Tag: 3BL

Behind every advanced system we design, manufacture, install and service are the people who make it work. And behind those people is a culture of training and mentorship that ensures valuable knowledge is passed forward. That commitment is at the heart of our new Advanced Technology Training Center (ATTC) in Davidson, North Carolina — the world’s largest and most advanced facility of its kind dedicated to the training and development of HVAC service and control technicians.

The world’s most advanced HVAC technology training center

Through the ATTC, apprentices from our Technician Apprenticeship Program, early career, and experienced service and control technicians, will learn on a wide range of systems, including the latest in HVAC technology, digital controls and building intelligence systems, gaining hands-on experience that mirrors the very real and complex environments they serve — from hospitals and schools, to data centers and office towers.

Spanning 45,000 square feet, the new center can accomodate 4,500 students and deliver over 100,000 hours of training annually. It expands on our current training centers in La Crosse, WI, and White Bear Lake, MN, and more than doubles the number of technicians we can train each year.

Closing the skilled labor gap

With the largest HVAC services footprint in our industry and continuous growth and expansion in our HVAC business, this investment comes at an important time. A large percentage of skilled workers are expected to retire within the next decade, even as demand for HVAC technicians in the US is projected to grow 8% over the next ten years (faster than the average for all other occupations). With more than 40,000 job openings each year, the need for training and upskilling has never been greater.

Our expanded training capabilities aims to help close the talent gap by providing unparalleled education and hands-on experience, strengthening the pipeline of highly skilled HVAC experts.

As the industry and world advance into a new digital era, so do our learnings paths, with digital control training programs and continuously evolving learning pathways for advanced AI-enabled control and service tools. With an eye toward the high-tech future, we’ve also built dedicated training for mission critical service needs, including Data Centers, ensuring our team members can thrive in these highly-specialized spaces and deliver energy and resource optimization capabilities for all our customers.

“Experience isn’t just counted on a calendar. It’s something we carry forward.”

Holly Paeper
President, Commercial HVAC Americas, Trane Technologies

Passing on generations of experience

The ATTC represents our continued investment and commitment to our teams, and our customers, ensuring that our deep bench of technical expertise flows outward, strengthening our communities and our industry.

Serving the ATTC center in Davidson are instructors and training leaders who bring more than 300 years of collective industry expertise. Their careers span decades of technological change, and their role now is to ensure current and future generations of technicians inherit the technical knowledge, problem-solving instincts, customer focus and leadership that define the Trane Technologies’ service legacy.

Robert Collins is one of the experienced trainers. Beginning his career as a Trane apprentice in 1992, Robert worked his way up to a team leader role, where he chose to stay and mentor younger techs in the field for a few decades before officially becoming a fully dedicated technical trainer in the ATTC. For him, the most valuable lessons aren’t just about equipment, but about people — listening, encouraging and helping others grow.

More knowledge, greater innovation

This culture of learning from one another runs deep at Trane Technologies. Many of our longest-serving technicians can trace their careers through one another, connected by years of mentorship, encouragement and support – speaking to the fact that careers at Trane Technologies are rarely built alone. They’re formed through colleagues who become mentors, mentors who become friends and friendships that last lifetimes; reminding us that experience isn’t just counted on a calendar. It’s something we carry forward.

That’s what makes this training center and approach special. It embodies what has always set Trane Technologies apart: the belief that systems are only as strong as the people behind them, and people are only as strong as the knowledge they share.

By investing in a state-of-the-art space where our technicians’ valuable collective expertise can be passed on, we’re ensuring that the next generation of technicians won’t just keep world running, they’ll keep pushing it forward, together.

The future is ours to create. Explore technician roles at Trane Technologies.

BOSTON, May 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Sappi North America has earned an EcoVadis Platinum rating, becoming the only paper and packaging manufacturer whose North American operations have reached this top-tier distinction six times. The recognition places Sappi among the top 1% of companies assessed by the global business sustainability ratings provider. The 2026 result is notable because EcoVadis tightened its criteria this cycle, raising the threshold for Platinum across the board.

“This recognition belongs to the teams across our mills, supply chain, and offices who treat sustainability as part of the daily work, not a separate program,” said Sean Wallace, VP of Sustainability, Research, and Development at Sappi North America. “It shows up in how we approach safety, energy use, sourcing, and our relationships with suppliers and communities.”

The Platinum rating joins other recent third-party recognition of Sappi’s sustainability work. In March, Sappi North America received the Climate Performance Award from ClimateWork Maine for its Maine operations. At the global level, parent company Sappi Limited also earned a place on the CDP Forests A List for 2025, alongside strong scores in Climate Change (A-) and Water Security (B).

EcoVadis evaluates companies across four themes: Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. Sappi North America’s results are backed by tangible work in each area. About 78% of SNA’s energy comes from renewable and clean sources, contributing to Sappi’s Science Based Targets initiative-approved goal of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions 41.5% per ton of product by 2030 against a 2019 baseline. On Sustainable Procurement, 82% of SNA’s eligible spend is now covered by suppliers who have signed compliance with Sappi’s Supplier Code of Conduct.

EcoVadis provides an evidence-based view of a company’s sustainability management system. More than 130,000 companies across 200 industries and 175 countries have been assessed through the platform.

###

About Sappi North America, Inc.

