Ladies and gentlemen, the first class of inductees to the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame in Appleton, Wisconsin was inducted more than two decades ago in 1995, and today, more than 139 papermaking innovators and legends have been enshrined. This month, we profile Charles (Chuck) Klass, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

Charles (Chuck) Klass was born on February 6, 1940, at Piqua, Ohio but grew up in Dayton where his father worked. In 1962, Class received his Bachelor of Science degree (BA) from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, and his Masters in business management (MBA) from Pace University, New York City in 1968

Klass started working before and after he received his degrees. Some examples of his jobs included working at paper schools, paper, and allied industries, in sales & marketing and at trade Journals. He ended up in the management ladder when he started Klass Associates Inc., in 1986, and led the corporation to a huge success as its President.

Klass has over five decades of pulp and paper and allied industry experience including 28 years as a consultant and innovator in the field of coated paper, paperboard, tissue, and many other paper-based products to paper related businesses all over the world, especially in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, UK, USA, and Uruguay.

Klass's contributions led to the commercialization of the metered size press; coating of deinked post-consumer recycled waste papers; improving grease resistance, the development of Crayola Wonder paper, the development of rod coaters for Kohler Coating, the commercialization of nanoparticle big latex binders for Ecosynthetix, and the development of Colorlok technology for Hewlett-Packard for their inkjet papers.

Klass has 7 US and International patents to his credit. He has published 164 technical papers including chapters in books focusing on applied technology. The great majority of the publications appear as invited presentations in many conference proceedings worldwide.

Klass is a member of PIMA and CPPA. His public service activities included Jaycees, South Brunswick Township Recreation Commissioner, Lieutenant, and Pilot with New Jersey Civil Air Patrol, Board member of Philadelphia's American Cancer Society,

For his contributions he received many honors.

Chuck Klass and his wife Beverly, live in Madeira Beach, Florida. They have one daughter and three grandchildren.

Steve Roush is Vice President, Publisher and Editor and in charge of the International Desk at Paperitalo Publications. Many thanks go to the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame, Inc., for biographical information on Hall of Fame inductees.