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Marc Forman, president of Georgia-Pacific Recycling, retired Friday, Jan. 9, after 35 years of dedicated service to the company.
Forman joined Harmon Associates in 1991 as director of finance. When the Harmon business became part of Georgia-Pacific with the Fort James Corp. acquisition in 2000, he continued to advance in the organization, being appointed chief operating officer of Harmon in 2003 and president in 2008.
During his tenure as president, Forman led the transformation of Harmon—which was renamed Georgia-Pacific Recycling in 2019—into one of the world’s largest recovered paper trading companies. Under his leadership, GP Recycling successfully expanded its commodity trading portfolio to include metals and plastics. He also was the driving force behind the development and launch of hubbIT, GP Recycling’s award-winning digital trading platform.
In a statement on his LinkedIn account, Forman wrote, “Leading the Georgia-Pacific Recycling organization has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside many talented and remarkable people—in this business, the recycling industry and beyond. I’m deeply grateful for the bonds we’ve built, the experiences we’ve shared and the challenges we’ve overcome together.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our GP Recycling team and everything we’ve achieved. From transforming the business into one of the world’s largest wastepaper trading companies to expanding into recycled metals and plastics and launching hubbIT, none of this would have been possible without the team’s relentless effort and ingenuity. It’s been incredibly rewarding to watch you learn, grow and succeed up close, and I feel fortunate to have played even a small part in that journey.”
Over his 35 years in the recycling industry, Forman expressed pride in helping to divert more than 150 million tons of recyclable materials from landfills and back into the economy. “As many of you know,” he said on LinkedIn, “I’m passionate about recycling and a big believer in the power of the free market to foster creative solutions—even for the trashiest of waste problems. Throughout my career, I’ve championed recycling’s benefits and advocated for principled, market-driven and sustainable waste management policies to government officials, industry groups such as the American Forest & Paper Association and ReMA and within GP. Even in retirement, I expect to remain a staunch advocate for recycling and market-based solutions.”
Forman also noted his particular pride in helping to mentor and develop a new generation of leaders in the business. “I can’t wait to see where you will take it from here,” he said.
Over the coming weeks, Forman will transition his responsibilities to Brandon Bennett, GP’s president of containerboard and kraft. And in retirement, Forman plans to divide his time between the New York metro area and Florida, enjoying as much time as possible with his family—especially his three grandchildren.
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