YAKIMA, WASH. — Eric Hill, regional vice president and general manager at Graphic Packaging International, will become chief executive officer of Kwik Lok Corp., effective Nov. 25. He will take over for Don Carrell, who has served as Kwik Lok’s CEO since 2019.
Hill has worked at Graphic Packaging International for 15 years, beginning as a plant manager. Graphic Packaging International emphasizes renewable, recycled and recyclable materials.
Hill received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Western Washington University and a master’s degree in paper science technology from the Institute of Paper Science Technology in Atlanta.
“I look forward to joining the Kwik Lok family and ramping up the company’s ability to innovate and grow at the pace required by today’s market,” Hill said. “Kwik Lok has a solid foundation as a market leader with a 70-year legacy of customer service, innovation and growth. I look forward to overseeing the company as it moves forward to meet the challenges of today’s marketplace.”
Under Carrell’s leadership, Kwik Lok, a market leader in bag closures, launched Eco-Lok, Fibre-Lok and Enviro-Lok.
“Don’s contributions to our business have been numerous, and we thank him for his hard work and dedication during his years at Kwik Lok,” said Kimberly Paxton-Hagner, board chair for Yakima-based Kwik Lok. “As Eric takes on the CEO role, we face a rapidly changing environment driven by technological advancements, evolving regulations and shifting market dynamics. Eric’s experience in driving rapid change and expertise in managing growth will be key to reaching the next levels of success taking our company to the next generation of ownership and customers.”