Feb 02, 2009. /Lesprom.com/. Finch Paper LLC announced the appointment of former SCA Tissue-North America executive Joseph F. Raccuia as President and CEO of the uncoated printing paper manufacturer.

Printing Papers

Finch Paper names former SCA Tissue-North America leader Joseph F. Raccuia as President & CEO

Feb 02, 2009. /Lesprom.com/. Finch Paper LLC announced the appointment of former SCA Tissue-North America executive Joseph F. Raccuia as President and CEO of the uncoated printing paper manufacturer. The 50-year-old Mr. Raccuia succeeds Richard J. Carota, 71, who retired as President and CEO after 53 years with Finch Paper, but will continue in his role as Chairman of the company's Board of Directors and Chairman of the Board's Executive Committee, the company said in a statement received by Lesprom Network. "The Finch Paper brand is in demand by printers, designers, publishers and the most successful image-sensitive companies nationwide," Mr. Raccuia said. "Finch Paper is respected for delivering premium service to its customers and real value across its product lines, and I look forward to continuing and enhancing that value for our customers for years to come. Serving the customer and understanding their needs has always been paramount to me, and will continue to be so at Finch." Andrew M. Bursky, Chairman of Atlas Holdings LLC, which co-owns Finch Paper with Blue Wolf Capital Management LLC, said, "For 25 remarkable years, Dick Carota has served Finch Paper as a gifted leader and a smart, tough and tireless competitor. The great respect and admiration Finch Paper has earned among our customers and competitors is due in no small part to Dick's keen vision and steady hand. "As we enter this new phase in Finch Paper's proud papermaking history, we are fortunate and excited to have a leader with the tremendous experience, ideas and enthusiasm of Joe Raccuia to carry on the Finch traditions of quality paper and unsurpassed customer service." Mr. Raccuia joins Finch with more than 20 years of paper industry leadership experience, including six years as president and CEO of SCA Tissue-North America, the $1-billion manufacturer of 100% recycled napkin, towel and tissue products with 10 U.S. locations serving the "Away From Home" food service, commercial, industrial and healthcare industries. During his tenure with SCA, Mr. Raccuia engineered a 35% growth in sales, taking the company from $750 million to $1 billion and propelling SCA to the number-two position in the U.S. Away-From-Home Market. He is recognized for his significant, strategic investments in new product development, and for his customer-focused management approach, which garnered SCA dozens of customer awards based on the company's world-class supply chain and service excellence. Mr. Raccuia also oversaw development of a $240 million fully-integrated Greenfield tissue manufacturing facility in Alabama. In addition to these accomplishments, Mr. Raccuia developed an industry-leading alliance with the United Steel Workers (USW) union that, according to a 2006 union publication, resulted in a "formal partnership to engage in an open and honest relationship with one another and to look out for the best interests of the business and its employees." "This is both an exciting and challenging time to be leading Finch Paper," Mr. Raccuia said. "I look forward to further developing the manufacturing capabilities of the business and identifying and maximizing market opportunities. At the same time, as required by the current economic climate, we will be taking a closer look at all aspects of our operation to make sure that we are operating at peak efficiency while providing high-quality products to our customers." Finch Paper manufactures approximately 250 thousand tons per year of uncoated printing papers, and is widely recognized for the quality of its products, its industry-leading customer service, and its long tradition of practicing and promoting sustainable forestry.