From Generation to Innovation: Leading in the Paper Industry

I’d like to introduce myself — my name is Jim Argianas and I work for Midland Paper and Packaging as a national sales representative.

As a third generation in the paper and packaging industry, I decided at a young age that this is what my future was going to be in. In January 2012, after graduating from the University of Kansas in December 2011,  I turned that decision into reality.

This January I’ll be celebrating 14 years in the industry. For the first twelve and a half years, I spent my time at Case Paper Company, learning under my father, Chuck Argianas. While under his roof, Saturday mornings, (at 8 a.m. I might add) were meant for learning different types and grades of paper and which mills represented their specific branded products. He also helped teach me professional discipline.

While I didn’t appreciate the full extent and his style of teaching at the time, the benefits and ways it’s been helpful have been impactful, and I’m very appreciative of him for that. I’ve always believed that watching great leaders lead people and listening to them as they explain their decisions helps better prepare you for the day when it’s your turn to make tough decisions.

In June 2023, I made the decision to join Midland Paper as a national sales representative. My wife and I were one year into our first home with a seventeen-month-old, and we were getting ready to adjust from a family of three to a family of four in a month. Life was coming at our family fast, and leaving a comfort zone and the only company I’ve known in my professional career was intimidating initially; however, the guidance from Midland’s leadership helped me stay on my feet and take off down the runway. Shortly after joining the Midland team, they wanted me to get involved and represent Midland in NPTA’s Emerging Leaders Network.

Since being accepted in July 2023, the Emerging Leaders group has helped me continue to grow as a leader and person. In addition to two in-person meetings per year, the new Emerging Leadership Summit and monthly Zoom calls provide opportunities to discuss topics on how to grow as a leader. The ability to build connections and network within the group in a room with 25 to 30 of the brightest young minds in the industry from all over the United States has been the most rewarding. We exchange insights on what has worked, where some of the struggles have been and share ideas that have helped each of our own companies — without giving away the “secret sauce,” of course.

One of the focus points of the Emerging Leaders Network is to continue to push innovation in the industry. Although I’ve only been a part of the group for 15 months, it’s been inspiring to watch individuals “emerge” within their companies and to watch them grow. I’ve also had the chance to hear about some of the challenges they’ve faced in their new roles — such as hiring, implementing goals and navigating growing pains — as they lead their teams into the future.

There are many challenges we’ll continue to face as we emerge and help lead our companies into the future, such as sustainability, account mergers and acquisitions, the Inkjet and digital markets, growth in the paperboard sector and data-driven publication printing.

Growing up in the industry, one thing has always stood out: the paper industry is resilient and isn’t going anywhere. Sometimes it may seem that the deck is stacked against us, but for those of us who are self-motivated, eager to learn and ready to be rewarded for their efforts, Midland is worth a look!