ROSEMONT, Ill. (News release) -- Appvion, LLC, a portfolio company of Wynnchurch Capital, L.P., announced that it has appointed Laurie D. Andriate as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding George Wurtz upon his retirement.

Prior to joining Appvion, Laurie led Henkel AG & Co.'s global coatings, sealants and treatment business unit that focused on metal packaging, processing and coil applications for a wide variety of industries. Greg Gleason, Managing Partner at Wynnchurch and Appvion Board Member, commented, "Laurie brings a strong track record of commercial leadership in specialty materials and a disciplined approach to value creation. We are appreciative of George's efforts in positioning Appvion for success and are excited about the significant opportunities that lie ahead under Laurie's leadership."

Laurie Andriate also commented, "I am excited to join the Appvion team as CEO, and to partner with Wynnchurch in leading Appvion through its next chapter of growth. Appvion is well positioned as a market leader in direct thermal coatings with innovative products, service, and technical expertise. I look forward to continuing to build on their strong history of success and innovation in labels, packaging, and other attractive end-markets."

With over 30 years of experience in the specialty materials sector, Laurie brings significant experience in coatings and packaging to Appvion. Beginning her career in material science, Laurie held a wide variety of roles in global strategy, marketing and operations at BASF Corporation and Eastman Chemical Company. She further progressed to leadership roles as President of Darex Packaging Technologies with GCP Applied Technologies (formerly WR Grace) and as Corporate Vice President at Henkel AG. Laurie earned a Bachelor of Science degree with concentration in textile chemistry from the University of Tennessee and holds a Master of Science degree with concentration in textile engineering and polymer physics from North Carolina State University.

About Appvion:

Based in Appleton, Wisconsin, Appvion is a pioneer in the specialty and high-performance coatings market. Appvion develops innovative, water-based, and environmentally responsible coating solutions for consumers' everyday life. Appvion's functional coating solutions are applied to a wide variety of flexible substrates, including products from an FDA-compliant facility. Primary product offerings include direct thermal paper and film solutions and renewable, fiber-based consumer and industrial packaging solutions. For more information, please visit: http://www.appvion.com.

About Wynnchurch Capital:

Wynnchurch Capital, L.P., headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, with offices in California, New York, and an affiliate in Canada, was founded in 1999, and is a leading middle-market private equity investment firm. Wynnchurch's strategy is to partner with middle market companies in the United States and Canada that possess the potential for substantial growth and profit improvement. Wynnchurch Capital manages a number of private equity funds with $4.2 billion of committed capital under management and specializes in recapitalizations, growth capital, management buyouts, corporate carve-outs and restructurings. For more information, please visit: https://www.wynnchurch.com.