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Sappi North America promotes four to new leadership roles

By Alexis Wells

Sappi North America has made four promotions within its two Maine pulp and paper mills. 

Sappi told Mainebiz that on Oct.1, Deece Hannigan, vice president of the paper business, will retire after 37 years of service. Hannigan’s leadership was crucial, the company said, to the growth of the Somerset Mill in Skowhegan. 

Photo / Courtesy, Sappi North America
Paul Bortolan

Paul Bortolan will replace Hannigan and assume the new role of vice president of sales and marketing for the graphics, packaging and specialties businesses.

After joining Sappi Europe in 1996, Hannigan spent the next 22 years in various business management, marketing, sales, and finance roles within the company. He also worked for an affiliate, Sappi South Africa, including as general manager of Sappi South Africa’s paper business.

In 2018, he joined Sappi North America as the director of web graphics and coated business. In 2020, he took on the role of director of marketing, packaging and graphics. Bortolan is a graduate of the University of South Africa with a degree in business economics. 

Photo / Courtesy, Sappi North America
Sean Wallace

Sean Wallace will join the Sappi North America lead team as vice president of research, development and sustainability. Wallace has spent his career in the fiber resources industry, beginning at the Westbrook Mill and holding roles of increasing responsibility with Appleton Coated and StoraEnso.

He gained international experience as managing director for StoraEnso Suzhou Paper Co. and continued site leadership responsibilities with NewPage and Glatfelter. In 2019, Wallace joined Sappi as managing director of the Somerset Mill.

He graduated from Pennsylvania State University, earned a master’s degree in paper science and engineering from Georgia Tech, and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. 

Photo / Courtesy, Sappi North America
Blue Keim

Blue Keim will assume the role of managing director at the Somerset Mill. Before joining Sappi as director of manufacturing services in 2021, Keim’s career spanned six different paper companies, where he held leadership positions at both the mill site and corporate offices.

During his time with the company, he has worked in operations, strategy, business excellence, logistics, customer service and sales. 

Since February 2022, Keim has served as managing director of the Westbrook Mill. The Dixfield resident holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Maine and a master's in paper science and engineering from Georgia Tech.

Photo / Courtesy, Sappi North America
Gary Couture

Gary Couture will assume the role of managing director of the Westbrook Mill. Couture joined Sappi in 1999 and has held many roles of increasing responsibility at the mill, including utility asset manager, utilities and environmental operations manager, manager of maintenance, engineering and utilities and, most recently, manufacturing and maintenance director.

Couture received his bachelor’s degree in marine engineering technology from Maine Maritime Academy. 

Sappi North America Inc., headquartered in Boston, has four diversified businesses: high-quality graphic papers, dissolving pulp, packaging and specialty papers. Sappi NA is a subsidiary of Sappi Ltd., a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations in seven countries.

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