October 24-26, 2023
Milwaukee, WI
The future is here! In 2023 industry experts are Shaping The Industry Through Innovations Across the Supply Chain.
The 2023 agenda has been announced!
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Specialty Papers US is the premier event in North America dedicated to showcasing innovation in the specialty papers industry. This event provides a unique opportunity for experts to come together and drive conversation around market influencers, hear ideas and insights from different parts of the supply chain, and become knowledgeable about innovations and market insights that will improve their business.
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As the largest and fastest-growing manufacturer of specialty papers in North America, Pixelle Specialty Solutions® offers a comprehensive portfolio of products that make life look better every day. From the first cup of to-go coffee in the morning to the bestsellers we read at night, we improve life through innovation, quality and expertise. Our high-performance solutions help customers achieve superior converting results for products that boost brand appeal, improve user experience and support sustainability goals. Let’s work together to make life a little better.
Steve Ottone is the holder of a BS and MS in Wood Science from the Pennsylvania State University. His career started in the paper industry with work for Container Corporation of America, St. Regis Paper, and Champion International. He then moved to the supplier side, working in latex supply to the paper industry for Reichhold, Inc., Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex, and Mallard Creek Polymers. Latest, he worked with Omya, Inc., a supplier of specialty coatings and rheology modifiers for a broad range of applications. His area of emphasis is polymer and rheology modifier solutions to barrier coatings needs.
Gary is a mission-driven professional focused on advancing Sustainability for high-volume consumer goods. Sustainability challenges us to think differently. It challenges us to innovate and build systems solutions. Gary’s 30-years of diverse professional experience with global brands has prepared him well for this mission.
Gary started as a research scientist for Kraft Foods. This cultivated curiosity as a challenger, and analysis skills for building disruptive innovations. This is also when Gary became committed to Sustainability after the launch of his first consumer package into retail.
Gary has served in a multitude of leadership assignments. Each uniquely demonstrating his strength and diversity. Gary’s experience includes Global Manufacturing Engineer in India with the Amway Corporation, Sr. Manager New Product Development with Newell Rubbermaid, Director of Purchasing and Packaging for a global chemical company, and he was the first to build the packaging department for The Home Depot. As an innovator, Gary led development of a disruptive fiber technology for BillerudKorsnäs called Fibreform, a 3D cold formable paper to displace plastics.
Gary served a rotation in public policy, strategy, and government affairs for an Israeli based certified compostable biopolymer company called Tipa.
Gary currently operates as a fractional professional helping a portfolio of clients advance their Sustainability and innovation strategies. Gary is actively accepting new clients.
Scott McNutt has over 40 years of experience in the paper industry, with a focus on process and product knowledge in the disciplines of papermaking, quality, engineering, operations management, Lean/Six Sigma, product development and innovation. He is well-versed in the downstream converting processes and end use requirements for cut sheet, QSR, flexible packaging, and technical specialty grades.
He started his career in specialty paper at Dunn Paper, serving in roles process engineering, quality management, and product dev. He transitioned to Fine Paper with Willamette and was part of the effort to infuse state-of-the-art papermaking technology into the fine paper industry in the US. He then managed the production operations for Wausau Papers, returning to his specialty paper roots. To bring his career full circle, he returned to Dunn Paper in Port Huron to drive operations success and innovation.
He has toured a vast number of pulp and paper mills in the US and abroad, exploring new technology. Scott has been a member of TAPPI since 1985, attending numerous events at the local Chapters as well as annual Conferences. In addition, he has been active in the Smithers Specialty Papers Conferences in Europe and North America. He is currently active in the TAPPI Mentor program and recently joined the Tappi Nanotechnology subcommittee.
His primary focus now with Nextep Partners LLC Consulting is on paper innovations for sustainable packaging applications.
Having grown up in the heart of the Paper Valley (Menasha, WI), paper making is a passion for Michelle. She is 3rd generation in the industry and strives to keep the industry strong by focusing on next generation specialty products and the “what’s next” for the specialty paper industry.
Michelle brings a unique perspective to the advisory board having held commercial roles on both the film and fiber side of packaging and both the specialty and commodity sides of paper. Early in her career she started with Boise Cascade. She has since held roles in sales and marketing with Thilmany (Ahlstrom),Boise Paper, Novolex and now serves as Vice President Engineered Specialties for Pixelle Specialty Solutions overseeing sales, product management and innovation.
Brad Hartong supports Application Development at Primient.
Brad’s career spans 19 years across both the chemical and paper industries. Much of his work has been focused on barrier chemistries development as well as paper coatings.