Headquartered in Boston, MA, Sappi North America is part of a global pulp, paper, and packaging company that transforms wood-fiber into sustainable alternatives to plastics and fossil fuel-based products. From cosmetics packaging and food-safe barrier papers to dissolving wood pulp used in textiles, our solutions support a circular economy worldwide.

Employing approximately 2,200 people across facilities in Maine, Minnesota, and Quebec, Sappi North America combines deep manufacturing expertise with a commitment to responsible forestry. Recognized with an elite EcoVadis Platinum rating for seven consecutive years and CDP scores of A in Forests, A- in Climate Change, and B in Water Security, we back our sustainability claims with data.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents across seven countries, and customers in over 150 countries. To learn more, visit www.sappi.com.

Contact:

April Jones

Sr. Corporate Communications Manager, Sappi North America
april.jones@sappi.com
617.398.0691

ATLANTA, May 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Georgia-Pacific announced that effective immediately, John Mulcahy, vice president of stewardship for Georgia-Pacific, will assume the role of senior vice president of communications, public affairs and stewardship.

After 38 years of contributions to the company, Sheila Weidman, senior vice president of communications, government and public affairs, has decided to retire effective June 5. Over her career, Sheila embraced a series of leadership roles with increasing scope and impact, ultimately serving on Georgia-Pacific’s executive leadership team for more than two decades.

John joined Georgia-Pacific in 1987 and most recently served as vice president of stewardship, where he worked with GP’s business units and capability groups to develop and implement sustainability strategies, directed the company’s sustainable forestry practices, and helped drive overall sustainability improvement. Prior to that role, he held stewardship, category management, strategy, and supply chain roles in both the Consumer Products and Packaging & Cellulose businesses. In his new role, John will lead the capability as Georgia-Pacific heads into its second century.

With this leadership change, David Brabham will become the vice president of Georgia-Pacific’s stewardship capability. Prior to this role, David served as senior director of customer engagement and stewardship for the company’s cellulose, containerboard, recycling and pine solutions businesses. He returns to the GP stewardship capability after spending more than a decade in various forestry and sustainability roles with the company, focused on responsible resource management, policy and stewardship strategy.

About Georgia-Pacific 
Based in Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of bath tissue, paper towels and napkins, tableware, paper-based packaging, cellulose and building products. Our familiar consumer brands include Angel Soft®, Brawny®, Dixie®, enMotion®, Quilted Northern®, Sparkle® and Vanity Fair®. Georgia-Pacific has long been a leading supplier of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers. Its Georgia-Pacific Recycling subsidiary is among the world’s largest traders of paper, metal and plastics. The company operates more than 150 facilities and employs approximately 30,000 people directly and creates more than 80,000 jobs indirectly. For more information, visit: gp.com/about-us. For news, visit: news.gp.com. Follow Georgia-Pacific on LinkedIn, Meta, Instagram, X and YouTube.

SOURCE Georgia-Pacific

View original content here.

SLB received two 2026 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) Spotlight on New Technology Awards, recognizing innovations that are helping reshape the offshore energy sector.

Each year, the OTC Spotlight on New Technology Awards honor breakthrough solutions that demonstrate real‑world performance and impact across drilling, completions, subsea systems, AI, and more. Winning technologies are evaluated on uniqueness, proven success, commercial viability, and their ability to deliver meaningful value to the offshore industry.

This year, two SLB technologies were selected as 2026 award recipients:

Retina™ at-bit imaging system 
The Retina at-bit imaging system redefines formation evaluation by delivering high-resolution, complete borehole images directly at the drill bit. Integrated into PDC drill bits, it captures pristine formation detail before drilling impact, enabling confident decisions, optimized well placement, and expanded subsurface understanding — without impacting drilling performance or efficiency.

“Retina provides an unparalleled view of the formation and its characteristics downhole, enabling better-informed decisions from the start,” said Cecilia Prieto, president, Well Construction, SLB. “This leading-edge technology marks a significant advancement in borehole imaging, providing drillers with critical insight in situations where it was previously impossible. With imaging at the bit, before the formation is affected by drilling fluids, the exceptional resolution unlocks new opportunities around drilling, fluid management, and completions, leading to significant risk reduction and production optimization.”

FIV-III™ dual-trigger formation isolation valve 
The SLB FIV-III dual-trigger formation isolation valve, equipped with eTrigger™ IV electronic activation, delivers steadfast redundancy for well control in demanding environments. Its remote operation, robust sealing, extended suspension capability, and adaptive activation ensure offshore operations enhanced safety, efficiency, and compliance, setting a new benchmark in reliability and operational performance.

At OTC 2026, SLB experts are also sharing insights across a wide range of technical paper sessions, covering key challenges and innovations shaping the future of offshore energy.

Learn more about SLB technology and innovation here.

View original content here.

Now in its fifth year since its 2021 launch, the Excellence Awards continue to spotlight some of the most impactful work across Covia. With over 100 nominations submitted from Covia’s various locations and departments, the selection process reflected an outstanding pool of candidates and the high level of performance in 2025. Ten awards were presented in total, which is an increase from previous years, including the introduction of a new category. Covia introduced the Mission Impact Award to recognize a nominee whose contributions exemplify our values and directly advance the mission.

