Item 5.02 Departure 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 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits

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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