SPEAKERS - thank you to our 2008 speakers! Check back soon for our 2009 speakers. Would you like to present a topic in 2009? Send us your topic idea and a short abstract!

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SPEAKER NAME, JOB TITLE, COMPANY and BIO
PRESENTATION TITLE and ABSTRACT

 

Laboratory Practices for Optimal Thermal Gel Design and Specification

Laboratory studies, which illustrate the thermal performance of critical design inputs for gel refrigerants, will be presented. This presentation will educate attendees to the important design considerations when evaluating competing refrigerant designs and will provide information on how to set up laboratory studies which can more precisely demonstrate temperature controlled packaging performance in the field.

co-presented with Karen Greene


Education: Stevens Institute of Technology – B.A. in Mechanical Engineering Activities: ISTA Member, Contributor to ASTM Thermal Packaging Standard Committee Achievements: Co-Recipient of the 2004 AmeriStar and WorldStar Packaging Awards for TCP’s “Thermal Control Panel”, ISTA CPLP Technician

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Sustainability Issues in Distribution Packaging Operations

Sustainable Packaging within an organization should be viewed in the context of overall Sustainable Practices encompassing the entire business enterprise. For Distribution Packaging specifically, Sustainability should start with packaging performance objectives and then address more global issues such as materials, processes, metrics and standards. The selection of appropriate performance criteria then becomes crucial to the overall success of more holistic considerations of Enterprise Sustainability. This presentation will deal with both real-life examples and proposed processes for setting and working toward Sustainability objectives in Distribution Packaging operations.


Education: Michigan State University - B.S. in Packaging, 1968 Activities: Member of Industry Advisory Councils for MSU School of Packaging and RIT Packaging Department, Past President of ISTA, Past National President of SPHE, Past National President and Chairman of IoPP, Past Board Member of PEF, Past President of MSU School of Packaging Alumni Association, Past Chairman of the IoPP Transport Packaging Committee and Ameristar National Packaging Design Competition. Achievements: ISTA CPLP Professional, IoPP CPP, Granted patents on inflatable cushioning design and foam-in-place packaging forms, Many professional articles published in various magazines and Packaging Encyclopedias, Named PEF Packaging Hall of Fame: 2003, Member of MSU School of Packaging Alumni Hall of Fame, Member of NIPHLE Military Packaging Hall of Fame, 1998 MSU National Alumni Service Award, 1992 NIPHLE Annual Achievement Award in Packaging, Member of IoPP College of Fellows

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New Frontiers in Usability Testing

Increasingly, packaging is being viewed not as an expense to be dealt with, but as an asset to be leveraged. When viewed in this way, effective package design becomes paramount. The aging of the population has also brought increased focus to the usability of packages. However, traditionally, scientific focus has heavily emphasized interactions between the product and the package, not consumers and packages. This presentation will highlight ongoing work at the MSU School of Packaging which is attempting to provide quantification to the interface between people and packages in order to create informed designs.

 

Education: Michigan State University – B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Packaging Activities: IoPP Member

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Developing New Temperature Profiles for US Parcel Shipping Lanes

ISTA, in conjunction the Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Interest Group of the PDA, has written a protocol that will be used to record the ambient temperature and humidity data that outbound packages are exposed to during typical domestic shipments. This data will be used to create a composite profile tool that is representative of the typical conditions encountered by packages during both ground and air shipments. The profiles will be used to statistically create the exposure conditions for ISTA lab testing of transport packaging.

Education: Michigan State University - B.S. and M.S. in Packaging Activities: Member of the ASTM International Committee D-10 on Packaging Testing Standards, F-2 on Flexible Barrier Packaging, represents ISTA at the International Association of Packaging Research Institutes (IAPRI) and a member of the Steering Committee for the Cold Chain Interest Group in the PDA. Sits on the Packaging Advisory Boards at the MSU School of Packaging, Rochester Institute of Technology Packaging Science program and California Polytechnic State University (Cal-Poly) Packaging Achievements: Past President and Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP). IoPP Member of the Year in 1998 and has been inducted into the IoPP College of Fellows and the MSU Packaging Hall of Fame and the Pi Kappa Gamma packaging Honorary fraternity. Inducted into the National Packaging Hall of Fame in 2007

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Managing a Packaging Engineering Team: Tips, Tools and Tradeoffs, Part 2

Following up from 2007, this presentation will focus on additional ideas, tools, and best practices developed and used by the HP LaserJet Packaging group, as well as ideas on how to put together a compelling business case for the value of a packaging team to your organization.

