With Larry Newell moving up the corporate ladder a few months ago, LPI Inc. now has two new managers to act as the “faces” of the Becker paper company.

 

Newell, a 20+-year veteran of LDI and a paper industry executive for over 37 years, was promoted  to vice president of paper and packaging (central region) at LDI in August. That means Larry is responsible for the goings-on of Liberty Paper, Liberty Carton Texas and Liberty Carton Minneapolis.

 

Two of Newell’s subordinates at the Becker plant were elevated to his postilion as co-managers of the plant. They both will report to Newell.

 

Legatt has been with Liberty Paper for over 21 years with 10 years being in maintenance and 11 in production. He is the assistant general manager of the mill and says he shares the same values and work philosophy as Newell and doesn’t see himself making a lot of changes.

 

“I worked under Larry for 10 years and we’ve had a good, professional relationship,” Legatt says. “My goal is to continue Larry’s excellence of attracting good talent, create a powerful workforce and have a good corporate relationship with Becker and the county.”

 

Chuck says his proudest achievement over the years at LPI is when the plant put their effluent treatment facility into service three-to-four years ago.

 

“That project addressed and solved a lot of issues with the WWTF and I’m proud for the fact we got it up and running on time and on budget,” Chuck said. 

 

Chuck is married (Debbie) and they live in St. Stephen. The Legatts have two children and one grandchild. 

 

Duke has been with LPI for 17 years and has worked in the technical and production departments. He is also an assistant manager and is in charge of the Dreamworks Coating Solutions department.

 

Duke also says Newell is inspiring and beneficial to work for.

 

“Larry instituted a culture of safety and excellence,” Duke said. “He is always clear in his commitment and is cognitive of the importance of having a good standing within the community.”

 

Duke says he hopes to continue Newell’s legacy of keeping LPI at a competitive advantage over its competitors and using its workforce to better produce the highest quality products.

LPI’s competitors include International Paper, Georgia Pacific and PCA, among others.

 

Duke says he has no single development from his years of working that he is most proud of other than the fact he is proud to be part of a leadership team that stresses growth and is keen to how publicly the company is perceived by the public.

 

“We are thought of very highly in our industry and we want to keep that level of thought first and foremost on our minds every day we enter the plant,” Duke says. “We also want to be recognized as being a friendly, productive and safe place to work.”

 

Dreamworks Coating Solutions is a division within LPI that offers a wide range of coated papers to the packaging industry. They launched in 1995, Duke and his wife, LaNeen, live in Becker and they have five children and many grandkids.

 

Liberty Paper, Inc., located in Becker, is a high technology-driven paper mill that recycles old corrugated containers (OCC) into Kraft liner board for new corrugated packaging. This 100% recycled paper mill is as committed to the environment as they are to product innovation. 

 

LPI sits on around 40 acres of land and their association with their energy neighbor, Xcel Energy, is shrewd since they purchase steam from Sherco to operate their boilers.

 

Legatt and Duke know how important LPI’s support efforts to local events and causes, charities, the schools and the area’s public servants in the past gives them an image few can imitate and as co-managers and “the faces of LPI”, they don’t see themselves changing a thing.

 

“We appreciate the community we work in and want to continue — and possibly grow — our efforts to give back as best we can,” said Legatt.

 

“Though there’s been a change in leadership, there will be no changes in our focus as company and an active participant in this great City of Becker,” said Duke.