Mark Ushpol
May 20, 2026 - Genera announced the appointment of Mark Ushpol as Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds Ben Mascarello, who led the company through a transformational period.
Tennessee-based Genera is a fully integrated manufacturer of sustainable molded fiber products made from perennial grasses.
Ushpol will lead Genera through a period of commercial acceleration and innovation as the company ramps production following completion of the Vonore expansion project, a $340 million expansion of the company's manufacturing facility in Vonore, Tennessee.
Ushpol joins Genera with extensive experience leading global manufacturing organizations through growth, transformation, and operational scale-up. His career included leadership roles at Suominen, Ahlstrom, DS Smith, and Mondi.
"I am honored to join a company at the forefront of the circular bioeconomy," Ushpol said. "Genera's unique farm-to-finished-product model is a game-changer for sustainable manufacturing. I look forward to working with this talented team to accelerate our growth, deliver superior performance for our customers, and help advance a more regenerative and sustainable all-American manufacturing economy."
At Genera, Ushpol will oversee the company's fully integrated biorefining and thermoforming operations in Vonore, Tennessee. The manufacturing facility utilizes advanced biorefining and thermoforming technologies to transform locally grown perennial grasses into compostable packaging, high-quality non-wood pulp and biomaterials.
Genera, a portfolio company of Ara Partners, is a circular bioeconomy company transforming regenerative perennial grasses into sustainable packaging, pulp, and biomaterials through advanced biorefining and manufacturing technologies.
SOURCE: Genera