Young Professional of the Year Award

The Young Professional of the Year Award recognizes aspiring young leaders employed in the global forest products, pulp, paper, tissue, packaging, and associated industries for their contributions in the following areas: leadership, community service, and problem-solving contributions to scientific or engineering projects. Eligible nominees are age 35 or younger, with no more than 10 years of industry experience, and have been a TAPPI member for a minimum of one year.

Online Application

The complete selection procedure is fully outlined in our Honors Manual. The manual also provides information on additional awards and other forms of recognition.

Nominations are due August 1 of each year for the award to be presented the following calendar year. 

Learn more about TAPPI Awards and Honors.

Previous Winners:

2022
Kirk Carlson
Jessica Spadaccino

2021
Kyle Duffy
Josiah Fonte
Kimberly Hollifield
Lena Sharesky
Avery Wilson

2020
Peyton Clifton
John Dejarnette
John Edwards
Natasha Melton
Nika Wanserski

2019
Taylor Bryant
David Mead
Victor Padilla
Rachael Simmons
John Sly
Michael Subilia, II

2018
Lindsey Clifton
Jaclyn Epstein
Patrick Hartnett
Mike Kohler
John Roberts
Ricardo Santos
Brianah Stamp (Morse)

Prior to the Young Professional of the Year Award, TAPPI’s YP Division gave the Top Outstanding Young Professionals Award. Its purpose was to recognize and award up to 10 aspiring, young leaders in the paper, packaging, and related industries.

Top Outstanding Young Professionals Winners:

2017
Jessica Carette
Sarah Garchinsky
Qiang Han
Josh Haywood
Ana Meneses
Linea Olsson
Kimberly Phillips
Brantley West
Tobias Wolfinger

2016
Timothy Basher
Benjamin Baumann
Brock Brandner
Lesley Cook
Matias Gonzalez
Dennis Grimm
Jake Hyland
William Jessee
Vindar Ragbir
Andrew Reep
Josh Reich
Wei Ren
Taylor Resparc
Walter Scott
Phillip Slesinski
Matthew Tunnicliffe
Donica White
Steven White
Dennis Whitman
Zhiying Emmy Yu

2015
Adebola Adedire
Alex Beam
Stephanie Petrina Boyce
Sabrina Burkhardt
Omkar Chandorkar
Sarah Dawkins
Eric Hanington
Erin Jordan
Melissa Kuo
Stephen Moses
Sudip Neupane
Caleb Sargent
Jesse Shade
Marshelle Slayton
John Sly
Cody Stevens
Sneha Swaminathan
David Thompson
Stephen Tjan
Bradley Wright

About TAPPI Young Professionals Division:
The Young Professionals Division is composed of TAPPI members that are college undergraduates, recent graduates and young professionals in the industry. The division provides a wide range of products, services and educational opportunities, as well as a means for experiencing different professional areas, resources for career advancement and the chance to network with peers and industry professionals.

About TAPPI:
TAPPI is the leading association for the worldwide pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and converting industries and publisher of Paper360°, Tissue360° and TAPPI Journal. Through information exchange, events, trusted content and networking opportunities, TAPPI helps members elevate their performance by providing solutions that lead to better, faster and more cost-effective ways of doing business. It has provided management training and networking to the industry’s leaders more than 100 years.