The 2025 Covia Excellence Award winners are:

• President’s Safety Award (Large Plant) – Ahuazotepec Plant (Mexico)
• President’s Safety Award (Small Plant) – Tamms Plant (Illinois)
• Plant of the Year – Portage Plant (Wisconsin)
• Leaf Environmental Award – Emmett Plant (Idaho)
• Team Impact Award – Ashleigh Snyder, Customer Service Supervisor
• Support Impact Award – Chase Charron, Business Process Specialist
• Operations Impact Award – Wlices Ramos, Operations Director
• Commercial Impact Award – Jonathan Cockrell, Senior Sales Manager
• Mission Impact Award – Steve Schilling, Director Technology & Application Development
• Volunteer of the Year – David Gatto, Operator

President’s Safety Awards

The President’s Safety Award is presented to Covia facilities that demonstrate the highest level of safety performance across a rigorous set of criteria, reflecting our unwavering commitment to keeping people safe. The award recognizes excellence across key metrics including recordable and lost-time incidents, self‑assessment actions, exposure monitoring, incident investigations, and near‑miss reporting. With zero always the goal, only sites achieving an exceptionally high, and nearly perfect, safety record are eligible. This year, Covia introduced separate award categories for small and large plants to better reflect the differing operational challenges, while maintaining the same uncompromising safety expectations for all facilities.

President’s Safety Award (Small Plant)

The Tamms Plant (Illinois) received the President’s Safety Award for a Small Plant. The Tamms team not only met the strict qualifying criteria but also distinguished itself by completing more than 250 days of Soter wearable monitoring. By wearing the monitoring, participants reduced their risk of injury,, achieving an average spine hazard improvement of more than 20%. The site completed three of four MSHA inspections with zero citations, reported no dust exposure exceeding internal occupational limits, and continued to reliably and effectively serve customer needs.

President’s Safety Award (Large Plant)

The Large Plant President’s Safety Award was presented to the Ahuazotepec Plant (Mexico), marking the third consecutive year of perfect safety performance. The plant has also earned Plant of the Year honors in each of the past two years. In addition to meeting all qualifying criteria, the Ahuazotepec team corrected 376 identified hazards, reported nearly 40 near misses, completed over 2,000 safety behavior interactions, and conducted 24 safety and health committee tours, identifying over 240 unsafe conditions. The site logged over 7,700 hours of safety training and nearly 300 hours of fire training for 35 members. It also became “Safe Company” certified for self-management of safety, setting a powerful example of what sustained safety excellence looks like.

Plant of the Year

The Covia Plant of the Year award recognizes excellence in safety, manufacturing performance, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. It is presented to a facility that meets all safety and environmental KPIs while demonstrating exceptional operational results, including achieving cost-per-ton performance at or below budget and maintaining zero plant-controllable customer complaints.

Covia is proud to name the Portage Plant (Wisconsin) as the 2025 Plant of the Year. Portage stands out not only because the team met these demanding standards, but also because of how they did so. Despite being one of Covia’s smaller, older facilities with limited capital investment, Portage achieved remarkable results through focused leadership, creativity, and persistence. The team deepened its understanding of customers, implemented innovative scheduling and workforce adjustments in response to volume changes, and optimized operations to reduce electricity costs. These efforts dramatically improved the plant’s cost profile and reflected a strong growth mindset across the organization. Thanks to the team’s determination to continually improve and make the most of every opportunity, Portage had a fantastic year and exemplified well-rounded excellence.

Leaf Award for Environmental Excellence

The Environmental Leaf Award recognizes a Covia facility that demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to environmental compliance and impactful environmental and community projects. The Emmett Plant (Idaho) was selected for this honor in 2025 based on its significant positive environmental impact and strong alignment with Covia’s environmental goals. The Emmett plant distinguished itself in every area. Highlights include completing 99% of Cority compliance activities on time, proactively managing environmental projects, earning Gold Certification through the Wildlife Habitat Council for its award-winning conservation program, and engaging the local community through school field trips, bird banding efforts, and supporting at-risk populations. The plant also reported zero spills and celebrated an exceptional milestone: 30 years of safe operations. These accomplishments exemplify environmental excellence and responsible stewardship, making the Emmett plant the 2025 Environmental Leaf Award winner.

Impact Awards

Operations Impact Award

By nature, plant operations are complex, requiring strong coordination across teams, disciplines, and priorities to deliver results. While Covia recognizes this through awards at the plant level for safety, environmental performance, and Plant of the Year, there are also individuals whose leadership and dedication create a meaningful operational impact.

Covia is proud to present the Operations Impact Award to Wlices Ramos, Operations Director at the Canoitas, Mexico Plant. Through multiple independent nominations, Wlices was consistently recognized for driving a significant operational transformation at Covia’s largest plant in Mexico, achieving substantial improvements in safety, cost, quality, service, and culture. Through strong leadership, employee empowerment, a zero-incident mindset, and strong financial, customer, and quality results, Wlices embraces Covia’s values and is making a lasting, positive impact on operations.

Commercial Impact Award

The Commercial Impact Award recognizes individuals who exemplify leadership and professionalism in all areas of commercial excellence. For 2025, Covia is proud to honor Jonathan Cockrell with this distinction. A senior sales manager, Jon was nominated by colleagues from Sales, Operations, and Logistics, reflecting his highly collaborative, cross-functional approach. He is known for operating beyond his formal role and has driven significant revenue, margin, and volume growth through major renewals and long-term contracts, as well as his involvement in the opening of Covia’s Innovation Center. Jon has not only generated tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue but has also successfully navigated complex customer transitions and negotiations while demonstrating strong commercial judgment and a commitment to winning business the right way.

