New President to Lead RPA

WASHINGTON—Jerry Welcome is the new president of the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA).

Formed in 1999, the RPA (formerly the Reusable Pallet and Container Coalition) is a trade association dedicated to advancing the adoption of reusable packaging systems.

“This has been a great year for the RPA,” says Fred Heptinstall, the RPA’s chairman of the board. “We adopted a new strategic direction for the association focused on increasing the growth of reusable packaging systems, and we are pleased to report an accelerated adoption of reusable systems in the marketplace. Additionally, we have seen continued interest and steady growth in our membership. With a solid group of industry volunteer leaders and a president with proven association management experience, knowledge of the packaging industry, legislative and regulatory advocacy experience, I am confident that we will see a stronger, more focused and successful RPA.”

RPA’s new president has more than 16 years of senior-level association management experience, including president and COO of the International Fresh-Cut Produce Industry (IFPA); executive vice president for the United Fresh Produce Association and vice president of the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI).

“I am very excited to be back working for a packaging-related association, especially one that is on the cutting edge of supply chain issues and leading a revolution in packaging that is focused on bringing innovation to the marketplace that are reusable, sustainable, good for the environment, and helping to reduce greenhouse emissions,” Welcome says.

Welcome served as a senior lobbyist for the American Meat Institute and a senior legislative assistant to the House Committee on Agriculture.