8-K

UNITED STATES

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

November 11, 2008

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

SCHWEITZER-MAUDUIT INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	1-13948	62-1612879
(State or other jurisdiction of	(Commission file number)	(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)	Identification No.)
100 North Point Center East, Suite 600
Alpharetta, Georgia		30022
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip code)

1-800-514-0186
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act.  (17 CFR 230.425)

o  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act. (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act. (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act.  (17 CFR 240.13c-4(c))

Item 5.02Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.

Appointment of Principal Officers

On November 11, 2008, Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. (“the Company”) issued a press release announcing that Wayne H. Deitrich, age 65, current Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer will retire on December 31, 2008.  Mr. Deitrich has served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since the November 30, 1995 spin-off of the Company from Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

Succeeding Mr. Deitrich as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer will be Frédéric P. Villoutreix, current Chief Operating Officer and member of the Board of Directors.  Mr. Villoutreix, age 44, joined the Company on December 7, 2005, was elected Chief Operating Officer on February 1, 2006 and served as interim President, French Operations from December 2006 to June 2007.  He was elected to the Board of Directors in June 2007.  Previously he was employed by Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, a leading French multi-national producer and distributor of engineered materials, where he had worked since 1990.

Mr. Villoutreix does not have an employment contract with the company.  His compensation consists of the same elements, and he participates in the same compensation programs, as all other U.S. based Company executives as disclosed in the Company’s most recent proxy statement.  Executive compensation is reviewed and adjusted annually at year-end.

The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)  Exhibits

99.1Press Release, dated November 11, 2008, of Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc., announcing retirement and replacement of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.
By:	/s/ TORBEN WETCHE
	Torben Wetche
	Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Dated:  November 12, 2008

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SCHWEITZER-MAUDUIT INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Current Report on Form 8-K

Dated November 12, 2008

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release, dated November 11, 2008, of Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc., announcing retirement and replacement of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:	Bill Foust	Torben Wetche
	770-569-4203	770-569-4277

SCHWEITZER-MAUDUIT INTERNATIONAL, INC. ANNOUNCES

RETIREMENT AND REPLACEMENT OF CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Alpharetta, GA, November 11, 2008.  Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. (NYSE: SWM) today announced the retirement of Wayne H. Deitrich, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer on December 31, 2008 and that Frederic Villoutreix will become Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2009.

Mr. Deitrich has served as Chairman of the Board  and Chief Executive Officer since the November 30, 1995 spin-off from Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

Mr. Deitrich joined Kimberly-Clark in 1970 and held various operations positions and mill manager assignments as well as managing the commercialization of new products.  Beginning in 1987, he was promoted to positions of increased responsibility including Vice President, North American Pulp and Paper Sector, President of Neenah Paper, President of the Paper Sector, and President of the Specialty Products business units in the U.S. and France.

Mr. K.C. Caldabaugh, Lead Non-Management Director of the Schweitzer-Mauduit Board  of Directors commented, “Mr. Deitrich has been the leader and driving force behind the establishment of Schweitzer-Mauduit as a separate public company and the world’s leading supplier of fine papers to the tobacco industry.  His contribution to the success of Schweitzer-Mauduit has been significant.  Under his leadership the company expanded production, made acquisitions in Brazil, France, Indonesia and the Philippines, and established and constructed its China Joint Venture paper operations.”

In announcing that Frederic Villoutreix has been named to replace him, Mr. Deitrich stated, “Since joining Schweitzer-Mauduit, Frederic has demonstrated that he can successfully manage our operations and is prepared and ready to assume the total leadership of our Company as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.”  Also, Mr. Caldabaugh commented, “Frederic’s succession to the position of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer is the culmination of a succession planning process that commenced with Frederic’s hire in December 2005.  He has the full confidence of the Board of Directors in assuming his new positions.”

Mr. Villoutreix, age 44, joined Schweitzer-Mauduit on December 7, 2005, was elected Chief Operating Officer on February 1, 2006 and served as interim President, French Operations from December 2006 to June 2007.  He was elected to the Board of Directors in June 2007 and relocated to the U.S. in June, 2008.  Previously, he was employed by Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, a leading French multi-national producer and distributor of engineered materials, where he had worked since 1990. Mr. Villoutreix held key management positions in Europe and the United States

with Saint-Gobain, including General Manager, World Construction Products and Stone, Luxemburg (2001-2004), and lastly, Vice President, Abrasives Europe and Coated Abrasives World (2004-2005) with 33 operating locations.

Mr. Villoutreix holds a Master’s Degree in Science and Engineering, with a major in Economics from Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France, and a Ph.D in Engineering and Management from Ecole des Mines, Paris, France.

The Company expects to make a further announcement concerning the Chief Operating Officer position within the near future.

Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. is a diversified producer of premium specialty papers and the world’s largest supplier of fine papers to the tobacco industry.  It also manufactures specialty papers for use in other applications.  Schweitzer-Mauduit and its subsidiaries conduct business in over 90 countries and employ 3,200 people worldwide with operations in the United States, France, Brazil, the Philippines, Indonesia, Canada and a joint venture in China.  For further information please visit the Company’s Web site at www.schweitzer-mauduit.com.

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