For more information, contact:

W. Brian Fiebig

Vice President, Marketing

(920) 739-3671, (800) 236-3671

bfiebig@greatnortherncorp.com

-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-

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Tom Kell Retires from Great Northern Corporation

Former Executive Vice President, Co-Owner of Kell Container Ends 32 Years in Box Business

APPLETON, Wis., Aug. 1, 2006 — Great Northern Corporation announces the retirement of Tom Kell, executive vice president of its Chippewa Falls packaging operations, effective July 31, 2006.

Kell, along with his brother John, sold the family-owned Kell Container company in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin to Great Northern Corporation on Oct. 1, 2004. Both brothers continued in active leadership roles after the sale. When John Kell died in an August 2005 motorcycle accident, Tom Kell assumed his brother's duties as head of the Chippewa Falls operations.

“When the Kell brothers joined us in 2004, they brought with them not only a highly successful and long-standing business operation but also their strong entrepreneurial skills, energy and vision. We wish Tom the very best in his retirement and are grateful to him and his brother for the valuable contributions they have made to our company,” said William Raaths, CEO of Great Northern Corporation.

Rick Gates has been promoted from vice president of manufacturing to fill the vacancy created by Kell's retirement.

“We know that Rick will continue the proud traditions that have made the Chippewa Falls location not only successful but a great place to work,” said John Davis, president of the Great Northern Packaging Group.

Kell Container was founded in 1964 by Paul and Carey Kell. Tom Kell joined his brothers and parents in the family business in 1974 as the accountant and office manager.

Following their father's death in 1974, Mike, John and Tom Kell ran the business for their mother until her retirement in 1984, at which time they purchased the business from her. When Mike retired in 1999, John and Tom purchased their brother's shares in the company and continued to run it as a team.

In retirement, Tom Kell will remain active in his many civic and charitable responsibilities, supporting the Chippewa Falls community.

Great Northern's Chippewa Falls packaging operations employ more than 200 people and manufacture corrugated packaging, point-of-sale packaging and temporary point-of-purchase
(P-O-P) displays.

Great Northern Corporation designs, manufactures and distributes packaging solutions and point-of-sale display programs for industrial, commercial and retail products. Its operations include Commercial Packaging, corrugated and custom packaging; Consumer Packaging & Display, temporary and permanent displays, point-of-sale packaging and fulfillment services; Laminations, VBoard® edge protection; and Rollguard Products, protective packaging systems for rolled and cylindrical products. Headquartered in Appleton, Wis., Great Northern has operations in five states and more than 800 employees. For more information, visit www.greatnortherncorp.com.

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