Board of Directors
Mark W. Kowlzan has served as PCA’s Chairman since January 2016 and as Chief Executive Officer and a director since July 2010. From 1998 through June 2010, Mr. Kowlzan led the company’s containerboard mill system, first as Vice President and General Manager and then as Senior Vice President – Containerboard. From 1996 through 1998, Mr. Kowlzan served in various senior mill-related operating positions with PCA and Tenneco Packaging, including as manager of the Counce linerboard mill. Prior to joining Tenneco Packaging, Mr. Kowlzan spent 15 years at International Paper Company, where he held a series of operational and managerial positions within its mill organization. Mr. Kowlzan is a member of the board of directors of the American Forest & Paper Association.
Cheryl K. Beebe has served as a director of PCA since May 2008. Ms. Beebe served as Chief Financial Officer of Ingredion Incorporated (formerly Corn Products International, Inc.), a manufacturer and seller of a number of ingredients to food and industrial customers, from February 2004 until her retirement in February 2014. Ms. Beebe previously served Ingredion as Vice President, Finance from July 2002 to February 2004, as Vice President from February 1999 to 2004 and as Treasurer from 1997 to February 2004. She served as Director of Finance and Planning for CPC International Inc.’s (now named Unilever Bestfoods) Corn Refining business from 1995 to 1997 and as Director of Financial Analysis and Planning for its Corn Products North America business from 1993 to 1995. From 1980 to 1993, she served in various financial positions in CPC’s U.S. consumer food business, North American audit group and worldwide corporate treasury function.
Duane Farrington has served as a director of PCA since August 2015. Mr. Farrington was employed by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company from 1980 until his retirement in 2020. He served as Senior Vice President for Sales and Operations in their mid-Atlantic operation from 2005 to 2008. He moved to their corporate headquarters in 2009 and was named Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer in 2013. In his State Farm senior leadership role, he had overall responsibility for the organization’s information technology, systems and business integration, information security, and innovation functions. Mr. Farrington earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in 1995.
Karen E. Gowland has served as a director since May 2024. Before her retirement in March 2014, Ms. Gowland was Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Boise Inc., a manufacturer of packaging and paper products, from February 2008 to July 2010 and Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from July 2010 until PCA acquired Boise in October 2013. From October 2004 to February 2008, Ms. Gowland served as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Boise Cascade, L.L.C. During her 30 years in the forest products, paper and packaging industries, Ms. Gowland held various legal and compliance positions, which included over 15 years of experience as a Corporate Secretary for various public and private entities.
Donna A. Harman has served as a director of PCA since December 2019. She served as President and Chief Executive Officer of American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), the national trade association of the paper and wood products industries, from 2007 until her retirement in 2019. Earlier in her career, she held positions as AF&PA’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs, served in governmental affairs for Champion International Corporation and The Dow Chemical Company, and served as a legislative assistant in Congress. Ms. Harman is the 2019 recipient of the Bryce Harlow award, which recognizes her exemplary career in business-government relations.
Robert C. Lyons has served as a director of PCA since August 2011. Mr. Lyons has served as Chief Executive Officer of GATX Corporation, a rail, marine and industrial equipment leasing company, since April 2022. He served as Executive Vice President and President, Rail North Ameria of GATX from 2018 to 2022 and as Chief Financial Officer of GATX from 2004 to 2018. Mr. Lyons has been employed by GATX since 1997. Prior to his employment with GATX, Mr. Lyons worked for the Financial Relations Board and in the corporate banking division of The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.
Samuel M. Mencoff has served as a director of PCA since January 1999. Mr. Mencoff has been employed principally by Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC, since 1993 and currently serves as Co-Chief Executive Officer. From 1987 until 1993, Mr. Mencoff served as Vice President of First Chicago Venture Capital.
Roger B. Porter has served as a director of PCA since May 2005. Mr. Porter is currently the IBM Professor of Business and Government at Harvard University and has served on the faculty at Harvard University since 1977. Mr. Porter also held senior economic policy positions in the Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush White Houses, serving as special assistant to the President and executive secretary of the Economic Policy Board from 1974 to 1977, as deputy assistant to the President and director of the White House Office of Policy Development from 1981 to 1985, and as assistant to the President for economic and domestic policy from 1989 to 1993. Mr. Porter is also a director of Extra Space Storage Inc.
Thomas S. Souleles has served as a director of PCA since September 2010, and previously served on PCA’s Board of Directors from 1999 to 2008. Mr. Souleles has been employed principally by Madison Dearborn Partners, Inc. since 1995 and currently serves as a Managing Director concentrating on investments in the basic industries sector.
Paul T. Stecko has served as a director of PCA since March 1999, including as Chairman from 1999 to 2015. He served as a senior advisor to PCA from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017. He served as Executive Chairman of PCA from July 2010 to December 2013 and as Chief Executive Officer from January 1999 through July 2010. From November 1998 to April 1999, Mr. Stecko served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Tenneco Inc. From January 1997 to November 1998, Mr. Stecko served as Chief Operating Officer of Tenneco. From December 1993 through January 1997, Mr. Stecko served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Tenneco Packaging Inc. Prior to joining Tenneco Packaging, Mr. Stecko spent 16 years with International Paper Company.