mohawk. We have seen significant growth in our envelope revenue and outside converting. Ted will continue to lead this facet of our organization.

John Angleson has been promoted to SVP of Supply Chain for Mohawk. The role of business analytics and customer data sharing has become vital to our organization. John will continue to look for synergies internally, with customers and suppliers.

Tom O’Connor III has been promoted to VP of Sales Operations for Mohawk. Inside sales has become a critical part of the selling process under Tommy’s guidance. He will now expand responsibility to include logistics to ensure best of class service from order entry to delivery.

Harold Cropsey has been promoted to VP, Corporate Controller. A strong balance sheet is the work of our financial team. Harold will continue to lead this team and position Mohawk to be financially prepared to take advantage of new business opportunities.

Ben Whitaker has been promoted to VP of Business Process Management and IT. As we progress in our ability to share data, bring transparency to the supply chain and engage in many different businesses IT will be at the forefront of our success. Ben has brought leadership and process to this function.

Barb Meuth has been promoted to Supervisor, Inside Sales. Through her experience as the training lead, Barb has demonstrated a complete understanding of the business and has formed strong relationships with internal and external customers.

Our Senior Management team continues to be vital in our ability to post year over year growth in Fine Paper and ensure our business processes are best in class. I am proud to have such a strong team around me and look forward to a prosperous future.

Thank you for your continued support in the market. We believe these strategic moves will help Mohawk and our partners grow our business in 2018.

Thank you,
Tom O’Connor Jr.
Chairman & CEO