Support Impact Award

The Support Impact Award recognizes individuals whose contributions to critical processes often occur behind the scenes. Covia is pleased to recognize Chase Charron, Business Process Specialist, for his support of IFS functions for the Operations team in 2025. Chase led the successful implementation of the Shipment Management Portal (SMP) at the Marston, North Carolina Plant, whi`ch is Covia’s largest shipping location in the Performance Materials market. He executed a seamless rollout in their 24/7 operating environment, allowing for real-time shipment visibility and near-instant customer invoicing. Chase has also supported multiple plants with SMP deployments and other IFS initiatives, earning consistent recognition as a collaborative, hands-on expert who adapts quickly, solves complex challenges, and demonstrates a strong growth mindset that helps drive lasting success.

Team Impact Award

The Team Impact Award evolved from the Prism Award to better align with Covia’s values by recognizing individuals whose results are driven by collaboration and strong team leadership. Covia is proud to recognize Ashleigh Snyder, Customer Service Supervisor, for her ability to guide customer service teams and cross-functional partners through significant change. Ashleigh is consistently described as approachable, patient, and generous with her time. She is known for listening, welcoming feedback, and recognizing the contributions of others. These qualities made her a stabilizing leader during key transitions and enterprise initiatives. Through her partnerships with Sales, SIOP, Logistics, IT, and Operations, she helped maintain alignment, engagement, and execution. She ensured continuity for customers, even during periods of transformation, and demonstrated the power of Covia’s Team Value in action.

Mission Impact Award

Alongside its established awards, Covia introduced the Mission Impact Award for 2025 to recognize a nominee whose contributions exemplify Covia values and directly advance its Mission. For 2025, this new award recognizes Steve Schilling, whose leadership delivered impact across strategy, execution, and results. Steve played a pivotal role in opening the new Covia Innovation Center in Concord, North Carolina, a state‑of‑the‑art lab that opened on time and under budget, while simultaneously accelerating product and R&D pipelines. His team has helped support the successful commercialization of MinexST and the advancement of 20 new product ideas into Covia’s formal stage‑gate process. In parallel, Steve partnered closely with Sales to institutionalize customer engagement, strengthen technical credibility, customer interaction, and demand generation. He also partnered with a cross functional team to rebuild audit-ready reporting for new product sales and vitality metrics. Steve is repeatedly described as a selfless, high‑standards leader who elevates teams, challenges the status quo, and focuses on building durable capabilities rather than one‑off wins. Ultimately, his work consistently converts innovation into profit, customer‑visible results that drive commercial growth, and create scalable capabilities that enhance Covia’s competitive position both today and well into the future.

Volunteer of the Year

Covia is proud to help our team members invest in their communities, and the Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes a standout individual whose consistent service makes a difference in their area. Nominees were selected from team members who earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award by completing at least 200 volunteer hours. This year’s nominee pool included more than 15 individuals, with David Gatto standing out for his exceptional service. David volunteers extensively with Possibilities International, supporting humanitarian efforts such as medical aid, food distribution, housing assistance, and the delivery of essential supplies to individuals facing hardship, while also providing transportation for volunteer teams. David’s dedication to service embodies the spirit of community impact at the heart of this award.

“It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the world’s problems, but I believe we can change the world by sharing hope with the people who need it most.”
— David Gatto, 2025 Volunteer of the Year Winner

Congratulations to all of our 2025 award winners! Each winner exemplifies Covia’s values through outstanding performance, leadership, and teamwork. These achievements reflect the meaningful difference our people make every day, from operational and commercial excellence to environmental stewardship and community impact. We encourage you to take a moment to congratulate the winners. Their accomplishments set a powerful example and help move Covia forward.

Now in its fifth year since its 2021 launch, the Excellence Awards continue to spotlight some of the most impactful work across Covia. With over 100 nominations submitted from Covia’s various locations and departments, the selection process reflected an outstanding pool of candidates and the high level of performance in 2025. Ten awards were presented in total, which is an increase from previous years, including the introduction of a new category. Covia introduced the Mission Impact Award to recognize a nominee whose contributions exemplify our values and directly advance the mission.

The 2025 Covia Excellence Award winners are:

• President’s Safety Award (Large Plant) – Ahuazotepec Plant (Mexico)
• President’s Safety Award (Small Plant) – Tamms Plant (Illinois)
• Plant of the Year – Portage Plant (Wisconsin)
• Leaf Environmental Award – Emmett Plant (Idaho)
• Team Impact Award – Ashleigh Snyder, Customer Service Supervisor
• Support Impact Award – Chase Charron, Business Process Specialist
• Operations Impact Award – Wlices Ramos, Operations Director
• Commercial Impact Award – Jonathan Cockrell, Senior Sales Manager
• Mission Impact Award – Steve Schilling, Director Technology & Application Development
• Volunteer of the Year – David Gatto, Operator

President’s Safety Awards

The President’s Safety Award is presented to Covia facilities that demonstrate the highest level of safety performance across a rigorous set of criteria, reflecting our unwavering commitment to keeping people safe. The award recognizes excellence across key metrics including recordable and lost-time incidents, self‑assessment actions, exposure monitoring, incident investigations, and near‑miss reporting. With zero always the goal, only sites achieving an exceptionally high, and nearly perfect, safety record are eligible. This year, Covia introduced separate award categories for small and large plants to better reflect the differing operational challenges, while maintaining the same uncompromising safety expectations for all facilities.

