Posts tagged as:

International Paper; Isle of Wight County

Helping former paper mill workers find a new start

May 18, 2010

Six years ago, Randy Betz lost his job at the International Paper mill as part of a corporate downsizing.

Now, as vice president of workforce development at Paul D. Camp Community College, he is helping hundreds of workers at the mill do what he did – find a new start. The mill stopped production last month and is expected to close in June.

In an interview at the school last week, Betz said he is encouraged by the number that have already found work. Most of those, he said, will not have to leave the area. What follows are excerpts from the interview.

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On the path to building a new economy

April 12, 2010

Phillip Bradshaw, Jim Councill, and Mike Johnson
Published Saturday, April 10, 2010
The people of Franklin, Southampton and Isle of Wight have braved many challenges over the years: hurricanes, flooding, economic good times and bad. For the past 122 years International Paper, Union Camp and Camp Manufacturing have been a crucial part of the community, helping to weather these storms, providing solid careers. The mill closing rivals all these challenges and has shaken Western Hampton Roads to its core.

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