Berry picks outsider as its new CEO

Berry Global Group Inc. is tapping Kevin Kwilinski as the company's new CEO following a months-long search.

Kwilinski is leaving his job as CEO of Multi-Color Corp., a label printer, to take over from current CEO Tom Salmon, who announced in February his plans to retire at the end of the year.

The new CEO is scheduled to begin work at Evansville, Ind.-based Berry Oct. 2, with Salmon retiring as both CEO and chairman but remaining with the company "in an advisory capacity to ensure a smooth transition," Berry said Aug. 15.

"Kevin is a proven leader who knows our industry well. He has spent the last 15 years serving as the CEO of companies within the packaging space and, as an Indiana native, he understands the importance of Berry Global to the state," said Stephen Sterrett, lead independent director and board member at Berry, in a statement. Sterrett also is slated to become chairman effective Oct. 2.

"Kevin will be a great leader because he shares Berry's values of teamwork, customer-focus and excellence, and his performance-driven leadership style directly aligns with Berry's culture. He has distinguished himself over the course of his career as a disciplined operator with a focus on revenue growth and cost management," Sterrett said.

Kwilinski previously was CEO at Fort Dearborn Co., a label maker purchased by Multi-Color in July 2021. He was CEO of PaperWorks Industries Inc., a maker of recycled paperboard and folding cartons.

Unlike when Salmon was hired as CEO, Berry decided to hire from outside the company for its next leader. Salmon came to Berry in 2007 through a merger with Covalence Specialty Materials Holding Corp., the former Tyco International Ltd.'s plastics and adhesives division. Just prior to becoming CEO in 2017, Salmon was president of the company's Consumer Packaging division.

"It has been a privilege to lead Berry's talented employees as CEO for the past six years, and I am extremely proud of the many accomplishments achieved by the Berry team during my tenure. The board and I have full confidence in Kevin and in his ability to join with the rest of the leadership team to take the company forward into its next chapter," Salmon said in a statement.

Multi-Color Corp, meanwhile, named David Scheible as interim CEO as that company looks for a permanent successor to Kwilinski. Scheible is the former CEO and chairman of Graphic Packaging Corp., a maker of paper folding cartons.

Sterrett has been on Berry's board since January 2015 following his retirement as chief financial officer at mall owner Simon Property Group at the end of 2014.