President’s Safety Award (Small Plant)

The Tamms Plant (Illinois) received the President’s Safety Award for a Small Plant. The Tamms team not only met the strict qualifying criteria but also distinguished itself by completing more than 250 days of Soter wearable monitoring. By wearing the monitoring, participants reduced their risk of injury,, achieving an average spine hazard improvement of more than 20%. The site completed three of four MSHA inspections with zero citations, reported no dust exposure exceeding internal occupational limits, and continued to reliably and effectively serve customer needs.

President’s Safety Award (Large Plant)

The Large Plant President’s Safety Award was presented to the Ahuazotepec Plant (Mexico), marking the third consecutive year of perfect safety performance. The plant has also earned Plant of the Year honors in each of the past two years. In addition to meeting all qualifying criteria, the Ahuazotepec team corrected 376 identified hazards, reported nearly 40 near misses, completed over 2,000 safety behavior interactions, and conducted 24 safety and health committee tours, identifying over 240 unsafe conditions. The site logged over 7,700 hours of safety training and nearly 300 hours of fire training for 35 members. It also became “Safe Company” certified for self-management of safety, setting a powerful example of what sustained safety excellence looks like.

Plant of the Year

The Covia Plant of the Year award recognizes excellence in safety, manufacturing performance, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. It is presented to a facility that meets all safety and environmental KPIs while demonstrating exceptional operational results, including achieving cost-per-ton performance at or below budget and maintaining zero plant-controllable customer complaints.

Covia is proud to name the Portage Plant (Wisconsin) as the 2025 Plant of the Year. Portage stands out not only because the team met these demanding standards, but also because of how they did so. Despite being one of Covia’s smaller, older facilities with limited capital investment, Portage achieved remarkable results through focused leadership, creativity, and persistence. The team deepened its understanding of customers, implemented innovative scheduling and workforce adjustments in response to volume changes, and optimized operations to reduce electricity costs. These efforts dramatically improved the plant’s cost profile and reflected a strong growth mindset across the organization. Thanks to the team’s determination to continually improve and make the most of every opportunity, Portage had a fantastic year and exemplified well-rounded excellence.

Leaf Award for Environmental Excellence

The Environmental Leaf Award recognizes a Covia facility that demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to environmental compliance and impactful environmental and community projects. The Emmett Plant (Idaho) was selected for this honor in 2025 based on its significant positive environmental impact and strong alignment with Covia’s environmental goals. The Emmett plant distinguished itself in every area. Highlights include completing 99% of Cority compliance activities on time, proactively managing environmental projects, earning Gold Certification through the Wildlife Habitat Council for its award-winning conservation program, and engaging the local community through school field trips, bird banding efforts, and supporting at-risk populations. The plant also reported zero spills and celebrated an exceptional milestone: 30 years of safe operations. These accomplishments exemplify environmental excellence and responsible stewardship, making the Emmett plant the 2025 Environmental Leaf Award winner.

Impact Awards

Operations Impact Award

By nature, plant operations are complex, requiring strong coordination across teams, disciplines, and priorities to deliver results. While Covia recognizes this through awards at the plant level for safety, environmental performance, and Plant of the Year, there are also individuals whose leadership and dedication create a meaningful operational impact.

Covia is proud to present the Operations Impact Award to Wlices Ramos, Operations Director at the Canoitas, Mexico Plant. Through multiple independent nominations, Wlices was consistently recognized for driving a significant operational transformation at Covia’s largest plant in Mexico, achieving substantial improvements in safety, cost, quality, service, and culture. Through strong leadership, employee empowerment, a zero-incident mindset, and strong financial, customer, and quality results, Wlices embraces Covia’s values and is making a lasting, positive impact on operations.

Commercial Impact Award

The Commercial Impact Award recognizes individuals who exemplify leadership and professionalism in all areas of commercial excellence. For 2025, Covia is proud to honor Jonathan Cockrell with this distinction. A senior sales manager, Jon was nominated by colleagues from Sales, Operations, and Logistics, reflecting his highly collaborative, cross-functional approach. He is known for operating beyond his formal role and has driven significant revenue, margin, and volume growth through major renewals and long-term contracts, as well as his involvement in the opening of Covia’s Innovation Center. Jon has not only generated tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue but has also successfully navigated complex customer transitions and negotiations while demonstrating strong commercial judgment and a commitment to winning business the right way.

Support Impact Award

The Support Impact Award recognizes individuals whose contributions to critical processes often occur behind the scenes. Covia is pleased to recognize Chase Charron, Business Process Specialist, for his support of IFS functions for the Operations team in 2025. Chase led the successful implementation of the Shipment Management Portal (SMP) at the Marston, North Carolina Plant, whi`ch is Covia’s largest shipping location in the Performance Materials market. He executed a seamless rollout in their 24/7 operating environment, allowing for real-time shipment visibility and near-instant customer invoicing. Chase has also supported multiple plants with SMP deployments and other IFS initiatives, earning consistent recognition as a collaborative, hands-on expert who adapts quickly, solves complex challenges, and demonstrates a strong growth mindset that helps drive lasting success.

