Parting Thoughts: Kevin Rasler, President, Inland Empire Paper Co.

Spokane Journal of Business (07/03/24) Elias, Karina

Inland Empire Paper Co. President Kevin Rasler retired in June after a four-decade career with the Washington-based paper maker. Upon graduating in 1985 from Washington State University, Rasler joined Inland Empire Paper as a process engineer and went on to serve in an array of decision-making roles before becoming president in 2010. He remarks, "Once I came here, there was never any reason to go anywhere else. And because of the size of the company, you got to be involved in everything that we were doing here. There was never any chance to get bored. There was never a flat spot in my career." Inland Empire Paper is a midsized producer of butcher paper, newsprint, and stock for white and brown bags, books, and envelopes for numerous West Coast markets. It also owns and manages around 117,000 acres of timberland in Eastern Washington and Idaho and plants approximately 500,000 seedlings per year. "One of the reasons I take pride in working here is the company’s wise use of resources and ways of minimizing waste," Rasler states. "Forestry and paper are interrelated." In retirement, he is looking forward to traveling with his wife and doing more outdoor activities.

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