November 9, 2022
Many AICC/TAPPI Corrugated Week attendees got a taste of Texas spirit at the Tejas Rodeo. (Photos courtesy of AICC.)
AICC/TAPPI Corrugated Week, September 19–21, in San Antonio, was a resounding success. Nearly 1,500 people walked the exhibit floor, covering 25,000 square feet of the Henry B. González Convention Center, and visited 164 exhibitors.
Attendees heard from the following keynote speakers: Steve York, a noted leader in the corrugated industry for over 46 years, and Michael J. Durant, a former Blackhawk pilot, prisoner of war, author of In the Company of Heroes, and inspiration for the movie Black Hawk Down. York shared insights from his unique career in 1974 with a four-year stint as a summer/hourly employee at U.S. Corrugated in Lincoln, Illinois, to his retirement in 2020 as the senior vice president of engineering and manufacturing services at WestRock. Durant shared his experiences as a soldier and hostage and their relationship to his commitment to leadership, team building, and growth.
Attendees learned from peers during several workshop sessions, which included panel discussions on digital print, supply chain disruption, lessons learned, artificial intelligence/robotics and automation, and employee recruitment and retention.
Several AICC members were also recognized for their excellence, including Gary Brewer of Package Crafters and Greg Jones of SUN Automation Group, who both received AICC Champion awards for their efforts to recruit and retain AICC members. Buckeye Corrugated Inc. won the AICC and Board Converting News Innovator of the Year award for its roller conveyor platform. Additionally, Elizabeth Collins, a student at Indiana State University, was presented with the J. Richard Troll Scholarship, and Ciara Johnson, a Clemson University student, represented her team that won first place in the graphics category of the Student Design Competition.
Corrugated Week featured several key sessions, including panel discussions on topics such as digital print, supply chain disruption, and more.
Gene Marino of Akers Packaging Group also completed his tenure as AICC Chair, and Joe Morelli of Huston Patterson and Lewisburg Printing Co. completed his term as AICC Associate Chair. Several new officers were elected, and Jana Harris of Harris Packaging and American Carton Co. was elected as Chair.
Many attendees also enjoyed some Texas hospitality at the Tejas Rodeo.
Major sponsors of Corrugated Week included HP, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, SUN Automation Group, Geo. M. Martin Co., Arc International, CloudLab, and A.G. Stacker Inc. Please visit www.corrugatedweek.org for a full list of sponsors.
Accompanied by his wife, Megan (left), and newly elected AICC Chair Jana Harris of Harris Packaging and American Carton Co., Akers Packaging Service Group’s Gene Marino was honored for his tenure as AICC Chair.
The mechanical bull alongside the exhibit floor proved to be a popular event attraction.
Marino presents Package Crafters’ Gary Brewer (left) with an AICC Champion Award.
Marino presents SUN Automation Group’s Greg Jones (right) with an AICC Champion Award.
Marino presented the following individuals with awards for serving the Association and its members in various roles (from left): Al Hoodwin, Michigan City Paper Box Co. (on behalf of Joseph M. Palmeri, Jamestown Container Cos.); Cassi Malone, Corrugated Supplies Co.; and Joe Morelli, Huston Patterson and Lewisburg Printing Co.