Team Impact Award

The Team Impact Award evolved from the Prism Award to better align with Covia’s values by recognizing individuals whose results are driven by collaboration and strong team leadership. Covia is proud to recognize Ashleigh Snyder, Customer Service Supervisor, for her ability to guide customer service teams and cross-functional partners through significant change. Ashleigh is consistently described as approachable, patient, and generous with her time. She is known for listening, welcoming feedback, and recognizing the contributions of others. These qualities made her a stabilizing leader during key transitions and enterprise initiatives. Through her partnerships with Sales, SIOP, Logistics, IT, and Operations, she helped maintain alignment, engagement, and execution. She ensured continuity for customers, even during periods of transformation, and demonstrated the power of Covia’s Team Value in action.

Mission Impact Award

Alongside its established awards, Covia introduced the Mission Impact Award for 2025 to recognize a nominee whose contributions exemplify Covia values and directly advance its Mission. For 2025, this new award recognizes Steve Schilling, whose leadership delivered impact across strategy, execution, and results. Steve played a pivotal role in opening the new Covia Innovation Center in Concord, North Carolina, a state‑of‑the‑art lab that opened on time and under budget, while simultaneously accelerating product and R&D pipelines. His team has helped support the successful commercialization of MinexST and the advancement of 20 new product ideas into Covia’s formal stage‑gate process. In parallel, Steve partnered closely with Sales to institutionalize customer engagement, strengthen technical credibility, customer interaction, and demand generation. He also partnered with a cross functional team to rebuild audit-ready reporting for new product sales and vitality metrics. Steve is repeatedly described as a selfless, high‑standards leader who elevates teams, challenges the status quo, and focuses on building durable capabilities rather than one‑off wins. Ultimately, his work consistently converts innovation into profit, customer‑visible results that drive commercial growth, and create scalable capabilities that enhance Covia’s competitive position both today and well into the future.

Volunteer of the Year

Covia is proud to help our team members invest in their communities, and the Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes a standout individual whose consistent service makes a difference in their area. Nominees were selected from team members who earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award by completing at least 200 volunteer hours. This year’s nominee pool included more than 15 individuals, with David Gatto standing out for his exceptional service. David volunteers extensively with Possibilities International, supporting humanitarian efforts such as medical aid, food distribution, housing assistance, and the delivery of essential supplies to individuals facing hardship, while also providing transportation for volunteer teams. David’s dedication to service embodies the spirit of community impact at the heart of this award.

“It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the world’s problems, but I believe we can change the world by sharing hope with the people who need it most.”
— David Gatto, 2025 Volunteer of the Year Winner

Congratulations to all of our 2025 award winners! Each winner exemplifies Covia’s values through outstanding performance, leadership, and teamwork. These achievements reflect the meaningful difference our people make every day, from operational and commercial excellence to environmental stewardship and community impact. We encourage you to take a moment to congratulate the winners. Their accomplishments set a powerful example and help move Covia forward.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

Sports fans immediately recognize his voice. Beloved broadcaster Ernie Johnson Jr. first graced the airwaves in 1979 and quickly became one of the most recognizable sports hosts and analysts. On air, his visible warmth, humor and humanity was welcomed in millions of living rooms across the nation and matched only by his persona off the air.

Then, “it” happened.

Ernie’s long cancer journey began quietly in 2003, at the young age of 47. He noticed swelling on the left side of his face. Admittedly, he delayed getting it checked out — after all, it was painless and didn’t interfere with his work. Eventually, he saw his doctor, went through scans, biopsies and a bone marrow test before finally receiving a diagnosis: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, but also a wake-up call that transformed him from innocent bystander to the cancer epidemic into an active advocate. It was only the tip of his iceberg, as years later, prostate cancer would take hold as well.

Not just a survivor — a champion

This April, Ernie received an honor, becoming one of Aflac’s inaugural Check for Cancer Champions. An exclusive group comprised of people who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to turning negatives into positives.

Though he is grateful for this recognition, there’s a common phrase among those living with cancer that Ernie often expresses, “It’s a club no one wants to belong to.” It’s through this reluctant association that he gained a new understanding of vulnerability, empathy and the importance of using his platform and voice to help others navigate their own journeys, starting with early detection. That’s why he turned his own situation into an opportunity to fiercely advocate for cancer screenings and proactive health care. It is why he has been named a Check for Cancer Champion.

Using his voice to inspire others to check for cancer

Ernie doesn’t cut around the edges when it comes to his advocacy. He urges people to face the “fear factor” of testing — avoidance is not a strategy. He encourages open conversations and uses his own experience as proof points. And for those diagnosed, he says, “You may have cancer, but it doesn’t have you!”

Ernie is famous. He has a wonderful family and is beloved within and outside of his profession. He could easily have dealt with cancer in solitude. He had every right to say, “It’s none of your business.” But that is not Ernie. That’s not the man who gives of himself in ways that are never discussed or publicized. It’s not the guy who quietly gives back to his community, visits children at the nearby cancer center and motivates others to higher levels of altruism.

What he does is speak out. He says, “There’s no shame in taking care of your health,” reminding men that it is a sign of strength. He lends his name and bandwidth to organizations whose missions are to improve and save lives through advocacy awareness and support. He pulls no punches reminding Black men to prioritize early screening, as they are more likely than any others to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. And, extending his legacy of advocacy, Ernie and his wife Cheryl, cofounded the Love You Too Foundation to support vulnerable children and families facing various health‑related needs. Ernie Johnson Jr. helps save lives, and that makes him a champion.

The Check for Cancer Champions program is part of Aflac’s Check for Cancer initiative, a bold, national movement to increase cancer screenings by 10% over 10 years. Learn more about the Check for Cancer movement by visiting Aflac.com/CheckForCancer.

