“I had no clue,” Ms. Carney said. “It was very humbling.”
That Ms. Carney received the prestigious award came as no surprise to her colleagues, though. Considering her efforts on behalf of MeadWestvaco (MWV), NAPIM and other groups, Ms. Carney is an ideal choice for the award.
At MWV, she has worked closely with customers to bring new products to the forefront as printing has changed.
“I started as an engineer for Hercules while still in college at North Carolina State,” Ms. Carney said. “My job was to fractionate crude tall oil. I tell people I actually have rosin in my veins.”
After Ms. Carney graduated in 1983, she joined Hercules full-time, beginning in production and engineering before moving into sales and eventually into the graphic arts field. She credits her instincts with making key decisions.
“I made some decisions by following my instincts, like moving from engineering into sales and when I moved to Chicago and into the ink industry,” Ms. Carney said.
In addition, Ms. Carney serves on the board of MWV’s Women's Network, chairs its Mentoring committee and is a member of MWV’s Extended Leadership Team. Outside of work, her hobbies include running, yoga and raising her three boys.
Ms. Carney’s efforts on behalf of NAPIM are equally impressive. A frequent contributor to NAPIM conventions and NPIRI technical conferences, Ms. Carney was selected as the first female board member of NAPIM in 2012. She is also active in the Pine Chemicals Association.
“Being named as the first woman to the NAPIM Board of Directors was kind of neat,” Ms. Carney said.
Ms. Carney is appreciative of the support she has received from family and colleagues over the years.
“I had a lot of support from my parents, who always supported me, and I also had some patient mentors who taught me a lot,” Ms. Carney said. “No one does this alone. I have a great team. You become successful because of having a great group.”