For more information contact:
Valerie Wylie
Paper Industry International Hall of Fame
920.380.7491
val@paperhall.org
World Paper Exec Richard Pratt to Headline Paper Hall of Fame’s
10th Annual Induction Ceremony
Celebrate Austrian Executive and Philanthropist Chosen As First Inductee To Return As Keynote Speaker
Appleton, Wis. (July 22, 2004) — Richard J. Pratt, AC, one of the world’s leading paper industry executives, will deliver the keynote presentation as the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame celebrates its 10th induction ceremony on September 22 at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Pratt, chairman of Australian-based Visy Industries, is the first inductee to the hall of fame to return as a featured speaker for an induction ceremony. Pratt was inducted in 2002.
The 2004 class of inductees is expected to be announced later this month, according to Valerie Wylie, executive director for the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame. She said the hall of fame is anticipating the addition of five new honorees to its current membership of 59 inductees from throughout the world.
The Paper Industry International Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who pioneered and/or helped the world’s paper and allied industries to flourish. Following this year’s induction ceremony at the Radisson Paper Valley, attendees will be treated to a sneak peek of the soon-to-be-completed Paper Discovery Center – the paper-related interactive museum set to open in early 2005 – which will include a viewing of its first completed exhibit honoring the full roster of hall of fame inductees.
Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Pratt’s Visy Industries is the world's largest privately owned packaging, paper, and recycling company. Visy Industries employs more than 8,000 and operates more than 100 packaging factories and recycling sites across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and the United States’ Southeast and Midwest regions.
In 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, Visy Industries was named Australia’s leading company for environmental performance in a national survey of Australia’s top 100 companies. Through the Pratt Foundation, one of the largest sources of private philanthropy in Australia, Visy Industries donates in excess of $8 million a year to a broad range of charities in Australia and overseas.
Pratt has been chairman of Visy Industries since 1998. His career with the family-owned company began at the age of 18 as sales and marketing manager for Visy Board. After serving as general manager for Visy Board, Pratt took over the company in 1969 upon the death of his father. At that time, Visy operated a single corrugated box making factory in Reservoir Victoria with about 200 employees.
He received the AC, Companion of the Order of Australia, in 1998, Australia’s highest honor. He had also received the AO, Officer of the Order of Australia, in 1985. Pratt holds Honorary Doctorates from Monash University and Swinburne University of Technology. He was named “Packaging Achiever of theYear” by the Packaging Council of Australia. In recent years he has focused his attention on finding ways for Australia to address the challenge of better managing its scarce water resources.
Reservations for the 10th annual induction ceremony can be made through the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame office at 920-380-7491.
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Editor’s Note:
A digital photo of Richard Pratt is available here.
