Biz Bits: Clearwater Paper’s execs pulled in $10.7M in 2022

Clearwater Paper’s top five executives had compensation packages valued at a total of $10.7 million in 2022.

The earnings were shared in a proxy statement filed earlier this year with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Arsen Kitch, Clearwater Paper’s president and CEO, received a compensation package valued at $4.69 million in 2022.

That included a base salary of $888,461, as well as stock awards, a cash bonus and a $15,000 contribution to the Spokane Symphony. Kitch serves on the symphony’s board of directors.

The value of compensation packages for 2022 for the other top executives was as follows: $1.63 million, Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer Michael Murphy; $1.41 million, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Pulp and Paperboard Division Steve Bowden; $1.61 million, Senior Vice President General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Michael Gadd; $1.32 million, Senior Vice President of Human Resources Kari Moyers.

Clearwater Paper finished 2022 with a net income of $46 million.

“In 2022, our executive team continued to perform well as we worked to offset the impacts of inflation and supply uncertainty with higher pricing and productivity,” according to the proxy statement.

“This translated into strong cash flows, further debt reduction, continued strong performance in our paperboard business and improved performance in our tissue business.”

Executive salaries at more than 10 companies of comparable sizes in similar industries helped determine how much executives at Clearwater Paper earn, according to the proxy statement.

The compensation practice involves paying executives competitive and fair compensation based on individual and company performance, according to the statement.

The objective is to “attract, retain, motivate and reward executives in order to enhance the long-term profitability of the company, foster stockholder value creation and align executives’ interests with those of our stockholders,” according to the statement.

Valley-based business serves as ‘cocktail consultant’

Combinations of ingredients two women perfected on camping trips form the foundation of Infuse & Booze, a business that recently expanded at the Port of Lewiston.

The business sells dried ingredients in jars for more than 10 kinds of craft cocktails. The small size costs $25 and makes eight to 10 servings.

Customers add spirits and leave the jars in their refrigerators for as little as four hours or as long as three days to allow the flavors to blend, said Jamie Laybourn, who owns the business with Amy McCall.

“It’s really lazy bartending,” she said.

One of the most popular jars is for “Old Fashioneds.” Their take on the classic bourbon drink comes with dried oranges, bitters, cherries and a sugar stick.

Many of their customers take the jars with them on vacation to avoid paying premium prices for drinks at tourist destinations.

“We like to call ourselves cocktail consultants,” Laybourn said.

The Laybourns camp with the McCalls. The women, who have been friends since junior high, began taking the jars on their trips to save time and avoid the hassle of making drinks out in the woods.

They road tested their concept as a business at the 2022 Art Under the Elms at Lewis-Clark State College, assembling what they thought would be enough jars in advance of the event.

They sold out each day of Art Under the Elms’ three days.

“We’d go home and make more at night,” Laybourn said.

Since then the business has grown so rapidly they needed to move it from a second kitchen at Laybourn’s home to a 2,500-square-foot space at the Port of Lewiston with larger, heavier-duty equipment.

Infuse & Booze sells online at infuseandbooze.com and at the Moscow Farmers Market, a place where they also source ingredients.

They recently landed placement in the online and catalog holiday line-up of a major upscale national chain. They’re also in 35 stores in about 15 states.

Among the local stores where their products can be found are DZ Designs in Lewiston, Patt’s Garden Center in Clarkston, the Coco Bee in Colfax and Grander Goods in Pullman.

The Coco Bee is a luxury beeswax and skincare retailer. Grander Goods describes itself as a natural market and “zero waste, bulk foods, apothecary.”

In addition to Infuse & Booze, Laybourn and McCall both own separate portrait photography businesses.

They created the logo for Infuse & Booze and take all of the pictures for its website, which they built.

“We’ve always had the same ideas,” Laybourn said.

Effie’s owners running two other area restaurants

The owners of Lewiston’s storied Effie’s Tavern have added two restaurants to their holdings.

Randee McCollum and Bill McCollum became franchisees of an existing Pizza Factory in Orofino in September and followed that by establishing Jo-Jo’s Kendrick Cafe and Spirits in January.

Their experience at Effie’s is informing the approach to both businesses, Randee McCollum said.

The Pizza Factory at 307 Michigan Ave. appealed to them because, similar to Effie’s, it’s a treasured institution that has been part of its community for decades, she said.

But unlike Effie’s, the Pizza Factory is part of a national chain founded in California that has grown to more than 100 locations in Idaho, Washington, California, Texas, Nevada and Georgia.

Many are in small towns like Kamiah and Grangeville.

The dough is made in house, topped with the Pizza Factory’s own sauce and fresh ingredients, McCollum said.

“It’s just a really good product,” she said. “They put a lot of passion into it.”

The decision to expand in Kendrick grew from her role as a cheerleading coach at the town’s high school.

A number of the members of the team lost their jobs after the Kendrick Cafe closed when its owner died unexpectedly, McCollum said.

She is leasing the same location at 607 Main St. and opened a new breakfast, lunch and dinner spot, using her high school nickname as the business’s moniker.

All of the dishes are made from scratch in house, including the hamburgers, which are smaller versions of the ones served at Effie’s.

Other popular menu items have been eggs Benedict and the cafe’s own version of spaghetti that’s served in a sauce that simmers for four hours.

Splitting her time between three ventures works partly because she lives in rural Nez Perce County, about 30 minutes from each of her businesses.

Even more important has been the dedication of her employees, who she trains using the same approach as coaching cheerleading, she said.

She allows them to choose what they want to do, then observes to see what training and guidance they need to be even better, McCollum said.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.