WASHINGTON (From the Port Townsend Leader) -- Crown Paper Group has promoted Colin Fernie to president of Port Townsend Paper and Crown Corrugated.

With the promotion, Fernie adds responsibility for the Port Townsend mill and retains responsibility for the Crown Packaging and Boxmaster plants in Vancouver, British Columbia, and distribution centers in Kelowna, British Columbia, and Calgary, Alberta.

Fernie is expected to be frequently in Port Townsend initially, then monthly, according to spokesman Alan Ulman. Fernie is not replacing anyone, and this is a promotion for him.

Carr Tyndall remains general manager of the Port Townsend mill, Ulman said.

"We hired Colin in May 2015 knowing his record of building high performing packaging businesses, and confident he would do the same with Crown Corrugated," Crown Paper CEO Steve Klinger said in a May 17 press release.

"In the year since, we made significant strategic investments in Crown Corrugated. Colin leveraged the investments and led Crown Corrugated to improved performance, benefitting our customers and owners. At the same time, we have made significant, strategic investments in Port Townsend Paper, which is executing a plan to become a high performing mill. Colin's charge is to lead Port Townsend Paper and Crown Corrugated to accelerate progress across the board."

Asked what accelerated progress referred to, Ulman told the Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader that the mill is switching to compressed natural gas, has added pollution control system and is making infrastructure improvements.

"Port Townsend Paper is the primary supplier to Crown Corrugated and Montebello Container, our corrugated sheet producer in Southern California, so high performance at any of the operations benefits all of the operations. We also made significant strategic investments in Montebello, and the Montebello team is building a strong packaging business by leveraging these investments and implementing our 'Manufacturing Excellence' strategy," said Klinger.

Anthony Salcido continues as president of Montebello Container, reporting to the Crown Paper Group.

Crown Paper Group is a holding company for investments in the paper and packaging industries.

Crown Paper Group has the resources to invest in building businesses over the long term, officials said. It was created in 2015 by Lindsay Goldberg, an investment firm that manages $14 billion of equity capital, partners with well-managed businesses, and actively helps them build longterm value.