GP Shakes Up Operations Leadership
Georgia-Pacific has changed its operations leadership. Jeff Koeppel, senior vice president of operations, will retire in the first quarter of 2025. A role he has held since 2016, Koeppel’s been a critical part of the transformation of Georgia-Pacific’s manufacturing operations.
Hudson Pope, currently senior vice president for manufacturing at Georgia-Pacific, will assume the senior vice president of operations position with responsibility for all manufacturing segments.
Pope brings nearly 30 years of experience in the pulp and paper industry—beginning his career with Georgia-Pacific as a co-op process engineer for the company’s Crossett, Ark. facility. He has grown his career with Georgia-Pacific and several other organizations, assuming consecutive leadership roles in manufacturing, logistics, and operations. In December 2018, Pope was promoted to Georgia-Pacific’s senior vice president, building products operations. In 2023, his role changed to assume responsibility for the company’s packaging and cellulose operations.
Pope holds a B.S. in chemical engineering, with a minor in pulp and paper technology from Auburn University. An active alum, he serves on the board of directors of the Auburn Pulp & Paper Foundation as the executive committee president.
Koeppel will support Pope in making a smooth transition in the coming months.
Latest News
Vaagen Thanks Support For Midway Sawmill
The outpouring of support for Vaagen Fibre Canada’s Midway, BC sawmill, upon the early January Vaagen family announcement of the mill’s impending closure, was substantial, but apparently hasn’t changed the disappointing outcome, at least for now. The Vaagen family, whose Vaagen Brothers Lumber headquarters and sawmill is in Colville, Wash., announced on…
Mercer Gains Mass Timber Contract
Mercer International Inc. reported it has signed its first major mass timber project contract with a large consumer products retailer. The project, which is composed of cross-laminated timber panels, glue-laminated beams and connector elements, is expected to utilize four months of capacity at Mercer’s Spokane, Wash. facility on a one-shift basis over the course of 2023…
U.S. Housing Starts Rebound In February
U.S. housing starts brushed off a sluggish January and reached a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.45 million in February, up 9.8% over January. Single-family starts were 830,000, a percent above January, while multi-family (five units or more) were at 608,000, up a whopping 24% over January. The uptick in February broke a four-consecutive monthly decline for the combined starts…
Cooper Machine Partners With EWD
Cooper Machine Co., a long-established manufacturer of quality sawmill equipment located in Wadley, Ga., announced that it is partnering with German-based sawmill machine manufacturer EWD Sagetechnik. Cooper Machine has been offering equipment for sawmill, pallet, and post and pole mills since 1965. The company is in its third generation of successful management…
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.