Buckman board elects 3 new directors
Published: 18th May 2020
Memphis, Tenn., USA (May 18, 2020) – Bulab Holdings, Inc., in its 75th year of business, has announced that 3 new members have been elected by its shareholders to join its board of directors: Robert Buckman (Memphis), Jacqueline Welch (Washington, D.C. Metro) and Gregg Sutherland (Denver). James Shepherd of Vancouver, Canada retired from the board after 12 years.
Robert “Bob” Buckman’s career at Buckman spanned nearly 50 years including a previous tenure on the board. The son of the company’s founder, Stanley Buckman, Bob has held many positions at the company including CEO (1978-2000), director and chairman of the board. He is not only well known as an accomplished leader in the specialty chemical industry but also as a true pioneer in the field of “knowledge management” also known as “knowledge sharing”. He is the author of Building a Knowledge-Driven Organization and has been a long-term board member of the American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC). He is also on the board of trustees at Christian Brothers University. In 1989, Bob launched a knowledge network for Buckman that used computers to widely and quickly transfer knowledge and expertise between global associates. This was enhanced in 1995 when K’Netix was created to further foster a culture of knowledge sharing that continues to this day. Buckman is a graduate of Purdue University and the University of Chicago.
Jacqueline Welch is the chief human resource officer (CHRO) and chief diversity officer (CDO) at Freddie Mac, and the first CHRO and CDO to sit on the Buckman Board. She has more than 20 years of experience in HR, inclusion and diversity strategy and execution both as a consultant with Accenture and Willis Towers Watson (formerly Towers Perrin) and as a corporate executive at companies such as Turner Broadcasting System and Rock-Tenn Company. Jacqueline has been recognized nationally with awards including a “CHRO of the Year” by HRO Today, “Diversity Leader of the Year” and “Women Worth Watching” by the Profiles in Diversity Journal, and the “Breakaway Leadership Award” by Evanta, a Gartner Company. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the Milano Graduate School.
Gregg Sutherland is a recently retired strategy consulting partner with the global advisory firm Ernst & Young. During his 17 years with E&Y, Gregg assisted clients with the development of growth strategies and the design of operating models to support those strategies. His consulting work encompassed the chemical industry, including extensive work at Dow Chemical, and pulp and paper companies including Kimberly-Clark and International Paper. Gregg has also served in executive roles for product development and strategy, including senior vice president of strategy at Qwest Communications. Gregg has served as a board member for Colorado Communications and Technology Professionals and Colorado Audubon Society. He is a graduate of the University of Denver and earned his MBA at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
"We are pleased to welcome each of these individuals to our board of directors," said Phil Shannon, chairman of the board of Bulab Holdings. "Bob, Jacqueline and Gregg each bring to the board unique experiences, skill sets and careers but more importantly they possess the energy, desire and commitment to help Buckman achieve its ambitious goals. Their backgrounds and track records of delivering exceptional results will be invaluable to Buckman’s future successes.”
Buckman operates regional manufacturing centers in six countries to support its offerings of specialty chemical-digital solutions along with technical services through 95 countries primarily to the pulp and paper, leather, water treatment and process chemical industries.
The three new directors will join the current directors: Junai Maharaj (Memphis), Kathy Buckman Gibson (Memphis), Phil Shannon (Memphis), Otto Heissenberger (Cincinnati), Larry Shutzberg (Memphis), Edith Kelly-Green (Memphis) and Robert O’Brien (Fort Myers, FL).

Robert Buckman

Jacqueline Welch

Gregg Sutherland
Tags: Buckman, Bulab Holdings
Footwear Industry Articles
- Bova Socks: The PPE layer that works inside the bootIn demanding work environments, safety footwear plays a critical role in helping workers manage workplace risks. However, the sock worn inside the boot also influences comfort, hygiene, fit and overall performance throughout the shift. This makes Bova’s sock range an essential part of a complete PPE solution.Bova high-performance so ...moreManufacturer-buyer event: Results still to be tallied, but broad enthusiasm for moreThe 2-day Retail Buyer Engagement & Manufacturer Onboarding Programme on 01 and 02 July was part of an effort to kickstart the R-CTFL Masterplan – which, from a footwear perspective at least, has appeared stalled.It was sponsored by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and implemented through the R-CTFL Masterplan Footwea ...moreNew generation nonwoven components lead the way towards biodegradable shoesCompostable and biodegradable footwear is becoming a reality.The nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH in Hürth, Germany, has published an updated version of its poster, 'Biodegradable Polymers in Various Environments', and project manager Kristijan Mršić told Shoes & Views that several of ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Beyond the data trap: Why better decisions matter more than just more dataOn 1st July 2026 I presented at the FILK Leather Days conference and asked the delegates to consider “Sustainability through a new lens: resetting how we view impacts in the leather value chain”. This month’s article therefore explores this idea a little more with a focus on how we view data and whether it can blind us t ...moreSADC Leather Forum unites 16 member states to strengthen the regional leather industryThe Southern African Development Community’s Regional Leather Forum met in Durban, South Africa, in August. Nerisha Jairaj and Jacob Nyathi explain different aspects. ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- SAPEMA demands action against retailer Curve Gear over selling noncompliant safety footwearThe Southern African Protective Equipment Marketing Association (SAPEMA) has reported retailer Curve Gear to the National Regulator for Compulsory Standards (NRCS) for selling “possibly noncompliant” safety footwear.The allegation is because Curve Gear’s safety footwear doesn’t carry mandatory marking: Its NRCS app ...moreProtecting the workforce: The critical role of PPEPersonal protective equipment (PPE) is utilised in a work-environment as part of a larger prevention plan, because on its own protection is limited and may even provide a false sense of protection.An occupational disease prevention plan must be an actionable approach that identifies workplace health hazards, evaluates exposure, and i ...morePremier Workwear: Engineered protection for Africa’s industrial workforceIn high-risk industrial environments, protective clothing is far more than a uniform requirement — it is a critical component of workplace safety, operational reliability and regulatory compliance. For procurement professionals, safety managers and operational leaders, selecting the right supplier means finding a partner capable of ...more
© S&V Publications








