Ga.-Pacific Gets Safety Award

The plywood plant at Georgia-Pacific this week was honored with its fifth “Chairman’s Award,” for working 500,000 hours without a reportable accident.

Nick Nicoletta, plant manager, said that it typically takes about 10 1/2 months to work 500,000 hours. It was the 135 chairman’s award presented throughout the world. This plant has been the recipient of four previous such awards, all in the late 1990s.

The local plant’s honor is the second most among all of the plants in the building products division. Pete Correll, chairman of the board of Georgia-Pacific told those assembled at a luncheon Tuesday that only two plants were ahead of the Monticello one.

Other dignitaries on hand included Tad McMichael, senior director of corporate safety; James Malone, Corey Elliott, and Mike Ray-winkle, and other company executives. Also, human resources director Ed Williams greeted many of the workers, as he accompanied a contingent of Monticello dignitaries.
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Mr. Raywinkle, president of wood panels operations, said he had been on the job in Monticello one week. He said he was excited to be with an organization who had received five chairman’s awards. He encouraged the group to stay safe everyday.

Mr. Correll talked about the company’s dedication to safety. He said it is a good investment for the company. He said the ownership change—the company was recently purchased by Koch Industries—will not change the emphasis on safety.
He said operations excellence starts with safety street.

Members of the safety team who received the award were Carolyn Parham, Charlene Buckner, Mildred V. Lawrence, Annie Ingram, Jacqulin Allison, Dan T. Cleveland, Nancy Johnson, Willie C. Marks, Sidney Nelson, Jr., and Walter Fuller, committee chairman.

The catered, buffet style celebration luncheon gathering was kicked off with a stirring a cappella rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Robert Ogletree. Mr. Ogletree is an employee at the plant.