Lana Wilhelm & Tom Grabowski

An employee of a Richmond-based pulp and paper company has won the Forest Products Association of Canada’s 2024 Women in Forestry Award. Lana Wilhelm, director of Indigenous relations at Paper Excellence, whose headquarters are in Richmond, was recognized for her leadership in sustainability and for encouraging diversity in the sector. Paper Excellence is a manufacturer of pulp and paper with a large number of mills and chipping plants across the country. The award was presented by the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) at its 2024 Awards of Excellence this week in Ottawa. Originally from Ontario, Wilhelm has more than 20 years of experience in various forestry roles, and since joining Paper Excellence in 2019, she’s built a sustainable Indigenous relations program for more efficient communication between Indigenous, corporate and government agencies.