SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) August 12, 1997
JAMES RIVER CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Virginia
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
1-7911 54-0848173
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification Number)
120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (804) 644-5411
<PAGE>
Item 5. Other Events.
On August 12, 1997, James River Corporation of Virginia ("James River" or
the "Company") filed a press release announcing that shareholders overwhelmingly
approved the merger of James River and Fort Howard Corporation. A copy of the
press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits:
99 Press release dated August 12, 1997, published by the registrant
- filed herewith.
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<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
JAMES RIVER CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA
By:/s/Clifford A. Cutchins, IV
Clifford A. Cutchins, IV
Senior Vice President, General Counsel
Date: August 12, 1997
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Exhibit 99
JAMES RIVER CORPORATION News Release
P.O. Box 2218, Richmond, VA 23218 (804) 644-5411
Release: Immediate Contact: Celeste Gunter, Financial (804) 649-4307
Richard B. Elder, Media (804) 343-4785
JAMES RIVER SHAREHOLDERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVE
MERGER WITH FORT HOWARD
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, August 12, 1997 -- James River Corporation announced
that shareholders overwhelmingly approved the merger of James River and Fort
Howard Corporation at a special meeting today.
In related actions, James River shareholders also approved changing the
name of the company to Fort James Corporation, increasing the authorized number
of common shares to 500 million, expanding the Board of Directors to fifteen
members, and reserving additional common shares issuable under the company's
stock incentive plan.
In a separate meeting, shareholders of Fort Howard also overwhelmingly
approved the merger. The merger is expected to be finalized on August 13, 1997.
"Shareholder approval marks the final step in the coming together of
these two great companies," said Miles L. Marsh, James River's chairman and
chief executive officer, "and we are pleased at how well the organizations
worked together to complete this merger in an extraordinarily short period of
time."
James River Corporation, headquartered in Richmond, Va., is a leading
marketer and manufacturer of paper-based consumer products, packaging, and
business, printing and converting papers. The second largest worldwide producer
of tissue products, James River markets such leading brands as QUILTED NORTHERN
bathroom tissue, BRAWNY paper towels, VANITY FAIR napkins, and DIXIE cups and
plates in North America, and Lotus bathroom tissue, towels, and facial tissue in
Europe. The company also markets QUILT-RAP sandwich wrap, QWIK WAVE microwave
packaging, and EUREKA! and WORD PRO copy papers. James River's current annual
sales rate is approximately $5.6 billion.
# # #
Today's news release, along with past releases from James River, is
available by fax, at no charge, by calling (800) 758-5804, ext. 457350. You may
access James River's corporate-wide site at Internet address
http://www.jamesrivercorp.com.
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