DeWayne Bone (left), senior safety director of Domtar’s paper and packaging business unit, presents Randy Adams (right), health and safety manager at Domtar’s Kingsport Mill, with the Pulp and Paper Safety Association’s Distinguished Service Award.
KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Randy Adams, health and safety manager at Domtar’s Kingsport Mill, recently received the Pulp and Paper Safety Association’s (PPSA) most prestigious honor — the Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes individuals for their leadership and service to the PPSA and the paper industry during their careers. Domtar is a Paper Excellence Group company.
“I was surprised, but honored to be recognized by the PPSA,” Adams said. “Personally, it means that I left a legacy with my organization. Professionally, it means I got to share this with an organization that values safety just as I do.”
Adams began his career as a clerk in 1979 and soon moved into managerial roles in production, quality and raw materials, as well as environmental, health and safety (EHS). He joined the paper industry in 2009 as the EHS manager for Kruger Products. After a decade, he moved to Graphic Packaging International’s mill in West Monroe, Louisiana, as the health and safety manager. Adams briefly returned to Kruger Products before joining Domtar’s Kingsport Mill in April 2024.
“My very diverse background has taught me many life lessons over the years, but building lasting relationships has been the stepping stone for success,” Adams said. “Health and safety are a value, not a priority. Values do not change, but priorities do.”
Adams continues to build relationships with his co-workers in Kingsport.
“I see my current role as an effective way to show the employees I care about them,” he said. “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. That is all part of building the relationships to partner for safety success. Listening to the employees and their safety concerns will always add value to the conversation.”
For Troy Wilson, mill manager, Adams’ efforts are key to ensuring employees return home safely after each shift.
“Randy is very deserving of this award, not only for his work at our mill, but for his successful career in the health and safety field,” Wilson said. “We are very happy to have him as a member of our team.”