August 30, 2024
The AICC Southwest Summit, held June 19–20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas, proved to be an event filled with engagement, education, and networking. The summit kicked off with a reception at Globe Life Field, where attendees enjoyed a baseball game between the Texas Rangers and New York Mets from the comfort of a suite sponsored by BPS AI Software and Haire Group.
The following morning began with plant tours. Nearly 70 attendees visited Harris Packaging in Halstom City, Texas, where they toured the busy and clean sheet plant and were treated to a Southwest breakfast. After Harris, the group visited the new Greif CorrChoice facility in Dallas. Still in startup mode, the facility will add to Greif’s ability to supply large-format boxes up to triple wall. Then, the group toured Dieco/Graphics 2 Press before heading to the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) for lunch and a roster of speakers.
AICC’s Southwest Regional Director Jenise Cox of Harris Packaging and American Carton Co. opened a strong afternoon program featuring esteemed presenters who delivered informative and thought-provoking presentations:
- Steve Jarmon, Stambaugh Ness, delivered a crucial presentation on cybersecurity, highlighting the importance of protecting digital infrastructure. His presentation outlined key strategies for mitigating cyber threats and emphasized the need for comprehensive security protocols.
- Mariam Yousuf, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, provided an insightful analysis of the regional economy, offering valuable perspectives on economic trends and their implications. Her discussion focused on current economic indicators, regional economic performance, and future economic projections.
- Caitlin Salaverria, International Corrugated Packaging Foundation, discussed strategies for finding your future workforce, emphasizing the importance of attracting and retaining talent in the industry. Her presentation highlighted successful approaches to engaging with educational institutions and promoting careers in packaging to younger generations.
- Ben Dolezal, UTA, highlighted the benefits of student internships at UTA, showcasing how internships can bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical industry experience. He presented case studies of successful internship programs and their positive impact on students and companies. He then led a tour of the UTA facilities that include packaging education resources within the Department of Art and Art History.
A closing reception was held at the Choctaw Lounge at Texas Live! The reception was sponsored by AG Stacker.
This year’s summit was also supported by Harris Packaging, Koenig & Bauer, Alliance Machine Systems, Fosber, Pacificolor, Baysek, Pamarco, and SUN Automation Group.
AICC extends its gratitude to all participants, presenters, and sponsors for their contributions to making the 2024 Southwest Summit a success.
Learn more about upcoming summits at www.AICCbox.org/calendar.
