Anne T. Johnson
Director, Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Program Director, GreenBlue
Anne Johnson joined GreenBlue in 2005 as the Director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), an industry working group managed by GreenBlue, a non-governmental organization focused on connecting the vision of sustainability to practice. One of the primary objectives of the Coalition is to provide education and information resources about sustainability and packaging. Under her tenure, the SPC has grown from 9 members to more than 180.
Previously Anne was a senior environmental engineer and project manager at MBDC, a consultancy focusing on sustainable design, where her principal areas of focus included sustainability consulting, systems evaluations of industrial processes and material flows, and comparative evaluations of chemical recycling technologies for polymers. In 2003, she managed the EPA-sponsored Cradle to Cradle Design Challenge for E-Commerce Shipping Packaging and Logistics.
Anne T. Bedarf
Project Manager, GreenBlue
Anne Bedarf joined GreenBlue in September 2007 as a Project Manager for the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and has provided project management, content development, and training for the Essentials of Sustainable Packaging course. Anne is also leading an SPC project on Package Labeling for Recovery as well as a sustainable packaging design library.
She was previously the environmental and safety manager for the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority and Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority in Charlottesville, VA. There she led the implementation of an Environmental Management System at a wastewater plant, water treatment plants, and solid waste/recycling facilities. In addition, she managed a landfill bioremediation project to include groundwater and air quality monitoring. Anne has been a project manager and environmental scientist for the Environmental Company, Inc. (TEC). She has her Master of Science degree in Environmental Science and Ecology from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, with a focus on Sustainable Food System Planning.
Minal Mistry
Project Manager, GreenBlue
Minal Mistry is a project manager for the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and heads the COMPASS Package Assessment online software and environmental technical briefs projects for the Coalition. He has management experience in a variety of fields including IT/IS, data infrastructure, Internet, environmental chemistry and technical training. In the past few years, Minal has worked with Environmental Defense on a policy framework for the responsible development of nanotechnology and with Sustainable Silicon Valley to promote carbon dioxide emission reduction via energy efficiency in industrial built environments. Most recently, Minal was a sustainability consultant on a variety of projects in California. Minal holds a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Zoology from San José State University, a Master of Arts in Environmental Policy with a focus on sustainable development and poverty alleviation and an MBA in International Business from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
James D Downham
President & CEO, The Packaging Association
Jim Downham was appointed President & CEO of the Packaging Association of Canada in October 2006. He has been associated with the PAC since the early 70's.
He is an accomplished packaging and graphic arts executive that has worked for Continental Can (International Paper and Crown, Cork & Seal), Nor Baker (Exopac), Lawson Mardon (Alcan Packaging), Mail-Well (Renaissance Mark), and LeaderLinx. Jim has an extensive background in labels, folding cartons, flexible packaging and rigid containers. He is the founder (2000) and Chairman of LeaderLinx, a boutique North American executive recruitment firm with offices in Chicago, Toronto and New York.
Jim followed the sales and marketing career path and progressed through the ranks to the level of divisional President and CEO of a $175 million North American business. He is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program of Harvard Business School and has completed executive programs at the Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and York University. Jim has lived and worked throughout North America. He holds citizenship in Canada and the US.
Dr. Michael Richmond
President & CEO, PTIS/GSSI
Michael Richmond is a strategic business and technical leader with 25 years experience across Packaging and Technology Integrated Solutions (PTIS), Kellogg's, Kraft and Michigan State University.
Prior to building PTIS, Dr. Richmond successfully developed, staffed, and led packaging organizations at Kellogg's and Kraft. At Kellogg's, Dr. Richmond was responsible for developing and implementing start-up departments and organizations in Global Packaging and Research & Technology. Mike was instrumental in developing and implementing strategic plans and programs globally for both Kraft and Kellogg’s. He also led the research and development component of the corporate strategic sourcing resulting in millions of dollars in savings.
In addition to strong vendor knowledge, Mike has brought new consumer and trade focus to the development of superior solutions to packaging problems globally. Mike also has considerable expertise in benchmarking and best practices and has utilized these techniques extensively. Dr Richmond has completed Executive Business programs at both Harvard and Thunderbird and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Alliance Foods.
