The Associate Advantage
Make the Most of AICC Events BY GREG JONES
JOE MORELLI HUSTON PATTERSON PRINTERS VICE CHAIRMAN JMORELLI@HUSTONPATTERSON.COM
PAT SZANY AMERICAN CORRUGATED MACHINE CORP. CHAIRMAN PSZANY@ACM-CORP.COM
E GREG JONES SUN AUTOMATION GROUP SECRETARY GREG.JONES@SUNAUTOMATION.COM
TIM CONNELL A.G. STACKER INC. DIRECTOR TCONNELL@AGSTACKER.COM
DAVE BURGESS JB MACHINERY IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN DBURGESS@JBMACHINERY.COM
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BOXSCORE November/December 2021
ngaged Associate and general members are reaping the benefits from a successful SuperCorrExpo® 2021! Not only were we rewarded with relevant and informative education sessions, but we were also able to reconnect in a safe and productive manner thanks to the efforts of AICC and TAPPI. I would be remiss if I did not also recognize and thank Jay Carman, with the unwavering support of his wife, Terry, for his leadership over the last two years. Building on this legacy, there is excitement as Gene Marino steps into his new role as AICC chairman. While attendance was nearly half that of 2016, those who made the decision to attend definitely made the decision to also engage. With the COVID-19 pandemic still in flux, most participants came from the United States and included all the major integrateds, who were well represented by their top capital equipment decision-makers. In addition, a vast majority of leaders from independent box plants also made the commitment to attend. Combined, the event delivered on high-quality visitors. If you were to compare the domestic attendance
of 2021 versus 2016, we were sitting close to 75%—a great testament to the industry and commitment of all involved. With that noted, there was also a strong contingent of influential decision-makers representing North, Central, and South America who came from Smurfit Kappa of the Americas. Beyond networking, the event programming was also strong. From the keynote speakers to educational breakout sessions, there were valuable takeaways throughout. Pete Watson, CEO of Greif Inc., shared insights into the culture his organization has built. He also highlighted the company vision around industrial packaging and their desire to be the best-performing customer service company in the world. While he acknowledged they may not achieve it, he reinforced how imperative it is for the organization to constantly strive for that in all it does and the culture it develops. This “servant leadership mentality,” as he put it, is about understanding that “before you can lead, you must first learn to serve—it is not about you!” This came as no surprise to me, as I had been blessed
