PORT TOWNSEND — Roger Hagan has left the position of Port Townsend Paper Corp. president after saying last week that he expected to stay with the newly sold company.
His departure was a voluntary planned retirement, said his administrative assistant.
Hagan, 61, could not be reached for comment.
“Roger’s whole purpose was to bring the mill to a standard where it could be sold,” said Rita Hubbard, a 20-year company employee who was on hand for Hagan’s two-year tenure.
“His job was to bring the mill up to a standard where it was making money and was a viable property for sale.”
Earlier this month, the sale of the company was announced from GoldenTree Asset Management, a New York-based equity investment firm, to a newly created paper products holding company, Crown Paper Group, created by the investment firm of Lindsay Goldberg.
Hubbard said that following his retirement, Hagan will stay connected to the company.
She said no manager at the firm “will be leaving unless they want to.”
During Hagan’s tenure, the company gained approval for a boiler upgrade and added new processing equipment.
Additionally, the company abandoned plans for the construction of a biomass generator, which was determined to be financially unfeasible, Hagan said at the time.
Hagan’s first day on the job was May 1, 2013. He was on hand to observe a minor paper fire.
Prior to his tenure in Port Townsend, he was the vice president of operations for Zilkha Biomass Energy/Fuels in Houston.
Hagan has managed seven different mills during his 37-year career, including RockTenn’s Solvay mill in New York, Hodge mill in Louisiana and Stevenson mill in Alabama.
He plans to stay in the area at least part time and “will remain part of the mill’s community,” Hubbard said.
No news release was made about Hagan’s departure.
In response to a query Wednesday, a mill spokesman declined further comment
“Personnel matters are private and confidential, so we don’t comment on them,” he said in an email.
“We’re focused on the future and building a culture of continual performance improvement at the mill. The mill employees we’ve met have engaged on this mission.”
The Port Townsend mill is the largest private employer in Jefferson County, with an estimated 300 employees.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
