RockTenn to Get New CEO

RockTenn, headquartered in Norcross, Ga., has announced that Jim Rubright will retire as CEO Oct. 31, 2013. Replacing Rubright as CEO will be Steve Voorhees, currently COO of RockTenn. 

 

Voorhees joined RockTenn as chief financial officer in 2000, becoming CFO and chief administrative officer in 2008 and president and COO  in January 2013.

 

The company also announced that Ward Dickson will join RockTenn Sept. 16, 2013, as executive vice president and CFO with responsibility for finance, information technology and procurement. 

 

"RockTenn will lose a remarkable CEO with Jim Rubright's retirement from the company,” says Stephen Felker, RockTenn lead independent director and soon-to-be-board chairman. “Under Jim's leadership, RockTenn has grown to become a highly respected leader in the paper and forest products industry. RockTenn's share price has increased more than eight fold and with dividends earned a compound annual return of 18.6 percent— for 14 years.”

 

Rubright says, "I'm glad to be able to leave RockTenn with a strong and talented leadership team. Steve Voorhees has been instrumental in developing and executing our process improvement and acquisition strategies since he joined RockTenn in 2000 and is a great choice to lead our company. We are also pleased to have Ward Dickson join our team, bringing his proven leadership talent and extensive experience in finance, sales and service. These two proven leaders have demonstrated throughout their careers the same commitment to excellence and customer service that consistently produces outstanding results for RockTenn's customers and shareholders."

 

RockTenn also announced that Voorhees and Jenny Hourihan have been elected to the company’s board.