You’ve probably seen the "Pratt" logo on a recycling bin or a brown shipping box and thought nothing of it. It’s just cardboard, right? But behind that massive, privately-held empire is a leadership team that operates with a level of speed you usually don't see in manufacturing. One of the key names that pops up when you look at the engine room of this company is Tom Priest, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Pratt Industries.
Honestly, the corrugated packaging world isn't usually "water cooler talk." It's heavy, it's industrial, and it’s kinda invisible. But in an era where every single thing we buy shows up on our doorstep in a box, guys like Tom Priest are basically the architects of our modern shopping habits.
Who Is Tom Priest?
Tom Priest isn’t some newcomer who happened to land an executive role. He’s been with Pratt since March 2014. Before that, he spent a solid seven years as a VP at Georgia-Pacific. If you know anything about the paper and packaging industry, you know that GP is the "old guard." Moving from there to Pratt was a shift from a traditional corporate giant to a more agile, high-growth environment.
Priest holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an Industrial Engineering degree from Georgia Tech. That’s a specific kind of brain. It’s the "how do we make this faster and cheaper but also better for the planet" kind of thinking.
At Pratt, his job isn't just selling boxes. It's about scale.
Pratt Industries is the 5th largest corrugated packaging company in the U.S. and the largest privately-held 100% recycled paper company in the world. When Priest talks about "sales," he’s talking about managing the flow of materials for some of the biggest retailers on earth.
The Wisconsin Expansion and Local Impact
Back in 2017, Priest was a vocal proponent of the company's move into the Midwest. Specifically, he was a key figure in opening the Wisconsin plant. At the time, he noted that the expansion was a "logical next step" because they needed a footprint in that region to serve customers more efficiently.
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This matters because of how Pratt operates. They don't just build factories; they build "closed-loop" systems.
- They take your old paper.
- They turn it into new paper at their mills.
- They turn that paper into boxes.
- They sell those boxes back to the companies that sent you the paper in the first place.
Priest’s role in Sales and Marketing is to convince massive brands that "green" isn't just a buzzword—it’s actually a logistical advantage. By being 100% recycled, they aren't dependent on virgin timber, which keeps their supply chain a bit more insulated from certain market shocks.
Why People Keep Searching for Him
Most people looking up "Tom Priest Pratt Industries" are usually doing one of three things:
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- Vetting a Partner: If you’re a mid-sized company looking to scale your shipping, you’re looking at who runs the show. Priest is the face of the commercial side.
- Career Research: Pratt has a reputation for being a "green-collar" job creator. People want to see the pedigree of the leaders.
- Market Analysis: Competitors watch where Tom Priest goes. If he’s speaking at a packaging forum or quoted about a new regional hub, it usually means Pratt is about to eat someone’s lunch in that territory.
It’s worth noting that the company is owned by Anthony Pratt, a billionaire who is famous for his aggressive "Made in America" stance. Priest is the one translating that high-level vision into actual contracts and shipping lanes.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often assume that because Pratt is a "recycling" company, it’s a slow-moving, feel-good operation. It’s not. It’s a high-tech, AI-driven manufacturing beast. Under the sales leadership of Priest and the global vision of Anthony Pratt, the company has pledged billions in U.S. infrastructure.
They aren't just making boxes; they’re solving a waste problem.
Actually, think about it this way: every time a retail giant switches to a Pratt-led solution, they’re effectively "harvesting the urban forest." That’s a term the company loves. It means your trash is their raw material. Tom Priest’s job is to make sure that "trash" is turned into a premium product that can survive being tossed into the back of a delivery van without crushing your new electronics.
Actionable Insights for Business Owners
If you're looking at the packaging industry or trying to understand the Pratt model, here are a few takeaways based on how Priest and his team operate:
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- Vertical Integration is King: By owning the recycling centers, the mills, and the box plants, Pratt controls the cost at every stage. If you can control your supply chain, do it.
- Sustainability as a Sales Tool: Priest doesn't sell "recycled boxes" as a charity. He sells them as a way for companies to hit ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals while maintaining a high-quality product.
- Regional Dominance: Look at how they expand. They don't just ship across the country; they build "hubs" near their biggest customers to slash freight costs.
Tom Priest remains a fixture in the Georgia-based headquarters, steering the sales strategy of a company that is currently on a multi-billion dollar expansion tear across the United States. Whether you’re a job seeker, a competitor, or a potential client, understanding his background at GP and his focus on regional logistics gives you the "why" behind Pratt's continued dominance in the 2020s.
To get a better sense of how this fits into your own shipping strategy, you should look at your current "waste-to-packaging" ratio. Most companies realize too late that they are paying twice: once to have their waste hauled away, and once to buy new boxes. Leaders like Priest have built an entire empire on the fact that those two things should be the same cycle.
Check your local municipal recycling partnerships. Often, these are the starting points for the very supply chains that executives like Tom Priest manage on a national scale.