At its
recent annual meeting the Canadian Wood Pallet and Container Association
(CWPCA) selected a new interim general manager, a new slate of officers, and
four new directors.
The new
officers of the association are Herman Long, president, Ryan Scobie, vice
president, Blair McEwen, past president, and Scott Geffros, treasurer. Four new
directors were elected to the board. They include Jason Wheeler, Tom Duguay,
Ken Barrell and Steve McConkey. A complete list of the board of directors for
the 2013-2015 term will be posted on the CWPCA website.
Brian
Isard is replacing Bill Eggertson on a part-time basis as the general manager
until a new executive is hired. Isard started attending CWPCA meetings back in
1980 when he was a lumber broker and has enjoyed working with association
members ever since. Isard has enjoyed a career working with the wooden pallet industry
in Canada.
He
said, “I learned everything I known about the wood packaging industry (how to
source lumber and to build pallets) from CWPCA members like Bill Tomlinson at
Thomco Pallets, Jean-Claude Savoie and Roland Dufour at Groupe Savoie, Rajinder
Bar at Advance Pallet and Crate, and Steve Harms and Doug Hunter at Pacific
Pallet. He learned about fasteners from Luc Nadeau.
As
general manager, Isard has a three-fold purpose: 1.) To strengthen the CWPCA’s
member services effort; 2.) To further develop the association’s sustainability
initiative, and 3.) To ensure a high standard of service as the lead service
provider for the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program.
Isard
commented that the association had a strong turnout for its Annual General
Meeting with 60 or more attendees. He singled out two people who spoke on
topics that are vital to our industry’s well-being.
Marc
Michielsen and Rob van Hoesel of FEFPEB addressed “Insights on the European
wooden packaging and pallet industry: The Challenges – Threats and
Opportunities.” This was an overview of FEFPEB’s organization and structure,
some volumetrics and the challenges which our wooden packaging materials
industry faces today.
Brent
McClendon, the new president of NWPCA, discussed the association’s priorities,
the ISPM-15 U.S./Canada exemption, cross-border impact of the U.S. Food Safety
Modernization regulation for wooden crates and pallets, and updated changes
coming for the Pallet Design System.
The
CWPCA is looking forward to the future of its organization and the direction of the pallet industry in Canada.
