In an industry where innovation, collaboration, and leadership determine the pace of progress, PPC Next: Leadership Summit 2025, held July 30–August 1, 2025, at the Omni Frisco at The Star in Frisco, TX, proved that the future is in capable hands. Over two days, leaders from across the folding carton sector came together not just to learn, but to challenge themselves, share openly, and reimagine what’s possible.
From candid conversations about the realities of leading through change to hands-on workshops that turned big ideas into practical strategies, this year’s summit built on the momentum of its inaugural event with an even deeper focus on practical leadership skills, cross-functional collaboration, and strategies for navigating workforce challenges. Whether on the plant floor, in the design studio, or in the C-suite, participants left with the clarity, confidence, and connections to lead with greater impact: for their teams, their companies, and the industry as a whole.
Designed for managers, directors, and executives from across operations, sales, marketing, design, and plant management, PPC Next delivered a highly interactive program that equipped attendees with tangible leadership skills, deepened their cross-functional understanding, and fostered a stronger sense of community within the paperboard packaging industry.
“PPC Next is more than an event; it’s an investment in the people who will carry our industry forward,” said Emily Leonczyk, Executive Director and Vice President of PPC. “Leadership isn’t built in a day, but when you bring together talented professionals, give them the tools, the space, and the community to learn from one another, you create a ripple effect that transforms companies. The conversations and commitments that happened here will show up on plant floors, in customer meetings, and in boardrooms for years to come.”
The Power of Partnership
PPC Next would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors, whose commitment to leadership development goes beyond brand visibility. Valco Melton, Event Sponsor, powered networking experiences that sparked new connections, from the opening reception to the lively evening at Sidecar Social. Joe Piper, Inc., Program Sponsor, helped deliver the educational content that made the summit so impactful. Metsä Board Americas Corporation, Giveaway Sponsor, provided attendees with branded items that will serve as reminders of the event’s insights and connections for months to come.
Day One: Resilience, Perspective, and Intentional Leadership
The summit opened with Ann Bowers-Evangelista, Psy.D., MBA, President of Llumos, whose keynote, The Endurance Leader: Leadership Longevity in a World of Quick Wins, challenged attendees to view leadership as a marathon rather than a sprint. Drawing parallels between her work as an executive coach and her experience as an Ironman triathlete, Ann offered strategies to pace themselves, manage energy, and adapt leadership styles over time. She provided practical tools for avoiding burnout, sustaining motivation through uncertainty, and maintaining high performance during prolonged periods of change.
The Industry Leadership Panel that followed featured Roy Hibbs of Southern Champion Tray, Hilda Murray of TPC Printing & Packaging, and Eric Frank of Koenig & Bauer (US/CA), in an open, unscripted conversation about career-defining moments, lessons learned from setbacks, and approaches to developing and retaining top talent. The candid discussion reinforced that leadership growth often comes from challenges and that investing in people pays dividends for the entire organization.
“One of the most powerful things about PPC Next is how it breaks down silos,” said Hilda Murray, Vice Chair of PPC’s Board of Directors. “We had people from operations, design, sales, and leadership all in the same room, sharing the real challenges they face and the lessons they’ve learned. When you hear those stories, the wins, the failures, the pivots, you realize how much we can learn from one another. It’s a reminder that leadership is a journey, and we’re all better when we walk it together.”
After lunch, the energy shifted with Dan Irvin, professional speaker and author, who delivered 3 Habits of Consciously Intentional Leaders. Dan’s high-energy presentation pushed attendees to break out of a “firefighting” mindset and adopt a leadership style grounded in clarity, focus, and accountability. Using his SMARTEST Goals framework, he walked participants through ways to align daily actions with larger strategic objectives, cut through distractions that drain productivity, and build habits that inspire team performance. Attendees worked through real-life scenarios, identifying where they could shift from reactive decision-making to proactive leadership, and left with concrete action plans to implement immediately upon returning to their organizations.
The afternoon closed with A Day in My Life: Real Talk Discussions, facilitated by Tiffany Koettel, President of Growth Mindset Sales. Far from a surface-level exchange, Tiffany’s session created an environment where leaders could speak candidly about the challenges, mindsets, and habits that define strong, sustainable leadership in the paperboard packaging industry.
The session commenced with a “Day in the Life” panel featuring Arika Stoecker of Case Paper Company, Patrick Debusk of Frankston Packaging Company, and Al Horn of Pusterla US. Their frank reflections on the realities of leadership, from navigating plant-floor pressures to bridging communication gaps across departments, set the stage for deeper, table-level conversations.
Each table was assigned a focused topic such as communication, collaboration, mindset, or operational discipline, and challenged to explore it in depth. The resulting discussions produced a collection of practical, experience-based insights that leaders could bring back to their companies immediately. Attendees talked openly about the power of leading with clarity and consistency, creating cultures of safety and trust, and practicing purposeful collaboration. They emphasized the importance of focusing on execution over activity, aligning people to their strengths, and making critical information accessible across the organization.
From these conversations emerged a set of shared truths: conflict doesn’t age well, cross-training is a culture move, not a checkbox, and the speed of communication often determines the speed of trust. Leaders underscored the value of modeling calm, focused leadership during high-pressure moments and the importance of building systems that strengthen culture every day, not just when it’s convenient.
The session ended with an encouraging reminder: outstanding leadership is not about having all the answers, but about asking the right questions, together. As Tiffany noted, when people come together with openness and purpose, everyone gets stronger. What unfolded in that room wasn’t just a sharing of ideas; it was the building of momentum, fueled by connection, curiosity, and a shared commitment to leading well for the long game.
Day Two: Building a Culture of Feedback with Radical Candor
The second day was devoted to Radical Candor, based on Kim Scott’s bestselling book and led by Executive Coach Mike Pugh. Attendees arrived prepared, having reviewed pre-work materials including a short video, a podcast episode, and a reflection exercise exploring times they avoided giving feedback.
Mike guided the group through the Radical Candor framework, teaching leaders how to challenge themselves directly while caring personally. Through interactive role-plays and group coaching, participants learned how to navigate difficult conversations, address performance issues constructively, and create a team culture where feedback is continuous, honest, and rooted in trust.
Rather than leaving feedback for annual reviews, attendees were encouraged to make it a regular habit, integrated into everyday interactions. The workshop also explored common pitfalls such as “ruinous empathy” (avoiding candor to spare feelings) and “obnoxious aggression” (candor without care), and provided practical steps to avoid both extremes.
Attendees left with an implementation toolkit that included facilitator guides, team rollout plans, and conversation prompts to help them embed Radical Candor in their organizations – ensuring that the lessons from the summit translate into lasting change on the ground.
To extend the value of the summit beyond the two days in Frisco, PPC has compiled a suite of post-event resources now available at paperbox.org/ppc-next-continued-learning-leadership-resources.
“The level of openness, collaboration, and curiosity we saw this year was extraordinary. It proves that our industry’s leaders aren’t just ready to adapt; they’re ready to drive meaningful change,” Leonczyk concluded. “When we invest in leadership, we invest in the future of folding cartons.”
Thank you to all our member companies listed below for participating in PPC Next 2025 and for your continued commitment to leadership development, cross-industry collaboration, and advancing the future of paperboard packaging.
- 3A Press, Corp.
- American Carton Company
- Baumer hhs Corporation
- Case Paper
- Casella Waste
- Curtis Packaging
- Eukalin Adhesives Corp.
- Frankston Packaging Company