Education: Michigan State University – Ph.D. in Packaging

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R-Value: Sustainability through Design

Leading organizations are embracing sustainable design practices not only because they are good for the environment, but also because they are good business. Today, the concepts of sustainability are being integrated into business models and product strategies across the board.

Cradle-to-Cradle programs are an example of the application of sustainable design to real-world business practices. Programs like these represent a fundamental shift away from the ‘damage-minimization’ and ‘damage-management strategies’ of the recent past and takes ‘Green’ to the next level, a level where it makes sense to business and the environment so it might actually work.

This presentation will present a case study on the reasons and rationale for an innovative new R-Value program which demonstrates how a cradle-to-cradle program can be implemented quickly and successfully through the application of logic, the spirit of partnership, and a little ingenuity.

 

Biography to come

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Global Trends and How They Affect the Rail Industry

Overview of global traffic trends and challenges they will bring to the rail industry

 

Education: BS Civil Engineering, Clemson University, 1995

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Temperature and Air Change Rates in Freight Containers During Transport Between Europe and Destinations in Asia and Australia

This presentation will give an overview of the air change rates, temperatures, and humidities in freight containers during trips from Europe to Singapore and Australia. A freight container fully equipped with measurement instruments was used. The container was fitted with a 27 channel temperature measurement system, GPS data logger and a temperature /humidity data logger. It was loaded with two intermediate bulk containers (IBC) of water and four 220 liter plastic drums of water. The air temperature at three levels in the container and the temperature at the top and bottom of the water in the IBCs and drums were measured.


Education: University Duisburg, Germany - B.S. in Foundry Technology; Technical University Berlin, Germany - M.S. in Materials Engineering; Technical University Berlin, Germany - Ph. D. in Material Science Activities: Head of the Working Group “Testing and Investigation; Securing of load” at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin, Germany, Vice-President of the International Association of Packaging Research Institutes (IAPRI), member of several national and international standardization working groups, Convenor of ISO/CEN WG Dangerous Goods Packaging Achievements: Member of ISTA Europeon Advisory Council, member of the editorial board of the journal ”Packaging Technology and Science” published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd., London

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Laboratory Practices for Optimal Thermal Gel Design and Specification

Laboratory studies, which illustrate the thermal performance of critical design inputs for gel refrigerants, will be presented. This presentation will educate attendees to the important design considerations when evaluating competing refrigerant designs and will provide information on how to set up laboratory studies which can more precisely demonstrate temperature controlled packaging performance in the field.

co-presented with Anthony Alleva

Education: Holy Cross College – B.A. in Biology; UCSD – professional certificate in Eng. Management Activities: IoPP Member, ISTA Member Achievements: IoPP CPP

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NMFTA Past, Present & Future…How Will Recent Changes Affect Your Business?

A landmark year in the history of the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Bill Mascaro from the NMFTA and Dan Hill with ABF Freight System, Inc. explore implications of the Surface Transportation Board’s removal of anti-trust immunity
from the rate setting bureaus and what this may mean for domestic and international shippers. The session will also include the process of how minimum packaging requirements are developed, reviewed and adopted.

co-presented with Bill Mascaro


Education: Michigan State University - B.S. in Packaging Activities: ISTA Board of Directors since 1994; ISTA Member 1988, IoPP Member since 1988 Achievements: IoPP CPP

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Stories from the Field

This presentation will focus on a number of examples where direct field observations were the key to understanding field damage issues. On multiple occasions the author has found the most significant problems in the field have not been reported by those closest to the situation. Though field measurements are important to better understand physical hazards to packaged products, many of the hazards causing expensive problems to corporations are not capable of being measured with typical data recorders. This presentation will demonstrate the importance of personally observing the distribution system to understand the most consistent types of failures, why and where they occur, and then to consider the range of options that may resolve the issues.


Education: Michigan State University – B.S. and M.S. in Packaging Activities: ISTA Member, ASTM D-10, IoPP, Western Packaging Association Achievements: Four patents and multiple design awards, including the E-chievment award, which was presented on National Public Radio's E-Town show; Co-authored two books since 1999 and has had multiple magazine and text book articles written about some of his more creative techniques for saving large sums of money

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Air Transport VIbration Study

Over the previous few years data acquired from air transport studies suggests there may be a relatively significant discrepancy between the actual dynamic input versus the most commonly used air transport random vibration test profiles. This presentation will highlight that discrepancy, detail a comprehensive research proposal to investigate that discrepancy, and report on any findings to date.

