Paul Davis Award of Merit

The prestigious 2022 Paul Davis Award of Merit was presented to Craig Saunders of North American Plastics by 2021 recipient Wayne Gono of Regal Plastic Supply Company, Inc. Saunders served on the IAPD Board of Directors, Executive Committee and two terms as IAPD president from 2019 through 2021. His term as president had just begun a few short months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. With performance plastics’s role in keeping essential businesses open in early 2020, Saunders was interviewed numerous times by various media outlets. His knowledge of manufacturing and distribution, plus his ability to be calm in a crisis, made him the perfect spokesperson for the industry. In addition, Saunders led the Supply Chain Efficiencies Task Force, which not only developed vital resources for IAPD members coping with Proposition 65 labeling requirements and transportation shortages, it paved the path for IAPD member companies to work together to tackle important industry issues.

The Pacesetter Award is presented in recognition of an IAPD volunteer leader who sets the pace for the association. Deena Baker of CartierWilson LLC was presented the award in recognition of her being a pillar of leadership in the association. She is vice chair of the Marketing Committee, vice chair to Women in Plastics and a member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. She exemplifies how great leadership in the association inspires creativity and initiative. Baker is also the liaison between IAPD and the Atlanta Plastics Charity Golf Tournament, responsible for coordinating assistance for those in the industry who need help after natural disasters such as Hurricane Ian. She is an asset to the performance plastics industry for her forward-thinking and dedication.

The President’s Award is bestowed on an IAPD person or persons who has gone above-and-beyond in their service to the association. Jim Richards of PLASKOLITE was honored with this award because of the transformation he has spearheaded with engagement in IAPD. Before Richards was elected to the IAPD Board of Directors, PLASKOLITE employees were not involved in IAPD. Thanks to his dedication to board service, he was voted on to the Executive Committee, where he is playing a vital role in guiding the future of the association and the industry. Richards has turned into an IAPD engagement champion, playing a pivotal role in getting more people from PLASKOLITE to volunteer and provide much-needed functional expertise on IAPD committees and task forces, where they are contributing to IAPD’s initiatives and making the association and industry stronger. He also has helped us reach deeper into the distributor market for leadership talent.

Education Circle of Champions Awards

The 2022 Education Circle of Champions Award recipients are:
Gold Level — CartierWilson LLC, Cope Plastics, Inc., Curbell Plastics, Inc., Piedmont Plastics and Polymershapes
Silver Level — Redwood Plastics and Rubber

These six companies were selected for their commitment to continuing plastics education and sales training through IAPD’s Certificate Programs and education resources. The Education Circle of Champions has three award levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze. The criteria are demanding, so it is significant that so many companies achieved this level of recognition.

Environmental Excellence Awards

The 2022 Environmental Excellence Award recipients are:
Best Overall Distributor  — Curbell Plastics, Inc.
Best Overall Manufacturer — Mitsubishi Chemical Group – Engineered Shapes & Solutions
Impact Award — Curbell Plastics, Inc. – Virginia

These awards celebrate the environmentally responsible practices of IAPD member companies. Applicants indicate their dedication to sustainable business practices via strategies such as recycling, conservation, community outreach, employee engagement and more.

The 2022 Marketing Excellence Award recipients are:
Gold — Vycom
Silver — Curbell Plastics, Inc.
Bronze — AGRU America, Inc.
Bronze — CartierWilson LLC

The IAPD Marketing Excellence Awards celebrate the creative marketing efforts by IAPD member companies. The awards are based on a point system. The point system includes many low-cost or even free options for companies who may not have a marketing budget or even a dedicated marketing department.

The IAPD Outgoing Board Members recognition is given in appreciation to IAPD Board members whose terms have come to an end. These board members have gone above and beyond in their service to the IAPD Board of Directors. We look forward to their continued support in the committees, CIGs and councils they are involved in.

The IAPD Board of Directors approved an honorary membership for George Southard, CPMR. Southard is retiring at the end of 2022. He was given this honor in recognition of his extraordinary volunteer contributions to IAPD as a committee volunteer and chair. He organized the Midwest Memorial Golf Tournament since its inception, served two terms on the IAPD Board of Directors and over 10 years on the Scholarship Committee. He has been awarded all the individual IAPD awards, including the Paul Davis Award of Merit. The success IAPD’s educational programming can be attributed to his mentorship and guidance to staff; he was one of the three manufacturers’ representatives who developed and presented the IAPD Plastics Application Seminar; his knowledge of plastics and the Top 26 Markets has been invaluable to the development of programming such as webinars and articles; and so much more. He helped publication staff find authors, assisted with the editorial calendar and consistently provided suggestions for subject matter experts when content was needed. He has contributed in every way possible to the association. As an honorary member, Southard will be welcome at future conventions and golf tournaments.