MEMBERS MEETING

A Brave Independent World: Customers, Creativity, Confidence

Michael D’Angelo, AICC president, kept members informed with his State of the Association presentation.

Photos courtesy of AICC.

More than 340 members, guests, and 90 virtual attendees were welcomed by Jay Carman, president of StandFast Packaging Group and AICC chairman, to the 2021 AICC Spring Meeting, April 26–28, in Amelia Island, Florida. The first national industry event in over a year included a virtual plant tour of Packrite, a Sales Managers Forum, and Emerging Leader training, in addition to exceptional speakers and networking and social events.

“The speakers have all discussed current hot topics, the meeting’s virtual component has gone off without a hitch, and I have personally attended the two virtual networking opportunities. It has allowed me to feel like I am a part of the meeting while sitting 2,100 kilometers away.”

—Terri-Lynn Levesque, vice president, administration, Royal Containers

“I just want to thank the AICC for putting this whole event together after this last year of all of us being cooped up at home and trying to get through our businesses while still connecting with our industry friends. It’s great that we all get to come back, be together, and learn from each other.”

—Sahar Mehrabzadeh-Garcia, director of sales/POP displays, Bay Cities

Michael Drummond, president of Packrite, a trade finisher in High Point, North Carolina, treated attendees to a virtual plant tour.

“It has been awesome to be back with my friends and colleagues at AICC. I was telling my husband for weeks how excited I was to actually get back in person and not just Zooming anymore, so it’s been great to see everybody oneon-one.”

—Jana Harris, CEO, Harris Packaging and American Carton Co.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Member Milestones

In 2018, AICC began recognizing the longevity of independent member companies. This year, we honored six companies ranging from 40 years to more than a century in business.

100 Years 50 Years

• Isowa • Progress Container & Display • Tiruna 40 Years 65 Years • The BoxMaker • Jamestown Container Companies

Safe Shop Awards

This year, AICC presented its Independent Safe Shop Awards, an annual recognition of AICC member companies for outstanding performance in plant safety in 2020 and 2021.

2021 2020

• Akers Packaging Solutions • Air Conveying Corp. (Decatur, Illinois) • Akers Packaging Service Group • Akers Packaging Solutions (Huntington, (Middletown, Ohio)

West Virginia) • Akers Packaging Solutions • Akers-Webster West Packaging (Decatur, Illinois) (Evansville, Indiana) • Akers-Webster West Packaging • Lawrence Paper Co., American (Evansville, Indiana)

Packaging Division • Akers-Webster West Packaging (North • Arrow Box Co. Vernon, Indiana) • Box-Board Products Inc. • Lawrence Paper Co., American • Wunderlich Fibre Box Packaging Division • Jamestown Container Rochester, HP • Hoosier Container Inc.

Neun Division • McElroy Contract Packaging • Jamestown Container Cleveland • Tecumseh Packaging Solutions • Unicorr Packaging Group/ Vermont Container • Wunderlich Fibre Box Co.

Jay Carman, president of StandFast Packaging and AICC chairman, welcomed new members and first-timers during a networking reception.

“I had the distinct pleasure of attending the AICC Spring Meeting virtually this year. While I was extremely disappointed to not attend in person, I was incredibly encouraged at the level of interaction available via the virtual platform. I participated ‘real time’ in the Sales Manager Forum Sunday and Monday. Both speakers were engaging and thought-provoking. I was able to participate, ask questions, and share thoughts freely during the meeting.”

—Amy Hudson, sales manager, Niagara Sheets LLC

7TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENTS’ CUP CHARITY GOLF EVENT

Since this tournament began in 2014, our independent industry has contributed more than $200,000 to worthy local and national charitable organizations helping the homeless, victims of domestic violence, at-risk children, those overcoming addictions, and our military veterans. With 120 golfers and 28 sponsoring companies, this year the Independents’ Cup made donations to Driving Out Darkness and the Foundation for Packaging Education.

First Place

• Tom Bradford, Bradford Company • Ed Gargiulo, Equipment Finance • Tom Torosian, Torosian Tech Services • Pat Szany, American

Corrugated Machine

Second Place

• Cade Landeche, Air Systems Design • Rob Zacary, Air Systems Design • Gene Tyler, Blackhawk Corrugated • Michael Sanders, TranSouth Logistics

Third Place

• Chase Haddon, Packaging Atlanta • Peter Haddon, Packaging Atlanta From left: Ed Gargiulo, Equipment Finance Corp.; Tom Bradford, Bradford Co.; Pat Szany, • Adam Kelly, Kelly Box & Packaging American Corrugated Machine; and Tom Torosian, Torosian Tech Services won first place in • Daniel Hammond, Stafford the golf tournament.

