Bemis Company, a supplier of packaging and pressure sensitive materials, has announced that William F. Austen has been elected President and Chief Executive Officer.

Austen succeeds Henry J. Theisen, who will continue as Executive Chairman of the company until his planned retirement at the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. In addition, Austen has been elected to the Bemis Board of Directors.

“Bill is a proven leader with in-depth knowledge of all aspects of Bemis,” said Henry J. Theisen. “He brings a passion and commitment to helping our customers solve their most challenging packaging needs. He is a respected leader in the packaging industry and is uniquely qualified to lead Bemis into its next phase of growth. On behalf of the Board, I congratulate Bill on his new role and look forward to Bemis' continued growth and success in the years ahead.”

William F. Austen

Austen has held a variety of leadership positions during his 14-year career with Bemis. After joining Bemis in 2000 as President of Bemis’ Pressure Sensitive Materials division, he was elected Vice President of Operations in 2004, Group President in 2012, and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2013.

Prior to joining Bemis, Austen spent 20 years in various leadership positions at General Electric Company. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Marine Engineering from the State University of New York Maritime College and a Master’s Degree in Engineering Administration from George Washington University.

Positioned for success

Timothy Manganello, Independent Lead Director of the Board of Bemis Company, said: “The Board is confident in the future of the company under Bill Austen’s leadership. On behalf of the Board, I also thank Henry for his numerous contributions to Bemis Company over his distinguished 38 year career.”

“Under his leadership, Bemis completed the largest acquisition in company history, increasing total revenue approximately 40%. He also established a strategic footprint in Asia-Pacific and divested non-core assets to focus the company on its target end-markets. Henry’s dedication to innovation and material science has shaped Bemis’ competitive advantage and positioned the company for future success.”

Bemis Company

Bemis Company is a major supplier of packaging and pressure sensitive materials used by leading food, consumer products, healthcare, and other companies worldwide.

Founded in 1858, Bemis has a strong technical base in polymer chemistry, film extrusion, coating and laminating, printing, and converting. Headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin, Bemis employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide.

www.bemis.com