Brad eared a Paper Science and Engineering, BS degree from Miami University in Ohio as well as completed advanced degrees (Masters and PhD) in the same field from the Institute of Paper Science and Technology.
Dr. Sandeep Kulkarni is the founder and President of KoolEarth Solutions Inc., a technical consulting and business development company focused on helping companies develop and commercialize new sustainable packaging solutions as well as to improve the sustainability footprint of existing packaging and to reduce/eliminate packaging waste. He is also VP, Plastics and Packaging at Ubuntoo (www.ubuntoo.com), a unique environmental solutions platform to address plastic waste, plastic litter, food waste, sustainable fashion and so on.
Sandeep has over 20 years of industry experience working for several large packaging companies, such as International Paper, Neenah Paper and Georgia Pacific. Most recently he worked for PepsiCo, in the area of sustainable beverage packaging. His diverse expertise includes recycling, bioplastics, paper based as well as molded fiber packaging. Sandeep has 7 granted patents as well as several publications in industry journals. He has also served on conference advisory boards and has delivered several invited presentations, at international conferences, on the topics of sustainability and sustainable packaging. Sandeep serves as an Adjunct Professor at The Packaging School (a spinoff from Clemson University) as well as the North Carolina State University. Recently he was elected to serve as member of the Executive Committee of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) for 3 year term (2021-2024)
My name is Dustin Burton, and I am a Technical Specialist for Trinseo LLC. I focus on synthetic binders in paper coatings, specifically their performance in rheological properties, printing, wet and dry strength, adhesion and gluability, and barrier performance. My day-to-day consists of designing quality and research programs, coating substrates, testing coated substrates, testing formulas and raw materials, data gathering and analysis, and data reporting. I have been in this industry for 17 years, starting as a college co-op in 2006. I have also spent a number of those years at Trinseo’s Pilot Coating facility focusing on formulation expertise, scale-up of both equipment and research formulations, and dry-end applications.
Steve Ottone is the holder of a BS and MS in Wood Science from the Pennsylvania State University. His career started in the paper industry with work for Container Corporation of America, St. Regis Paper, and Champion International. He then moved to the supplier side, working in latex supply to the paper industry for Reichhold, Inc., Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex, and Mallard Creek Polymers. Latest, he worked with Omya, Inc., a supplier of specialty coatings and rheology modifiers for a broad range of applications. His area of emphasis is polymer and rheology modifier solutions to barrier coatings needs.
Don Ventresca is a Senior Application Development Specialist for Trinseo LLC, specializing in synthetic binders for paperboard coatings. In this role, Don has led or assisted in the development of new binders and works with paper and paperboard producers to optimize or improve their coating formulations. He has worked for the past 23 years in the Binders Technical Service and Development group and is currently part of the Binder Technical Sales organization. Previous to this current role, he worked in research and manufacturing roles in various plastics and elastomers businesses, for a total of 39 years of experience. He is a certified 6Sigma Black Belt and a graduate of the University of Waterloo (Canada). In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking, hiking and camping.
Graduate of Syracuse-ESF Paper Science, 39+ years in the paper industry. Experience includes Paper Manufacturing, Coating R&D, Coater Startup Consulting, Product Launch and Management, Business Development for both Paper Manufacturers and Suppliers to the Industry. The last 20 years have been focused on Packaging with a focus on sustainability.
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware, 1987
M.S. Pulp and Paper Science, Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1989
Ph.D. Pulp and Paper Science, Institute of Paper Science and Technology, 1994
Scott J. Hyland – Customer Solutions and Product Innovation - Project Leader Coating Applications
Scott Hyland holds a BS degree in Business Administration from the State College of Vermont at Castleton. His career started in the paper industry with work for Omya, Penford Products, and Ingredion Incorporated where his focus has been related to coatings and surface treatments. Managing demands from various positions as a supplier to the industry, he has worked extensively to expand the use of starch-based polymers designed for higher performance coating applications for specialty paper/ packaging arenas. His current position with Ingredion is in product innovation/ application of specialty coatings and surface treatments; his emphasis is related to barrier coatings in packaging applications.
With its finger on the pulse of the sector, Paperadvance.com offers daily news coverage from a wide-ranging variety and scope of sources dedicated to the Pulp and Paper industry. From process optimization to best practices, Paperadvance.com reports on all of the topical and critical news that matters to you, and your business. Paperadvance.com also offers a number of feature articles on an entire host of topics such as pulp, paper and tissue manufacturing, paper and tissue converting operations and technology reports.
