The Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) has appointed Emily Leonczyk as its new president, effective January 1, 2026, alongside Hilda S. Murray as chair of the board.
The leadership transition positions the association to address evolving challenges across North America’s folding carton and rigid box sectors.
Leonczyk, who previously served as executive director and vice president, will focus on strengthening collaboration among converters and suppliers as they navigate shifting consumer demand, heightened sustainability expectations, and increasing operational complexity. She underscored PPC’s role as the industry’s collective voice and trusted resource, with priorities centered on growth, advocacy, and workforce development.
Murray, executive vice president and owner of TPC Printing & Packaging, brings decades of experience leading an independent, family-owned converter through multiple industry cycles. She emphasized the importance of creativity and collaboration in supporting members through change and advancing innovation across the paperboard packaging value chain.
The leadership announcements coincide with PPC’s Spring Outlook & Strategies Conference, scheduled for March 25–27, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky. At the event, outgoing president Ben Markens will receive the Robert T. Gair Award for Lifetime Achievement, recognizing his role in revitalizing membership, expanding benchmarking and advocacy programs, and reinforcing PPC’s position as a trusted industry authority.
With more than 95 years representing paperboard packaging converters and suppliers, PPC said it will advance its strategic priorities in 2026 under the guidance of its new leadership and executive committee.
Source: PPC
