KEYNOTE SPEAKER: RICHARD PHILLIPS

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
Forest Biomaterials at NC State University

Richard Phillips, PhD, is Adjunct Professor of Forest Biomaterials at North Carolina State University (“Adjunct” means he teaches, supervises graduate students, does research, but doesn’t get paid … best job he ever had).  Phillips has been at NCSU for 19 years, following a 34-year career at International Paper. At IP Phillips was senior vice president of Technology, with responsibility for manufacturing and engineering services, research and product development, environment, health and safety. He was actively involved in corporate strategy during his final 10 years as the company Chairman of the Capital Investment council.

Following retirement to Raleigh, NC, he was asked by IP in 2007 to join the Board of Directors of the Ilim Group, a 50/50 Joint Venture with the largest forest products company in Russia. In the four years of service as chairman of the capital investment committee, Phillips helped develop the $2 Billion modernization plan that has recently been completed.

At NC State Phillips in 2006 developed and taught a course on Manufacturing Economics to seniors in the Paper Science program.  He retired from the teaching faculty in 2017 after observing “when one is 50 years older than the oldest student, it’s time to hang it up”.  The course continues with the occasional Phillips appearance.

Still active in research and consulting, Phillips is currently involved in a major funded project to consider nonwood fibers in Paper and Board products.  To date, nothing has been found more environmentally and economically superior to wood.