Sonoco announces new senior leardership structure

Arthur Retiring Following 34 Years of Service, Fuller, Coker to Lead Global Consumer and Industrial Businesses

Sonoco, one of the largest global diversified packaging companies, announced a new senior leadership structure overseeing the Company’s Global Consumer- and Industrial-related businesses, according to Rob Tiede, president and chief executive officer. The changes are effective January 1, 2019.

Vicki Arthur, senior vice president, Plastics Packaging and Protective Solutions, is retiring from Sonoco after 34 years of service.

Rodger Fuller has been named Senior Vice President, Global Consumer Packaging, Display & Packaging and Protective Solutions. Fuller will have responsibility for all of Sonoco’s Consumer-related businesses, including Global Rigid Paper and Closures ; Global Plastics ; Global Flexible Packaging ; Display & Packaging ; and Protective Solutions. In addition, he will have responsibility for several support organizations, including Marketing and Innovation ; Consumer Technology ; Supply Management and Logistics ; and Quality.

Howard Coker has been named Senior Vice President, Global Paper/Industrial Converted Products. Coker will lead all of Sonoco’s Industrial-related businesses, including Industrial Europe/Asia/Australia/New Zealand ; Tube and Core, U.S. & Canada ; Paper/Adhesives, U.S. and Canada ; Sonoco Recycling ; Conitex ; Reels ; Industrial, Latin America ; and Industrial, Brazil. He will also have several support organizations reporting to him, including Global Safety ; Industrial Supply Chain, Americas ; and Global SPS (Sonoco Performance System).

“Rodger and Howard have deep Consumer and Industrial leadership experience, with each accumulating 33 years of committed service to Sonoco,” said Tiede. “While we will maintain four segments for financial reporting purposes, moving to a more simplified Consumer and Industrial leadership structure will help speed decision making and drive accountability throughout our organization.”

Fuller, 57, was previously Senior Vice President, Paper/Engineered Carriers U.S./Canada & Display and Packaging. Prior to this, he was Group Vice President, Paper and Industrial Converting, U.S. and Canada, and Vice President, Global Primary Materials Group. Rodger began his career at Sonoco in 1985 in the Consumer sector of Sonoco having held several senior leadership positions, including Vice President, Global Rigid & Closures and Global Plastics. He has a BS degree in Business from Berry College and MBA from Emory University.

Coker, 56, has significant international experience with Sonoco and most recently was Senior Vice President, Global Rigid Paper and Closures (RPC) & Paper/Engineered Carriers International. He also was Group Vice President of RPC & Paper/Engineered Carriers International and was Vice President, Global RPC and Plastics. Coker has a BA degree from Wofford College and MA in Business from Wake Forest University.

Arthur, 60, joined Sonoco in 1984 and held numerous management-level positions in corporate accounting, financial reporting and Treasury. She served as Staff Vice President and Controller for several Sonoco businesses before being named Sonoco’s Staff Vice President and Treasurer in 2002. Vicki was Vice President, Global Corporate Customers from 2008 through 2011, where she had P&L responsibility for Sonoco’s seven largest global packaged goods (CPG) customers with annual sales of more than $1 billion. From there she became Vice President and General Manager of Protective Solutions and then added responsibility for the Company’s Plastics businesses in 2017. Arthur graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Accounting and received an MBA from Duke University.

“It would be impossible to recount everything that Vicki has done over her career at Sonoco. As Senior Vice President of Plastic Packaging and Protective Solutions, and as a member of our Corporate Executive Committee, Vicki had responsibility for businesses with more than 50 operating facilities in North America, Europe and Asia with sales of approximately $1.5 billion and more than 4,000 associates,” said Tiede. “Yet a list of positions does not come close to capturing the true measure of her contribution to Sonoco. Her humbleness, her sense of humor, her humanity and her willingness to help others are the things that will be remembered by those impacted by her friendship and her leadership.”