LITTLE FALLS, N.Y., Aug. 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It is with great sadness that Burrows Paper Corporation announces the passing of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer R. W. (Bill) Burrows. Bill died peacefully at home on August 20, surrounded by his loving family. He was 64.

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Bill leaves behind a company he served more than 40 years. To ensure its strength and continuity, he had implemented a strategic plan that charts a growth trajectory through the company's centennial in 2019 and beyond, and ensures strong management succession including the promotion of Rose Mihaly to president and chief operating officer in 2013. Company ownership will pass to his family, and governance will be in the hands of the board of directors comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds in corporate finance and management. Operation of the company will continue under Mihaly, Philip Paras, CFO, and senior management around the globe.

Bill became president of Burrows Paper Corporation two years after joining the company in 1974. He was elected president and CEO in March 1986 and succeeded to Chairman of the Board later that year following his father's death.  Bill was well known as an entrepreneur who had the foresight to make strategic investments. Under his direction, the company made business growth investments a priority, while focusing with equal fervor on improving the organization's structure and preserving the unique Burrows culture. In 1984, investments were made in hydroelectric projects in Little Falls and Lyons Falls NY. The company's product line expanded into specialty packaging through acquisitions in 1986 and 1993. In 1991, packaging expanded into Europe with the groundbreaking of a manufacturing facility in the Netherlands. In 2012, packaging further expanded with the acquisition of a packaging plant in China, of which Burrows Paper Corporation had been a minority partner since 2008. Between 2007 and 2014, the company invested more than $30 million in its paper mills.

"Being the humble and unassuming person that he was, Bill would take exception to extraordinary accolades even now," Mihaly said. "He saw himself as caretaker of the enterprise, helping keep things on course. Bill's holistic perspective of life and work gave him appreciation for the interconnection of business interests and human aspirations. He devoted much of his life to opening doors for others, setting the stage for future leaders and entrepreneurs."

Memorial services will be private and at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions may be made in Bill's honor to Herkimer County Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc. at 4277 Middle Settlement Road, New Hartford NY 13413, or online at www.hpcanys.org. Arrangements are under the direction of Chapman-Moser Funeral Home, Little Falls, NY, www.chapmanmoser.com.

Burrows Paper Corporation operates four paper mills and five packaging converting facilities domestically and abroad. Burrows maintains the highest standards and holds certifications from ISO9001, HACCP, Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forest Initiative, and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. Burrows incorporates nearly 100 years of papermaking experience into its food packaging line of products and is one of only a few companies capable of producing light weight printable tissue paper from 7.5 to 30 pounds (12.2 to 48.9 gsm). Burrows offers machine glaze and machine finish paper grades for a variety of uses from medical and food packaging to innovative industrial applications. For information, visit www.burrowspaper.com.