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FedEx and longtime supported nonprofit, Orbis International, have been named “Best of the Best” at the 2026 Halo Awards, the highest honor presented by Engage for Good to recognize outstanding corporate–nonprofit partnerships that prove purpose and business can go hand in hand.

The award celebrates Delivering Sight Worldwide, a decades-long collaboration that combines FedEx’s global logistics and aviation expertise with Orbis’s mission to improve access to eye care around the world.

Powering the Flying Eye Hospital

At the heart of the partnership is the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital—a fully accredited teaching hospital onboard an aircraft. The Flying Eye Hospital delivers advanced eye care to underserved communities while training local ophthalmologists, nurses, and biomedical engineers to ensure lasting impact.

For more than 40 years, FedEx has helped make this work possible. From donating the aircraft itself to providing global logistics, aviation expertise, volunteer pilots, and ongoing maintenance, FedEx plays a critical role in ensuring Orbis teams—and life-changing eye care—can reach people who need it most.

Sight That Transforms Lives

Beyond restoring vision, Delivering Sight Worldwide opens doors to education, employment, and fuller participation in daily life. As Orbis leaders have shared, restoring sight doesn’t just change what patients see—it changes what’s possible for them, their families, and their communities.

This holistic impact is what set FedEx and Orbis apart among the 2026 Halo Award honorees. Selected from 28 gold and silver winners across 14 categories, the partnership was recognized for its scale, longevity, and measurable global health impact.

Recognition from the Field’s Highest Honor

Now in its 24th year, the Halo Awards are widely regarded as the highest recognition in corporate social impact. Winning “Best of the Best” underscores the strength of a partnership built on shared purpose, operational excellence, and long-term commitment.

Together, FedEx and Orbis continue to demonstrate how logistics can be a force for good—and how enduring collaboration can help deliver sight, opportunity, and hope worldwide.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

Denyse S. Gordon-Watts turned to the military to help pay for her college education, but she intended to call the U.S. Air Force Reserve, not the active-duty recruiter she dialed by mistake.

“His name was Staff Sgt. Scott,” she recalled. “He told me I could earn $900 a month and have my education paid for; I said, ‘say less.’”

Soon after, she left her native Brooklyn, New York for basic training in San Antonio, Texas. Today, she says dialing that wrong number was the best mistake of her life.

More than 13 years of active-duty service and 10 years in the Air Force Reserve, Gordon‑Watts was stationed around the world, deployed to Kuwait, and witnessed firsthand that service to one’s country is about much more than uniforms and missions — it’s about people, purpose, and the unshakeable commitment to something greater than oneself.

“I learned from both great and not‑so‑great commanders. All my experiences shaped the supervisor and senior non‑commissioned officer I became,” said Gordon-Watts, who retired as a master sergeant and in 2012 became the inaugural winner of the Ms. Veteran America competition. “Air Force core values became part of my character, and I am proud to be an Air Force veteran.”

As a senior manager on CACI’s Veteran and Military Affairs team, Gordon-Watts now takes pride in helping her fellow veterans continue their mission at CACI, where veterans, military spouses, Reservists, and National Guard members make up nearly 40% of a global workforce of 27,000.

“I am their advocate as they navigate civilian employment. I have been in their shoes; when they meet me, they know that ‘she gets it,’” said Gordon-Watts, who joined CACI 19 years ago.

With the company’s six decades of partnership with the military and government, Gordon-Watts has found that CACI is never a hard sell. The military community knows of and respects the company’s ‘Ever Vigilant’ pledge and are eager to take on its mission of expanding the limits of national security.

“CACI values veterans for our adaptability, leadership, and mission focus, and our support of veterans is real and substantive; it is not lip service,” Gordon-Watts said.

The fateful wrong number call she made decades ago led to fulfilling military and post-military careers. With her role at CACI, Gordon-Watts is now opening doors for others, showing them that their post-military lives can be filled with purpose, opportunity, and a renewed sense of mission.

“Those who serve do so with purpose and without reservation,” she said. “Being headstrong, determined, and mission‑focused — traits strengthened by the military — fuel my passion for serving the military community today.”

CACI offers meaningful career opportunities supporting national security customers in fields closely aligned with military occupational specialties. Explore opportunities to continue your mission with CACI.

About CACI

CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) is a national security company with 27,000 talented employees who are Ever Vigilant in expanding the limits of national security. We ensure our customers’ success by delivering differentiated technology and distinctive expertise to accelerate innovation, drive speed and efficiency, and rapidly anticipate and eliminate threats. Our culture drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World’s Most Admired Company. We are members of the Fortune 500™, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit us at caci.com.

Corporate Communications and Media:

Lauren Presti
Executive Director, External Communications
(703) 434-5037, lauren.presti@caci.com

Walk down any city street and you will feel the energy that keeps modern life moving, from the HVAC systems cooling office towers to the refrigerated trucks restocking the corner store. That same energy, when generated from fossil fuels, also creates greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings account for more than 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while transport contributes roughly 20%. These figures make decarbonization not just an environmental imperative but a business-critical opportunity.

But what is decarbonization, exactly? At its core, decarbonization is the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, decreasing the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Decarbonization goes beyond efficiency, focusing on both reducing energy waste and eliminating carbon-intensive inputs. And decarbonizing can generate benefits throughout the value chain: customers can reduce operating costs, communities experience lower pollution and the decreased emissions benefit the planet.

