Reusable Packaging Association announces 2012 Board of Directors

The membership of the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) has approved its Board of Directors for 2012. The eight Board members will contribute their expertise and experience to help the RPA further its mission of promoting the value and expansion of reusable packaging systems. The candidates will serve two-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2012 and ending Dec. 31, 2014.

Members of the board are:
• Hillary Femal, Director of Strategic Market Development, IFCO
• Al Farrell, Vice President of Asset Management, iGPS
• Dan Lafond, Sales Manager, Rehrig Pacific
• Phil Davis, Senior Perishable Supply Chain Manager, The Kroger Company
• Carl Glick, Senior Vice President of Operations, Polymer Logistics
• Dave Harvey, Director Business Development, IPL
• Norm Kukuk, Vice President, Product Management, ORBIS Corporation
• Lane Pence, Director Growth Strategy, CHEP

Hillary Femal also will serve as the Chairperson of the RPA Marketing and Communications Committee. Lane Pence will continue in his role as Chairman of the RPA Industry Relations Committee.

About the Board Members
Phil Davis, Senior Perishables Supply Chain Manager, The Kroger Company
Davis’ career with The Kroger Company has spanned more than 37 years. He began as a stock clerk and advanced through various positions in Produce Procurement and Merchandising, Floral Distribution, Perishable Freight Management and Perishable Supply Chain Management. Davis spearheaded the internal project conversion by Kroger to adapt a reusable packaging system for many of their commodities. He has been a key advisor to the RPA’s RPC Label Standardization: Guidelines & Best Practices Task Force, and also served as an advisor to the RPA Asset Recovery Committee.

Carl Glick, Vice President of Operations, Polymer Logistics
Carl Glick is currently VP of Sales with Polymer Logistics. Carl has had multiple positions in the returnable packaging industry over the last 13 years. Previous experience includes VP of Operations, asset management director, to current position of VP of Sales with Polymer Logistics. Prior to working in the RPC industry Glick has several years of experience in the poultry processing industry. Glick has worked with both startup companies and established larger companies. He holds a BS in Business Management from California State University, Chico.

Al Farrell, Vice President of Asset Management, iGPS
Farrell has had a successful career as an investment banker, finance and treasury executive and entrepreneur. At JP Morgan Securities and Bank of America Securities, he advised on M&A transactions, invested private equity and has raised over $6 billion of debt and equity capital working with companies in diverse industries including consumer packaged goods, retail, manufacturing, telecommunications and technology. Farrell also has a broad range of management and entrepreneurial experience and has served as the chief financial officer of several high growth companies. He holds an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Hillary Femal, Director of Strategic Market Development, IFCOSYSTEMS N.A.
Femal has been with IFCO for more than seven years. She has held various marketing positions with the company, most recently as Marketing Director responsible for both the Pallet Management and RPC Management Services divisions. In her current position, Femal is the Director of Strategic Market Development for IFCO’s North American RPC business, encompassing marketing, business development and industry relations. Prior to IFCO, she worked for Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Tampa, Florida. Femal is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Business and holds an MBA from the University of Florida.

Norm Kukuk, Vice President Product Management, ORBIS Corporation
With more than a decade of experience in the reusable packaging industry, Kukuk has developed and shared reusable packaging expertise with leading industrial, consumer goods, food and beverage companies. He currently provides leadership for ORBIS’ marketing and product development efforts, including the planning, development and implementation of strategic marketing plans and goals. He drives initiatives and pricing strategies that result in improved market share, increased revenue and enhanced profit margins. During his time with ORBIS, he has led efforts to develop innovative new packaging products, expand into international markets and drive operational efficiency. Kukuk works closely with the sales organization to develop account management strategies and identify new opportunities. As a veteran of the reusable packaging industry, he has strong relationships with trade associations, industry leaders and key customers. His undergraduate degree is from Indiana University and he holds an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Dan Lafond, Sales Manager, Supply Chain Solutions Group, Rehrig Pacific Company
Dan Lafond has been with the Rehrig Pacific Company for over seven years. During his tenure at Rehrig, Lafond has held a variety of sales positions within the Food & Beverage, Material Handling and, most recently, Supply Chain Solutions group. He started at Rehrig Pacific as a Sales Representative and has developed national account management experience in the beverage industry and at large retail accounts. Within the Supply Chain Solutions Group, he currently manages the South Region of the United States. This region consists of a team that manages regional and national accounts, develops new products, and implements supply chain service and asset management programs among retailers and manufacturers. Lafond resides in Dallas, TX. He is a graduate of Stonehill College in Massachusetts.

Lane Pence, Director Growth Strategy, CHEP Americas
CHEP is a leading pallet and container pooling service, serving many of the world’s largest companies. Pence joined CHEP in 1998 and has held roles in operations, global sourcing, sales, consulting and strategy. He leads a team that has executed platform-based supply chain consulting engagements around the world, with experience in new country entry, new product applications, new customer development and new channel entry. Pence was involved in pioneering RFID development, including the first successful test of RFID tags in pallets in 2002. He has worked with many reusable assets including pallets, containers, reusable plastic containers, intermediate bulk containers and display-ready platforms. He has worked with small grocery manufacturers to some of the world’s largest manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Pence has held previous roles in marketing, business development and asset disposition with Enterprise Leasing. He is a Six Sigma green-belt and holds a B.S. in Business from Miami University.

Dave Harvey, Director Business Development, IPL
(Biography not available)

The RPA is a collaborative effort between manufacturers, poolers, distributors, retailers and educators to promote the environmental, safety and economic benefits of reusable packaging. The RPA serves as the collective voice of the industry and uses its knowledge of the members’ products and services to advance the adoption of reusable packaging and systems throughout the supply chain. 

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