Industry Speakers

Sponsors

Jack O'Connor, Trainer and Consultant, O'Connor & Associates (Sales Leaders' Forum, Advanced Level Sales Training, and Customer Service) Jack is the founder of O'Connor & Associates, a firm that provides consulting and training to the corrugated packaging industry. Jack has over thirty-two years of experience in the industry including Sales, Sales Management, and Marketing, General Management, and Senior Management responsibilities. In addition to his consulting and training business, Jack is a certified Huthwaite Sales Instructor and serves on the Board of Directors of a corrugated and distribution company. His articles have appeared in CORRUGATED Today.

Ralph Young, Technical Consultant, Principal, Alternative Paper Solutions, Ralph Young spent his entire corporate career in the forest products industry investing the last 23 year in the paper and corrugated packaging segment. He has worked in the woodlands, primary manufacturing, sales and sales management, marketing, business planning and communications, and three different assignments in product development. He was there when the industry moved to ECT from mullen. His companies have included Champion International, Georgia-Pacific, International Paper and Mead Containerboard.

He is a well known speaker and expert on the technical aspects of corrugated packaging and box engineering. He is also an often requested writer for trade publications. His current consulting company has taken him into the areas of technical expertise in legal cases, economic research, product placements for foreign manufactures, mergers and acquisitions, developing process improvement programs, and connecting with non-profit organizations.

Will Mies, editorial director of Pulp & Paper Week. This publication is the most influential price guide for containerboard and all paper grades in North America. a RISI company publication. Mies gave an overview of the containerboard sector, reporting on capacity closures, natural disasters and other factors affecting the supply of containerboard.

Dean Mitchell, Consultant, The Mitchell Group (Comprehensive Production Supervisors Training (English & Spanish), The Mitchell Group has provided consulting services for the corrugated industry in the USA and Mexico, and developed training courses for the AICC since 1993. These services include strategic planning, plant systems auditing, productivity improvement, quality processes, waste management, and new plant start up training and existing plant turnarounds. Dean is a graduate of North Park College with a degree in Business and Economics and has over 35 years of experience in the corrugated industry including Production, Sales and General Management.

John Bacot, Regional Sales Manager, Hycorr Machine Corporation (Renewing Your Sales Force). John has over 20 years experience in sales and marketing for information technology and converting machinery industries. Since 2001 he has been regional sales director for two well-known machinery suppliers. John is also an Adjunct Professor of Marketing in the MBA Degree Program with the Carey Business School of the Johns Hopkins University and is a certified Huthwaite SPIN ® instructor.

Mark Neely, Mark Neely Seminars (Negotiating from Strength in-house program). Mark is a trainer in sales, customer service, leadership and negotiation strategies. For nine years until December 1998, he was a seminar leader with world renowned organization training business leaders in the art of negotiation. Before that, Mark worked in television production and writing, cofounded a clothing supply company, and worked in sales and customer service.