LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2024 / Golden West Packaging Group announced that Mark J. Favre has been named Chief Executive Officer, Brian McDonnell has been named Chief Financial Officer, and Doug Keim has been named Senior Vice President of Customer Experience. They will join the senior leadership team that includes Kelley Wenter, Chief Operating Officer; Eric Gordon, Chief Sales Officer; and Melissa Price, Head of People and Culture. Together, these leaders have decades of experience driving growth and sharp customer focus in the packaging industry.

Favre has been in the packaging industry for 35 years and joins Golden West from GoldenCorr Sheets, where he has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2018. McDonnell joins Golden West following 17 years at Smurfit Kappa Group, where he has served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of North America since 2012.Keim has decades of experience driving transformation, innovation and customer experience and joins Golden West after serving as Vice President, Customer Experience, at Honeywell Building Technologies.

"Our plan is to continue to grow Golden West's position as the premier packaging solutions supplier on the West Coast," Favre said. "We will drive accelerated growth, provide customers with innovative and high-quality solutions, and expand our offerings and capabilities. Golden West has an impressive reputation and a dedicated team of employees. Brian, Doug and I are eager to help take the company to the next level of growth, quality and service."

Golden West is also announcing significant investments in new equipment, including a new Bobst 64" Masterflute In-Line Laminator to be installed in the company's Sacramento facility, as well as several new machines to add printing, die cutting and folder gluer capacity in Southern California, Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. These investments are in addition to the Heidelberg XL 162-6 large format printing press that was recently installed and commissioned in Sacramento.

"The addition of these new machines, along with other forthcoming plans, reflect our long-term growth strategy to invest in best-in-class equipment and technology across our entire manufacturing footprint up and down the West Coast," said Wenter.

Gordon added, "We are thrilled to share this news with our valued customers and look forward to expanding on how these investments will support our customers' future growth and success."

Favre began his career with Westrock (formerly Smurfit-Stone Container) where he held positions of increasing responsibility, including Regional Vice President where he managed 40 facilities serving produce, food & beverage, wine, health & beauty and consumer products customers with over $1B in sales. He joined Kapstone Paper & Packaging in 2012 as Regional Vice President of the Container Division. He was with Cascades Inc. and held senior operating roles at DS Smith (formerly Interstate Resources) prior to joining GoldenCorr Sheets as CEO in 2018. He is a graduate of the University of Dayton. Favre succeeds Craig Reese, who joined Golden West in 2021.

McDonnell joins Golden West from Smurfit Kappa Group, where he has served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of North America since 2012. McDonnell joined Smurfit Kappa Group in 2007 after beginning his career with KPMG in 1998. He earned his BS from University of Virginia and has attended INSEAD and the London Business School. McDonnell succeeds Mike Murphy, who has served as interim CFO since 2023.

Keim brings over 20 years of experience in driving outstanding customer service, process improvement, and operational excellence. Keim began his career at Georgia-Pacific Corporation before being named Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Innovation at Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation. Over the last fifteen years, Keim has also held senior leadership roles in marketing and customer experience at Chep International, Cox Enterprises, and Honeywell, Inc.

About Golden West Packaging Group, LLC

Golden West Packaging Group (https://goldenwestpackaging.com) is the largest mill-independent provider of customized post-print corrugated boxes and folding cartons on the West Coast and one of the fastest growing independent manufacturers of custom packaging products in North America. With a long history of high performance and innovation, Golden West Packaging combines local touch with global reach to deliver packaging solutions that help its customers sell more products. Everything the company does supports this mission.

CONTACT:

Scott White
Golden West Packaging Group
Email: scott.white@goldenwestpackaging.com
Office: (888) 501-5893

SOURCE: Golden West Packaging Group