Over the last 7 years PTIS has helped over 130 Companies achieve better results through strategic organizational work as well as developing new growth, productivity and sustainable packaging initiatives across the value chain.
Phil McKiernan
Vice President and Principal, PTIS/GSSI
Phil McKiernan, is a packaging expert with over 20 years of leading edge packaging experience.
Prior to his role as an Associate with PTIS he was Director of Packaging at Kimberly-Clark Corporation where he successfully managed cross functional teams in the development of complex packaging systems, driving both top and bottom line results. Before working at Kimberly-Clark he led packaging development at Sweetheart Cup Company, a foodservice packaging provider. Phil’s breadth of experience includes packaging material development, quality systems management, supplier identification and qualification, packaging source reduction, and holistic design integrating brand strategy and customer/shopper/user insights to packaging technology.
Todd Bukowski
Associate, PTIS / GSSI
Todd Bukowski is a packaging professional with over thirteen years of packaging experience in food and pharmaceutical packaging, working in both R&D and operations capacities. Todd's past work experience includes packaging development at Kraft Foods, M&M/Mars, and Tap Pharmaceuticals. He has worked on numerous productivity and product launches, including the launch of the Kraft Mayonnaise plastic oval container package and Philadelphia Bagel 'N' Cream Cheese to Go. While at PTIS, Todd has worked on numerous technology search & apply projects, package development process improvement workflows, and has been instrumental in many PTIS sustainability initiatives, including the FPA Sustainability and Wal-Mart Scorecard Workshop, as well as other customized sustainability workshops for clients. He was also a lead presenter at the Future for Sustainable Packaging: 2008-2018 as well as the Future of Packaging Program: 2007 - 2017. Todd holds a degree in Packaging, along with an MBA in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University.
Walt Bond
Director of Corporate Technology, Printpack
Walt Bond is currently Director of Corporate Technology for Printpack, Inc. of Atlanta, GA where he has been for 19 years. He represents Printpack as their member participating in the SPC.
He has 44 years of service in the Packaging Industry: Seventeen years with American Can Company, Greenwich, CT where his last position was Commercialization Manager; Four years with Nabisco Brands, Fairlawn, NJ where his last position was Group Director of Packaging; and Four years with Guardian Packaging Corporation, Newark, CA where his last position was Vice President / General Manager, Western Division.
He has published numerous technical papers and managed technology licensing and IP. He speaks publicly on career opportunities in packaging.
Paul Waller
President, Plastics Touchpoint Group, Inc.
Paul Waller has been involved in the plastics industry for more than 30 years. His clients include raw material suppliers, processors, end users, educational institutions and industry associations on five continents.
Mr. Waller obtained his B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering at McGill University in Montreal and his MBA at the Schulich School of Business, York University, in Toronto. Mr. Waller is an Honored Service member of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Past-President and Councilor of its Board of Directors for the Ontario Section. Mr. Waller is a member of the Canadian Plastics Sector Council and the SPE Flexible Packaging Division Board of Directors and a member of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. He is a licensed Professional Engineer, a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario and the first candidate to receive the Certified Plastics Practitioner Level 3 designation by the Canadian Plastics Sector Council.
Mr. Waller started his career in Dow Chemical Canada’s polyethylene technical service group before moving to Esso Chemical Canada’s Vinyl division. After working at Mobil Chemical Canada, he became Sales Manager at Macro Engineering Co. Ltd. Mr. Waller subsequently joined the Canadian Plastics Institute as Seminar Manager and became Manager of Education Services when it merged with the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. Mr. Waller then joined Haremar Plastic Manufacturing Limited as Director of Technical Operations before founding Plastics Touchpoint Group, Inc. He has published several articles in Plastics Technology Magazine and Plastics in Canada Magazine. Mr. Waller developed and delivered the Basics of Plastics seminar for Plastics in Canada Magazine as well as the Plastics ID kit that is used throughout the industry.