Auburn Pulp and Paper Foundation’s Annual Conference is held each Fall, and has for many years been a Joint Meeting with Gulf Coast TAPPI. This year marks the 35 th year of hosting this conference.
Approximately 125 attendees enjoy the event; the agenda includes technical sessions from GCT and presentations from current pulp and paper students. The banquet dinner is the highlight of the Annual Conference; attended by students in the Pulp and Paper Program, Auburn University representatives, and meeting participants. It’s common to have 175 attendees at the dinner banquet. A keynote address is usually delivered by a paper industry CEO and we’ve been fortunate to have CEOs from Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, WestRock, Graphic Packaging, and others over the last several years.
Pulp and Paper student introductions are always popular during the dinner program, as well as a Silent Auction Fund Raiser that generates additional revenue for student scholarships.
On the last day of the event, APPF holds its Business Meeting and provides a wrap up of the previous day activities and results.
Gulf Coast TAPPI Technical Session:
Lunchtime Keynote/Conference Kickoff
Jonathan Schaefer is a manufacturing data analyst at International Paper’s Advanced Analytics Center. He leverages his expertise in data and process knowledge to tackle complex business challenges. Jonathan holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, an MBA, and a master’s degree in Information Systems Management from Auburn University. Over the past nine years, he has held various roles in process control, operations, and analytics. Jonathan focuses on developing meaningful dashboards and applications, building backend data infrastructures and pipelines, and automating and streamlining processes.
Afternoon Speaker 1
Jim Gavigan is the founder and President of Industrial Insight, Inc., a software consulting and integration firm based in Saint Augustine, Florida. With 29 years of experience in manufacturing, Jim specializes in helping large industrial companies use time-series data from their production systems to enhance efficiency, reliability, productivity, and profitability. He has extensive experience in plant controls and data historians. Jim founded Industrial Insight in 2016 and works with tools like the PI System and other data historians, Power BI and other business intelligence tools, SIMCA, and various other machine learning platforms to modernize data infrastructure and solve complex problems.
Afternoon Speaker 2
Elliott Bell, with over three decades of experience in the pulp and paper industry, is recognized for his expertise in digital transformation, process control, and process optimization. Elliott’s career includes significant roles such as global head of pulp and paper at Radix Brasil, senior director of advanced process solutions at Georgia-Pacific LLC, and operations consultant at Kimberly-Clark. His extensive experience and leadership have made him a key figure in driving innovation and operational excellence within the industry. Elliott is also an active member of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry Inc.
Data Storytelling - Discover how to turn data into actionable insights! Our Gulf Coast TAPPI Presentations will explore how to make informed decisions using all that valuable data.
Banquet Dinner Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Christopher B. Roberts
Christopher B. Roberts began his appointment as Auburn University’s 21st president in May 2022.
President Roberts leads the university’s four divisions, including Auburn’s main campus with its more than 33,000 students and 5,500 faculty and staff, as well as Auburn University at Montgomery, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, a joint enterprise with Alabama A&M University. As the university’s CEO, Roberts marshals the institution’s $1.6 billion annual budget and vast resources, while spearheading the university’s strategic vision and advancing the Auburn’s ever-growing research enterprise and economic development.
Prior to his presidency, Roberts served as the dean of Auburn’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering from 2012 to 2022. He began his career at Auburn in 1994 as an assistant professor in the department of chemical engineering and became department chair in 2003.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Missouri and master’s and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame.
He and his wife, Tracy, met in Auburn. They have two children, who attended Auburn University.
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Day 1: Monday, October 21 th |
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8:00 am |
Longleaf |
Gulf Coast TAPPI Executive Board Meeting |
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11:00 am |
Pre-Function Foyer |
Conference Registration & Check In |
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12:00 pm |
Grand Ballroom I |
Luncheon & Speaker |
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2:00 pm |
Oak Room |
Gulf Coast TAPPI Technical Sessions |
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3:00 pm |
Pre-Function Foyer |
Coffee Break |
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3:30 pm |
Oak Room |
Gulf Coast TAPPI Technical Sessions |
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4:30 pm |
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Break |
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5:30 pm |
Grand Ballroom |
Networking Reception & Silent Auction |
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7:00 pm |
Grand Ballroom |
Banquet Dinner |
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Day 2: Tuesday, October 22 th |
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7:00 am |
Pre-Function Foyer |
Conference Registration & Check In |
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8:00 am |
Grand Ballroom I |
Breakfast & Speaker |
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9:30 am |
Oak Room |
Auburn Pulp & Paper Foundation Business Meeting |
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11:30 am |
Wilmore Labs |
Tour of the AC-PABE newly renovated lab space |
| FULL CONFERENCE | DINNER ONLY | DINNER ONLY, FULL 8-TOP TABLE |
| $300/person | $125/person | $1250/table |
Auburn Hotel and Conference Center
241 S College St, Auburn, AL 36830, USA
To book your hotel room, click here!
Limited rooms are available at the Auburn Pulp & Paper Conference Rate.
Thank you to our sponsors!