VIDEO: What is Decarbonization? – Trane Technologies

To achieve these goals, ambition alone is not enough — a decarbonization roadmap needs to convert climate targets into actionable investment strategies, operational measures and clear accountability.

What is decarbonization?

To move from intent to impact, we first need to define what it means to decarbonize. When friends outside the climate control industry ask me, “what is decarbonization?” I borrow a health analogy. Sustainability is your overall wellness; decarbonization is the decision to hit the gym and put in the work to improve it. In other words, decarbonization is an action-oriented approach that systematically reduces emissions and carbon-intensive inputs across the value chain, with the aim of achieving very low emissions and, ultimately, net-zero.

We can reach this goal by first avoiding emissions through circularity principles like improved design, sourcing and end-of-life strategies. Then we can reduce or eliminate emissions at the source with tools like electrification, heat recovery and smart controls. Finally, we can replace high-carbon, fossil-fuel-based energy sources with renewables and other low-carbon fuels. These steps turn climate ambition into practical sustainability progress.

Why decarbonize, and why now 

The “why” is as important as the “what.” Once we define decarbonization, we can focus on why it advances sustainability goals and strengthens performance while building resilience and brand strength in a rapidly shifting business landscape.

Operational efficiency and cost savings

Decarbonization can reduce both emissions and energy use across the value chain. High-efficiency equipment, heat-recovery retrofits and other systems can convert previously wasted energy into usable power. Smart, AI-enabled controls optimize when and how assets run, improving performance while lowering operating costs. By cutting waste and stabilizing energy expenditures, decarbonization can translate, in some cases immediately, into reduced operating risk and increased returns.

Long-term strategic resilience

Electrified, efficiency-optimized buildings and fleets are less exposed to fossil fuel volatility and better aligned with evolving market and policy expectations. Upgrades in the built environment, like heat pumps, thermal storage and grid-interactive AI-powered controls can increase efficiency, expand access to renewables and provide optionality as energy systems evolve. Steps like these can future-proof operations while supporting long-term growth and value creation.

Brand reputation and a strong talent pipeline

Organizations that demonstrate measurable sustainability progress build credibility and mindshare with customers, investors and employees. A decarbonization strategy that prioritizes proven levers and verifiable results creates trust, supports growth and helps attract and retain top talent.

“Decarbonization is the active effort to achieve sustainability and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Sustainability is your overall health, decarbonization is going to the gym to improve it.”

Trevor Joelson
Energy Services Account Executive, Trane Technologies

The “how” — decarbonization in action

Thanks to rapid technology advances, proven decarbonization levers are available across industries. Electric or hybrid alternatives to combustion equipment, heat-recovery systems that capture and reuse wasted energy and AI-enhanced solutions that optimize operations can all deliver measurable emissions reductions while creating business value. The examples below show how these tools scale in the real world, from production lines to the cold chain.

Reducing fossil fuel use with electrification and renewables

By replacing boilers, transport and other fossil-fueled assets with high-efficiency electric or hybrid systems, organizations can cut fuel costs and enable low- to zero-emission operation. In a standard-setting pilot, Thermo King and Range Energy are implementing an electric trailer platform paired with a hybrid trailer refrigeration unit designed to run primarily in electric mode. With an upcoming large-scale deployment planned, the system offers substantial potential fuel savings, in some cases over $20,000 per trailer per year.

Cutting energy demand with thermal management systems

High-efficiency equipment, simultaneous heating and cooling, thermal energy storage and low-GWP refrigerant upgrades can materially reduce energy demand and associated emissions. At Geely Auto Group, a leading Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer, Trane Technologies supplied cutting-edge climate solutions across 12 production sites, including high-efficiency control systems and centrifugal chillers that use low-GWP refrigerants. The improvements helped increase the company’s energy efficiency by 8 to 15%, helping the company on its path to net-zero.

Increasing efficiency with automation and digital enablement 

Modern controls, automation and data-driven optimization help facilities use less energy while maintaining performance. At global battery manufacturer EnerSys, an automation and controls upgrade at the company’s Warrensburg, Missouri, plant reduced CO₂e emissions by over 2,000 metric tons and created close to $240,000 in annual energy savings. The project also resulted in an estimated $300,000 in utility rebates — a clear example of how decarbonization can create business value.

The bottom line

So what is decarbonization in practice? It goes far beyond a buzzword or compliance checkbox. Decarbonization is a rigorous, cross‑functional practice that can turn climate ambition into action — at scale. And technology and innovation are increasing decarbonization’s rate of return: tools like AI‑driven smart controls, smart building management systems and digital automation can coordinate assets across sites to create efficiencies, reduce energy use and translate sustainability targets into measurable results.

The pace of decarbonization matters, too. Every year of delay forfeits potential cost savings, resilience benefits and market share to faster-moving competitors. As I tell clients considering their first project, start where the data points to a win, then let that win fuel the next, turning mission into action throughout your portfolio.

That’s how we approach our own climate transition plan and decarbonization roadmap at Trane Technologies. Our core sustainability commitments aimed at achieving net-zero by 2050 — and our Gigaton Challenge to help customers avoid one billion metric tons of emissions by 2030 — unlocks innovation and keeps us accountable for real sustainability progress across our value chain.

By embracing decarbonization strategies now, businesses position themselves not just to survive in a low‑carbon economy but to lead it.

The future is ours to create. Explore careers that make an impact at Trane Technologies.