SPE Thermoforming Division approves 3 Emeritus Directors.
Press Release Summary:
The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoforming Division named 3 new Emeritus Directors of the Board: Lola Carere, Richard Freeman, and Roger Kipp. In marking their service on SPE Thermoforming Division Board and "significant contributions" to Thermoforming Division's success, Division Chair Bret Joslyn specifically noted Carere's conference leadership roles, Freeman's involvement in developing machinery grant program, and Kipp's service as Councilor.
Original Press Release:
SPE Thermoforming Division Approves Three Emeritus Directors
BETHEL, CT., U.S.A.: The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoforming Division has named three new Emeritus Directors of the Board.
Emeritus membership of the Thermoforming Division Board of Directors is a lifetime appointment conferred on individuals who have actively served on the Board in the past and supported the thermoforming industry. The new honorees, who bring the total number of Emeritus Directors to eight, are:
• Lola Carere. A member of SPE since 1987, Ms. Carere has served on the Thermoforming Division Board of Directors since 1994 and had over twenty-five years of experience in the cut sheet custom thermoforming industry before retiring in 2013. She has served SPE as Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chair, President-Elect and President of the Southern Section. In 1988, she was assistant to the ANTEC General Chair. On the Thermoforming Division Board of Directors Ms. Carere has served as Membership Chair, Sponsor Chair for the 1994 and 1995 SPE Thermoforming Conferences, Chair of the 1997 Conference, Chair-elect, Chair, and Prior Chair of the Board of Directors. She also served as Co-Chair of the 2012 SPE Thermoforming Conference held in Grand Rapids, MI. In 2005, she was awarded SPE's Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Richard (Rich) Freeman. A member of the SPE Thermoforming Division Board of Directors since 1991, Mr. Freeman has worked in the thermoforming industry for over 40 years, the last 36 at Freetech Plastics (Fremont, CA), where he is CEO. In 2013 SPE named him Thermoformer of the Year. He contributed to the development of the SPE Thermoforming Conference as a technical program organizer and presenter in the U.S. and Europe, originated the Division website, and created the Division's Machinery Grant program, which has placed equipment in over 25 schools. The machines have been used to produce thousands of student designed parts, many of which have gone on to win national awards. Mr. Freeman started and continues to sponsor the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) Student Thermoformed Parts Competition. An IDSA member since 1999, he organized three SPE Thermoforming Division exhibits at IDSA conferences.
• Roger Kipp. A member of the Board of Directors of the SPE Thermoforming Division since 1992, Mr. Kipp was vice president of McClarin Plastics for 18 years prior to his retirement in 2013, and he is now an industry consultant. He has served the Division as conference chairman, conference treasurer, division treasurer and division chairman. He has also been a member of the SPE Finance Committee and Foundation Board. SPE honored Mr. Kipp with the 2002 Outstanding Achievement Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, the Honored Service Member Award in 2008, and the Thermoformer of the Year Award in 2010.
"These new Emeritus Directors have long served on the SPE Thermoforming Division Board and made significant contributions to the Division's success," said Bret Joslyn, Division Chair. "Ms. Carere was one of the Division's first female Board members and played leadership roles in our conferences. Mr. Freeman had extensive involvement in the development of the Division's machinery grant program and continues to work closely with many student organizations. Mr. Kipp served as the Division's Councilor for many years and remains active in SPE as the Chair of the SPE Foundation."
A list of Emeritus Directors may be found on the SPE Thermoforming Division website at http://thermoformingdivision.com/awards-recognitions/emeritus-director/.
More information is available at http://thermoformingdivision.com or by contacting Lesley Kyle at 1-914-671-9524 or lesley@openmindworks.com.
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