Georgia-Pacific announces leadership transition as Jeff Koeppel prepares for retirement

Georgia-Pacific has announced a transition in its operations leadership, as senior vice president of Operations Jeff Koeppel is set to retire in the first quarter of 2025. Koeppel, who has held the position since 2016, played an essential role in the company’s manufacturing transformation.

Hudson Pope, currently Georgia-Pacific’s senior vice president for Manufacturing, will succeed Koeppel in the senior vice president of Operations role, overseeing all manufacturing segments. Pope has accumulated nearly three decades of experience in the pulp and paper industry, beginning his career as a co-op process engineer at Georgia-Pacific’s Crossett, Arkansas, facility. His career trajectory has spanned several leadership roles in manufacturing, logistics, and operations, both within Georgia-Pacific and other organizations.

Pope was promoted to senior vice president of Building Products Operations at Georgia-Pacific in December 2018 and, in 2023, took on responsibilities for the company’s packaging and pulp operations. He holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering with a minor in pulp and paper technology from Auburn University. In addition, Pope remains actively involved with his alma mater, serving as the executive committee president on the Auburn Pulp & Paper Foundation’s board of directors.

In preparation for the transition, Koeppel will work closely with Pope over the coming months to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities.