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Featured, Corporate Updates

Bemis Associates Names Michael Johansen Chief Executive Officer

July 19, 2022

Steve Howard Named Executive Chairman

Johansen to become CEO on July 15th as Bemis poises itself for continued growth and increased market share.
SHIRLEY, MA – July 15, 2022 – Bemis Associates, the world’s leading provider of thermoplastic film, tape and adhesive manufacturing, announced it has named Michael Johansen as Chief Executive Officer in addition to serving his current role as President. Johansen succeeds Steve Howard, who will serve as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. In this role, Mr. Howard will lead the Board of Directors, and provide advice and counsel to the CEO and Bemis leadership on company decisions, in addition to engaging in key strategic investments and fulfilling the Bemis Purpose to Improve People’s Lives. Howard expressed the Board’s confidence in Michael Johansen.

“Michael is well-prepared to officially take the reins. In his three years as President, he led the company through a highly successful transformation that resulted in record organic growth, three acquisitions, and a significant expansion of manufacturing capacity in Asia. The fact that this occurred over the course of a global pandemic which resulted in an economic and supply crisis is even more impressive!”

Johansen joined the company in 2019, hired on as the first President in Bemis history not related to the Howard family, who has owned the business for four generations. During Johansen’s tenure as president, he has played a pivotal role in driving greater focus, discipline, and accountability and leading the organization through the global economic and health crisis to emerge stronger.

“I am both excited and humbled by Steve’s entrusting me with becoming CEO for Bemis,” said Johansen. “As we look forward, I am as excited and confident as ever with how bright our future is as a company.  We have faithfully followed the Bemis value to reinvest in the business even throughout the global pandemic and recession and we see the benefits of that paying off.  We are emerging from the crisis not just stronger but accelerating!”

Michael Johansen, Bemis Associates CEO

 

Shift in Focus for Howard

 

 

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To ‘Be a Force for Good’ is a fundamental pillar of the company’s mission to ‘Improve people’s lives- and has always been a passion for Howard. In his evolving role, he will devote his time and efforts to driving a positive impact on our community and planet through advocacy and policy change. He will further strengthen the company’s presence with Protect Our Winters, an organization that has been long supported by Howard and Bemis. Howard is actively involved in several organizations focused on combating climate change and building a more sustainable future through business advocacy, policy change and partnership. The shift in focus will allow him to become even more active in these organizations.
About Bemis Associates For more than 110 years, we have spanned the globe developing inventive solutions that revolutionize the way hotmelt adhesives, coatings, tapes, and specialty film products are manufactured for bonding solutions that meet our customers’ needs. We are committed to continually exploring new ways to improve lives through lasting personal and technical bonds. Our creativity and innovation in the world of bonding know no limits- we ‘engineer imagination’
For more information on Bemis Associates Inc. please contact Greg Newell, VP, Commercial, 1-336-609-3778; gnewell@bemisworldwide.com

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