Education: Michigan State University - B.S. in Packaging Activities: ISTA Executive Vice President, AIAG, IoPP, AAR, MSU Sonsortium for Distribution Packaging representative, memver of the MSU Packaging Alumni Association Board of Directors Achievements: ISTA CPLP Professional, numerous technical presentations, publications adn training sessions, Transportation packaging expert witness

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New Considerations for Random Vibration Testing of Packaged-Products

Vibration has long been a part of laboratory tests for packaged-products. Starting with circular-synchronous motion, then progressing to sinusoidal resonance-search-and-dwell tests, and now with today’s PSD-based random vibration, tremendous progress has been made in the simulation of actual distribution vibrations and the quality of test results.

In recent years, however, it has become recognized that the PSD approach can omit, or “average out”, infrequently-occurring but nonetheless significant and potentially damaging events. A number of proposals have been made and test approaches undertaken to address this issue, including high/low spectra, control of kurtosis, synthesis of non-stationary random, use of non-Gaussian vibrations, and shock-on-random.

This paper will describe the issue and summarize the various suggested approaches in simple terms. Recommendations regarding further research and possible industry consensus will be made.

Education: B.S.E.E. from Stanford University, 1962 Activities: ISTA member, IoPP member, chair of ASTM D10.15 (Fragility Assessment), Editorial Board member - Journal of Packaging Technology & Science Achievements: ISTA CPLP-Professional, IoPP CPP-Fellow, first recipient of ISTA's R. David LeButt award

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Getting it Right for the Customer, But at What Price?

Producing new package formats for delivery to retailers is a common challenge for consumer packaged goods (CPG) packaging teams. New package formats may promise improved sales, but they can also lead to increased distribution packaging costs. Here’s how one company struck a balance between the two.


Education: Southern Tech, Marietta, GA - B.S. in Industrial Engineering Technology Activities: IoPP Food and Beverage Task Force, ISTA Member, Conference Speaker

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NMFTA Past, Present & Future…How Will Recent Changes Affect Your Business?

A landmark year in the history of the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Bill Mascaro from the NMFTA and Dan Hill with ABF Freight System, Inc. explore implications of the Surface Transportation Board’s removal of anti-trust immunity
from the rate setting bureaus and what this may mean for domestic and international shippers. The session will also include the process of how minimum packaging requirements are developed, reviewed and adopted.

co-presented with Dan Hill

Education: Towson University (Baltimore, MD) - B.S. in Political Science

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Is ISTA 3A Really That Good?

See through real examples how the ISTA 3A has assisted shippers in cost savings through a reduction in damages.


Education: Michigan State University-B.S. in Packaging, currently working on Masters in Supply Chain Management from Elmhurst College Activities: ISTA Technical Council Member,. ASTM D10, F02 Member. IoPP Transport Packaging Committee Secretary Achievements: IoPP CPP, ISTA CPLP Professional

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Wal-Mart and Sustainable Packaging in 2008

Starting in February 2008, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will officially begin using information gathered by the Packaging Scorecard to evaluate product packaging and influence purchasing decisions. The scorecard tracks the sustainability of each supplier's packaging, from the materials it's made from to the energy it takes to make the packaging. This presentation will provide an overview of the scorecard, recent successes and where Wal-Mart plans to take their packaging innovations in order to reach its five percent packaging reduction goal. In addition, this presentation will demonstrate how packaging reductions can be good for business and for the environment.


Education: University of California, Berkeley - B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Activities: IoPP member Achievements: Significant contributions to the Wal-Mart Packaging Sustainable Value Network; Developed packaging for new item launches at a large CPG company, with a focus on display and Club-ready packaging

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Medical Device Packaging: Overcoming the Global Challenges

This presentation will provide a cadence of developing and validating a compliant, low cost, innovative, sustainable packaging system that will knock down the many barriers that companies face on a global basis.


Education: Niagara University - B.S. in Psychology, R.I.T. - B.S. in Packaging Science, R.I.T. - M.S. in Packaging Science Activities: ISTA Member, IoPP Member, ASTM Member Achievements: IoPP CPP

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Stability Evaluation and Comparison of Stretch Hooding versus Stretch Wrap Unit Loads

Current research has investigated the effectiveness of new stretch hooding to stabilize unit loads during material handling. Stretch hooding was compared to stretch wrap, vertical stretch wrap, and strapping during vibration and unit load impacts.

Education: Virginia Tech - currently pursuing Ph.D. in Wood Science. University of Akron – B.S. in Chemical Engineering

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A Model for Carbon Management in Transportation

IBM has developed a tool that can help manage carbon emissions and other operational metrics associated with outbound finished goods shipments. The objective of the tool is to support important executive level business decisions by providing an ability to consider the economic and environmental aspects of alternative operational choices. The tool allows decision makers to compare alternative approaches considering packaging size, sourcing, transportation routing, and service level agreements. This talk will articulate a general framework that IBM Research has for modeling carbon emissions in a supply chain and the demo of the tool which is the first module of what will eventually become a tool capable of modeling carbon emissions in other areas of a supply chain.

