2019 Executive Eagle Award Winner

Steve Glenn
Director of Operations, Paper Division, North America - Sonoco

Mr. Glenn’s career began with Sonoco 30 years ago as a management trainee after graduating from Miami University, Ohio, with a degree in Paper Science and Engineering. His career with Sonoco grew successfully as he moved through various plant, division and corporate management roles.

Described in his nomination as “among the most visible proponents of developing safety processes,” Mr. Glenn was also lauded for his dedication to developing machinery that was safer and more productive for the company. Involved in capital projects, he was also praised for playing a key role in ensuring that new equipment and processes strictly adhered to company and regulatory standards. His “lead by example” style includes professional development and membership in aligned organizations like PPSA for both himself and his staff.

According to the nomination, Mr. Glenn’s fierce dedication to employee safety was molded early in his leadership career. As a new process engineer/management trainee, he recalls all of his managers describing their role and responsibilities for the safety and well being of the employees under their charge. Looking back, these conversations and the assignments he was given were the foundation of how he manages and leads the safety efforts across the division today – the safety and well being of each and every employee is job one. His management style was described as embodying a “what can we do differently” perspective to help push performance in a better, safer direction. This dedicated focus has led to a number of positive outcomes, including significant reductions in recordable incidents and lost-time cases at the facilities under his responsibility.
Mr. Glenn was further noted to be an extraordinary role model for all level of employees, from senior professionals to developing staff. He was described as “a wise counselor, a standard bearer of integrity and civility, and is as highly respected as anyone in this business.”