Led by Jon Porter, this course features 9 instructors with unsurpassed industry expertise.
Jon Porter, Course Chair - Has over 30 years of technical training experience designing, building, and delivering technical training in several different media formats for stand-up, group-lock step, and self-paced programs with an emphasis on adult learning. He has served as a senior instructor/process specialist for Fosber America for the last fifteen years. His responsibilities include safety, training for machine installations, documentation and conducting both field and factory schools on corrugator equipment and process. Process examples include corrugator 101, bonding, warp TS, operator quality tests, and process controls. Jon is a TAPPI member, serves on the standards committee, and is one of the lead instructors in TAPPI's Linerboard and Box Manufacture and Advanced Bonding courses.
Dan Dyson - Daniel Dyson is the Vice President of Production for Avista Solutions International, Inc., a software company serving the Corrugated Packaging Industry and is also serving on the Board of Directors for Avista. He has an extensive background in business, business development, and is particularly strong in Production Planning and Management. He has authored white papers on the subject of scheduling, production and planning, and roll stock analysis. He worked for MacMillan Bathhurst in the Guelph, Ontario, Canada facility for 21 years. He has been instrumental in developing the Solutions Trim Scheduling system now used in over 70 facilities in 7 countries over the entire Western Hemisphere. This is in addition to contributing to the design of the Planning Board for production planning in a full box plant or converting operation. Dan brings his 38 years of practical hands-on experience in Production Planning and Management in the Corrugated Packaging Industry to the forefront when he leads in training sessions or delivers technical presentations on the subject.
Robin A. Sommers - Sommers is a senior project and process manager for Kadant Johnson Systems Division focused on process steam systems for the corrugator industry. He joined Kadant Johnson in the summer of 2014 after working at Donahue & Associates, supplier of Donahue Steam Systems, for 15 years. He previously was in R&D and product design engineering. Robin earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.
Tim Church - began his corrugated career in 1980 at an Olinkraft box plant (now Georgia Pacific) in Owosso, Michigan. His work experience in that plant spanned 33 years where he worked on flexos, diecutters, tapers, stitchers, a curtain coater, then worked his way up the corrugator and learned to schedule before becoming a member of the management team. He's held supervisory positions over shipping, converting, and the corrugator as well as being plant scheduler and heading up the Food Safety program. He served as the Corrugator/Cascader Superintendent and championed the Mobile Equipment & Pedestrian Safety Initiatives. Tim joined Harper Love in April of 2014 and is a Service Technician for the North Central Region. He enjoys serving his customer's needs and helping them improve their operations in big and small ways.
Steve Woodard - is the Vice-President of Sales and Corporate Services for ARC International. He is a 34-year veteran of the anilox roller and related industries. A 1976 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.S. degree in Business Administration, he is in his 31st year of service with ARC International and is responsible for the development and management of national account programs with corrugated, wide web, and narrow web corporations. Throughout his career, Woodard has been active with TAPPI and FTA with committee involvement and technical presentations. In 2012 he received his certification as a Six Sigma Green Belt from UNC-Charlotte.
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Joe Siciliano - has focused primarily on the paper side of Albany International during his 29 year career with the company. Most recently he has been involved with their global corrugator business. His background in sales, marketing, and product management has provided a unique perspective into the corrugator marketplace. With deep knowledge of the paper machine business, he has been able to provide new direction and emphasis on bringing value to this industry.
Steve Nerney - is a Mechanical Engineer with a Masters in Business Administration and 33 years of industry experience. He is currently Installation and Training Leader for BWPapersystems. Prior roles include plant engineer, plant superintendent, and production manager for Inland Container and Gaylord Container Plants. Mr. Nerney will be presenting strategies, tips, and tactics for splicing best practices.
Steve Schmidt earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He learned about starch cooking at his first job working at the R&D Division of Kraft Foods. Since then, Steve has worked in Engineering, Sales and Corporate Management at Copar Corporation in Burbank, Illinois. During his TAPPI membership, he has served as Chairman of the Production, Engineering, and Corbotec Committees. He has been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to learn technical details of the corrugated industry from some of the best minds in the business.
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John Sofinowski is Senior Product Manager for BW Paper Systems. He is a Mechanical Engineer with 43 years of experience in the Corrugated Industry. He started as a project engineer with Ward Machinery and later joined United Container Machinery as Vice President of Engineering, and later as Vice President and Product Manager for Corrugated Rolls. He then joined BW Paper Systems in 2002 where he is currently the senior product manager.
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