Columbia Pulp CEO John Begley to retire

DAYTON—Columbia Pulp is announcing the retirement of John Begley effective September 3. Begley has been CEO of Columbia Pulp since its inception and has led the company through its development, financing, design, construction, and start-up phases, including the time it was shuttered by the COVID 19 pandemic.

“It has been an honor to be associated with this Company and the many people who were part of planning and building this enterprise,” said Begley. “Columbia Pulp is a game-changing technology and is now positioned to move on to the next phase in its journey.”

“John is a visionary who saw the potential in wheat straw as a sustainable fiber for paper products and doggedly pushed that vision in creating Columbia Pulp. John’s long experience in the pulp and paper industry will be missed, and we wish John a long and enjoyable retirement”, said Jim Hensel, Chair of the Board.

A search for Begley’s successor will commence shortly. In the interim, Tyler Montague, the Company’s Chief Restructuring Officer, will assume Begley’s duties.

Columbia Pulp’s offices are in Dayton, Wash. The company operates a state-of-the-art industrial-scale mill in Lyons Ferry, Wash., converting wheat straw into pulp and biopolymers, used to manufacture sustainable, tree-free paper and packing products, and numerous specialty chemical applications. To learn more about the company, please visit http://www.columbiapulp.com.