Corrugated Products • Closest to the Pin #4: Peter Haddon, • Closest to the Pin #12: Adam Kelly, Contest Winners Packaging Atlanta Kelly Box & Packaging • Longest Putt: Kelly Webb, Meredith- • Closest to the Pin #7: Stu Fenkel, • Closest to the Pin #16: David Moulder,

Webb Printing McLean Packaging Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

With topics ranging from cybersecurity to industry projections, attendees learned from Steve Robinson, former executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Chick-Fil-A; Al Randle, director of operations at COSEC Cybersecurity; Matt Elhardt, vice president of global sales at Fisher International; Mitch Klingher, CPA, partner at Klingher Nadler LLC; Gene Marks, CPA, columnist and small business owner; Brent Lindberg, founder of Fuseno; and Greg Tucker, CEO of Bay Cities.

Jeff Pallini, president of Fosber America, moderated a town hall discussion featuring the following panel: Pat Szany, president of American Corrugated Machine Corp.; Joseph Morelli, vice president of sales and marketing at Huston Patterson Printers; Greg Jones, executive vice president of Sun Automation; Tim Connell, director of sales at A.G. Stacker Inc.; and David Burgess, North American sales director at JB Machinery. They answered questions from the in-person and virtual audience on the top issues impacting the industry.

Michael D’Angelo, AICC president, presented the State of the Association, and Kevin Ausburn, chairman and CEO of SMC Packaging Group and the AICC chair of the Paperboard, Regulations & Sheet Supply Committee, gave a containerboard and boxboard update.

Nearly half of the meeting attendees participated in the 7th Annual Independents’ Cup Charity Golf Tournament held at the Oak Marsh Golf Course, and enjoyed the networking event where they could reconnect with old friends and make new ones. In addition, all the networking and social events were held outdoors at the resort, and attendees were able to enjoy quality time and the beautiful weather with their colleagues and friends.

The meeting, emceed first by Carman and then by Gene Marino, executive vice president of Akers Packaging Group and AICC first vice chairman, was a true reflection of a brave independent world.

Ed Wallace, managing director of AchieveNEXT Relational Capital, and Mark Roberts, CEO of OTB Solutions, lead the highly interactive Sales Mangers Forum.

SPONSORS

Meeting Sponsors

• Poteet Printing Systems, A Flint

Group Company • HP • SUN Automation Group • EFI • Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America • Stafford Corrugated

Products • Kolbus Hycorr • Oklahoma Interpack • Flint Group/Packaging Inks • Equipment Finance Corp. • Bradford Co. • Domtar • WestRock • Haire Group • Huston Patterson • Domino • Baumer hhs

Golf Sponsors

• Bobst • Fosber America • Bradford Co. • Rusken Packaging • Litho Press • AG Stacker • BCM Inks • Poteet Printing Systems, A Flint

Group Company • Dusobox • Pamarco • American Corrugated Machine • EAM-Mosca • Bay Cities • BW Papersystems • JB Machinery • Haire Group • McLean Packaging • Printron • SUN Automation • Roosevelt Paper • Kao Collins Inc. • Metsä Group • Domino

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Health • Dental • Vision • Life Insurance

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An AHP is a health plan offered by a group of employers within an association. NAM Health Care is a bona fide pre‐rule AHP and allows AICC Members to band together to manage and purchase coverages at a competitive price. NAM Health Care is operated by the plan’s Governing Committee, made up of mostly small and medium‐sized manufacturers.

Learn more at AICC.namhealthcare.com or 855‐463‐8856.

It’s easy to get a quote, and we’re here to help if you have any questions.

NAM Health Care is an industry‐based Association Health Plan (AHP) that’s fully ACA‐compliant, administered by Mercer, and sponsored by The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), of which AICC is an affiliate member. Plans are not available to member employers in all states. Your company must be a member in good standing of AICC, The Independent Packaging Association and in NAICS codes 31, 32, or 33. *Congressional Budget Office: How CBO and JCT Analyzed Coverage Effects of New Rules for Association Health Plans; January 2019.

Program Administered by Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC AR Insurance License #100102691 | CA Insurance License #0G39709 In CA d/b/a Mercer Health & Benefits Insurance Services LLC