RPA Announces New Board

Jan. 1, 2009
ARLINGTON, Va.The Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) has elected a new board. The 2009 RPA executive committee will be led by Bob Klimko, director of

ARLINGTON, Va.—The Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) has elected a new board.

The 2009 RPA executive committee will be led by Bob Klimko, director of general industrial marketing for Orbis Corp. Jon Kalin, sales manager, Rehrig Pacific, will become the new vice chairman (chairman-elect for 2010) and David Rieser, vice president and general manager, Georgia-Pacific RPC, will serve as secretary/treasurer.

Fred Heptinstall, outgoing RPA board chairman and president and general manager for IFCO RPC Management Services, will move to immediate past chairman, and Jerry Welcome, the new RPA president and CEO, will also serve as ex-officio member of the executive committee.

The newly elected RPA board directors include: John Frey, president, owner, Tosca Limited; Gary Garkowski, vice president marketing, iGPS; Mike Hachtman, senior vice president of business development and strategic planning, IFCO Systems N.A. Inc.; Craig Kelly, director of sales, Chep U.S; Rob Zachrich, vice president, sales and marketing, the Fabri-Form Co.; Drew Merrill, vice president of business development and strategic planning, Container and Pooling Solutions Inc. (CAPS); Robert Engle, president, North America, Schoeller Arca Systems and Jim Vangelos, CEO and president, Polymer Logistics U.S.

Also joining the board as ex-officio members will be six industry veterans who will lead the RPA working committees:

  • RPA membership committee: Chris MacGrory, marketing manager, Reusable Packaging Containers for IPL Products Ltd; Phil Davis, senior perishable supply manager for the Kroger Co.; and Lyle Schmitt, manager worldwide logistics quality, Worldwide Supply Management for John Deere.
  • RPA communications committee: Pete Budney, vice president marketing, Orbis.
  • RPA education committee: Bill Pregliasco, senior vice president, Americas for Chep.
  • RPA industry relations committee: Tim Debus, director, new business development, IFCO Systems N.A. Inc.