John M. Florence, Jr.

John Florence is General Counsel and Secretary and has been with Sonoco since 2015. Previously, he led the 2025 combined North American paper division, now Industrial Paper Packaging. He has also served as General Manager for Converted Paper Products North America. In each role, he remains steadfast in nurturing Sonoco’s people-first culture, recognizing the people behind the products.

County Bar Association and the Association of General Counsel. He also serves on the Boards of Directors for Wren’s Nest, a non-profit in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Charles W. and Elizabeth H. Coker Foundation in Hartsville, South Carolina. Additionally, John serves on the Board of Trustees for Coker University, the Governors School for Science and Mathematics and the University of South Carolina’s Business Partnership Foundation.

Florence previously managed the integration of Sonoco Metal Packaging and served as the Vice President of Human Resources. Prior to Sonoco, he served as a partner with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. in Columbia, SC where he managed legal work for Sonoco and other clients.

He holds an MBA from the University of South Carolina, a J.D. from Samford University and a bachelor’s in English from Presbyterian College. He is a 2018 graduate of Liberty Fellowship.

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