Education: Michigan State University – B.S. in Packaging Activities: MHIA MH1 Committee, ISTA, IoPP, US TAG to TC51 (ISO) Achievements: 3 Ameristars, 1 Worldstar, 2 Patent Disclosures

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Will the REAL Random Vibration Spectrum Please Stand Up?

Many different shapes of random vibration spectra are being suggested as the "true" input from a truck, rail car, or aircraft. Does the shape of the spectrum REALLY affect the results of the test? The results of this simple experiment may help reduce the complexity of product and package vibration performance testing.


Education: Michigan State University – B.S. in Packaging; Northern Illinois University - MBA Activities: ASTM Member, ISTA Member, IoPP Member, WPA Member, SJSU Packaging Program Instructor & past Director Achievements: Founder & President of WESTPAK, Inc., IoPP Fellow, ISTA R. David LeButt Award 2002

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The Importance of Focused Test Method Development

A range of distribution test methods have been developed over the years; importantly in recent years this has broadened to include tests for non-standard shaped packs and to cover retailer operations. These recent methods help in reproducing hazards that regular standards overlook. This presentation discusses the importance of focused test method development for selected products, illustrated through two case studies.


Education: B.Sc. (Hons) Chemistry and Physics, Diploma in Packaging Activities: Member of UK Institute of Packaging, Member of UK Institute of Logistics, IoPP Member, ISTA Member

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Distribution Testing of Works of Art

Valuable paintings are frequently shipped around the world for exhibition loans. These products defy conventional packaging design methodology; each painting is unique, undefined, irreplaceable and often very old. This paper reviews previous work on the topic and describes the testing of a recently developed returnable pack system.

Education: Honors Degree in Physics Activities: Editor-in-Chief, Packaging Technology & Science Achievements: ISTA Board of Directors 1996 – 2002

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Measurement and Analysis of Temperature and Pressure in High Altitude Air Shipments

This study measured temperature and pressure in air shipments using both feeder aircraft and long range jet aircraft. Results show pressure drop rates as well as levels in aircraft shipments for long inter-continental flights as well short feeder aircraft. Recommended changes to existing test methods will be presented.


Education: Michigan State University - M.S. and Ph.D. in Packaging, University of Poona (India) - B.S. in Electrical Engineering Achievements: Conducted research on over 50 national and international package distribution related projects

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Dynamics of SMALLS!

The single parcel carriers handle groups of very small packages, identified as "SMALLS", in bags collectively as they are sorted and shipped. This study quantifies the dynamics of these small individual packages as they are handled, sorted and shipped through the single parcel environment to better understand what happens to these packages individually.


Education: Ph.D., M.S., B.S. Activities: ASTM D10 Division 1 Chair, ISTA VP-Testing, IAPRI Board of Directors

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Vibration Testing 101

What is vibration and why should you care about it? What is resonance and why should you care about it? When shouldn’t you care about resonance? Why does the second layer of cases on some pallets show more compression damage than the bottom layer, even though the bottom layer has more weight on it? How can you simulate a stacked vibration test, including resonance, using only one case of product? Why does a pallet affect a vibration test? How will I answer all these questions in the time allotted? There’s only one way to find out.


Activities: IoPP Member, ISTA Member, Member Hershey's RFID Team Achievements: IoPP CPP, ISTA CPLP, Certified Electronics Technician,
Co-authored and presented "Packaging 101" training to 16 of Hershey's plants

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Universal Principles of Transit Packaging Throughout History

A critical examination of transit packaging technology throughout 4,000 years of history reveals universal principles. This presentation discusses ancient commercial amphorae, wooden barrels and tea chests, as well as modern ocean containers, corrugated boxes and reusable pallets.


Education: Ph.D. in Marketing and Logistics from MSU Activities: IoPP, NIPHLE, CSCMP, NAPM Achievements: Military Packaging Hall of Fame, textbook author: Cartons, Crates and Corrugated Board

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Packaging Myths III: Compression, Stacking, Top Load

Compression performance design is a tried and true part of packaging science – or is it? The relationships, the performance indicators, the formulas and the factors – look at them again – for the first time. Is that factor really safe? WWMD – What Would McKee Do?


Education: Michigan State University – B.S. in Packaging. R.I.T. – M.S. in Service Management Activities: ISTA Member, IoPP Member, ASTM D10 Achievements: ISTA R. David LeButt Award, IoPP CPP, IoPP Fellow, MSU Packaging Alumnus of the Year

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