Speakers

Asset protection specialist Angela Adams is the director of legal services for American Society for Asset Protection (ASAP). She serves as the liaison between ASAP clients and their asset protection attorneys. Adams has extensive knowledge and experience helping clients implement the protection and planning strategies recommended by attorneys and has saved clients millions of dollars. She not only helps customers get protected, but she helps them stay protected by assisting them with updating and maintaining total asset protection.

Timothy Akes is the owner of CAD Effects, LLC and the representative in the Americas for MPanel Software Solutions, LLC which specializes in fabric design & engineering software and services for industrial fabrics industry clients.

More than 25 years of experience with Computer Aided Design software and hardware has gained him a vast amount of knowledge on the subject. He currently provides sales, technical support and training services to more than 180 fabric-related companies in various market segments such as tensile structures, tent & awning, marine and textile exhibits. As a certified trainer he has taught more than 500 students during instructor led training events on the correct use of CAD software systems and production techniques.

Concept 2 Consumption (C2C) Fashion and Technology is an Austin, TX-based business providing its clients with access to a revolutionary fashion ecosystem. C2C is the vision of industry veteran, Samuel Alexander. By coupling more than three decades in fashion—with his experience leveraging technology— Alexander positions his clients to take advantage of the ever-evolving fashion industry. His latest creation, C2C, is a Global Fashion and Technology Ecosystem. C2C Fashion and Technology enterprise is focused on reinventing the fashion industry through a unique integration of fashion, technology, medical and the arts. Our company endeavors not only to develop domestic production, but also to do so in an ecologically-sound and technologically-progressive way. Simply stated: Our goal is to be the leader in fashion technology focusing on nano and bio-technology smart fashion.

Brent Anderson is a Founder and Managing Partner at Aerospace Fabrication & Materials, LLC (AFM). With over 25 years of experience in the manufacture of metalized thin films and passive thermal control soft goods, Brent continues to develop new products for a growing and evolving aerospace market. Prior to starting AFM in 1999, Brent held numerous positions at Sheldahl, Inc., culminating in Manager of the Thin Films and Special Fabrications Groups. There he was responsible for the manufacture of a variety of materials and soft good products most notably for the Iridium Satellite System, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and International Space Station. Brent holds degrees in Aerospace Engineering & Mechanics and History of Science & Technology from the University of Minnesota.

Studied chemistry at Keio University Graduate School and began working at Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. in 1985. Hirosi has been engaged in product development using ETFE film for over 25 years.

In 2015 he received a doctorate in agriculture at Ehime University in the development of ETFE film for Green House. Over the past few years he has focused on the development of ETFE film for membrane structures.

Bill possesses over 7 years of successful technical sales and marketing experience. In his current role at Liquid X, Bill is responsible for product development oversight, strategic partnerships and market analysis. Prior to joining Liquid X, Bill ran the day to day operations for a regional distributor of water treatment products for the municipal water and wastewater industry. Bill has also acted as Marketing Manager/Technical Recruiter for a national engineering services firm with over 350 employees. In this role, Bill managed a multi-faceted marketing program to develop and refresh the marketing strategy; business intelligence tools; promotional materials; and public website. Bill received a B.A. in Psychology from Allegheny College. He completed a one year, full time program at Duquesne University and received an MBA with a focus on Sustainability.

Sable Badaki is the Global Strategic Advisor at SheWorks. Her corporate and entrepreneurial experience spans across the USA and several countries in Africa. She worked in corporate America for almost 20 years, before resigning and relocating and with her family to Nigeria.

She brings to her audiences global business experience with in-depth understanding of business start-up, building teams, and leadership. She incorporates her corporate HR, experience, entrepreneurial training and business building experience into her presentations.

She holds a M.sc in Human Resource, recipient of the 10,000 women Goldman Sachs award for women entrepreneurs, IFC certified SME Trainer and nominee for the Yale Visiting Women Executive Exchange Program. Her client portfolio includes aviation, manufacturing, financial institutions, and telecommunications.

Jan Pegram Ballard is an Extension Specialist and manager of the Physical Testing Laboratory in the Zeis Textiles Extension Department of the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. She is also a Teaching Associate Professor in the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry, and Science. She received the B.S. degree in Textile Chemistry and the Ph.D. degree in Fiber and Polymer Science from North Carolina State University. After receiving her degrees, she worked at the Research Triangle Institute as a postdoctoral chemist and research associate in the areas of controlled release of pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals from polymeric matrices and environmental degradation of polymeric materials. She has been employed by College of Textiles since 1993. Current research and professional education interests include materials testing, quality control, fiber science, color science, and dyeing. She is a member of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, serving on Research Committee RA56. She has also served on the Technical Advisory Committee of Industrial Fabrics Association International.

Apurba Banerjee is the Chief Scientist at brrr° Inc, an Atlanta based smart textiles company , where she researches and helps develop permanently cooling technology for woven, non woven and knitted fabrics. Utilizing the proprietary brrr° Triple Chill Effect, she helps develop new cooling product categories and indulges in testing the new products for performance and efficiency of cooling. She has a passion for smart technology for fabrics and believes that passive cooling technology is the future of day-to-day apparel and other materials that influence human performance.

She is a 2017 graduate of the PhD program of Polymer , Fiber and Textile Science in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors at the University of Georgia. While at Georgia, she spent years researching biodegradable plastics that are derived from marine algae and their application in the biomedical field.

Dr. Roger Barker is the Burlington Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Research on Textile Protection and Comfort (T-PACC) at North Carolina State University. He is internationally recognized for his work in the field of protective heat resistant materials and clothing and test systems for evaluating the performance of firefighter PPE. Dr. Barker is an active member of NFPA Committees that are developing test methods and consensus performance standards for protective gear used by the Nation's firefighting community. He is a member of the NFPA Technical Correlating Committee, a body which has oversight for PPE standards relied upon by emergency responders ranging from firefighters to HAZMAT and EMT personnel.

Gary C. Barnes, MFC is a retire Naval Intelligence Officer with numerous assignments around the globe including a stint as an Assistant Naval Attache to the then Soviet Union. His wife Jeri started the company making handheld umbrellas while Gary was still in the Navy. Gary took an early retirement from the Navy to assist with Jeri’s fledgling handheld umbrella business. The company quickly went from handheld umbrellas to outdoor wood-framed market umbrella, awnings, tents for the eco-tourism and small tensile structures.

Today they are the largest outdoor shade company in the State of Hawaii with over 25 employees.

Jordan Barnes is both manager of design and sales with Tropical J’s, Inc. Raised in the industry under Gary’s tutelage, his passion for creative designs and custom manufacturing challenges has helped guide the second generation of business towards exciting and ever-evolving shading solutions.

Sara provides government consulting services and trade analysis to U.S. manufacturers and associations and works in government relations advocating on behalf of the domestic textile industry. Her work focuses on tracking pending trade initiatives and pressing for strong textile rules in U.S. free trade and preference agreements. Sara represents the United States Industrial Fabrics Institute (USIFI) and Narrow Fabrics Institute (NFI), two divisions of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), and the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) as well as serving on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Textiles and Clothing (ITAC 13).

Ronnie is Coated Fabrics Technical Manager for OMNOVA Solutions in Columbus, Mississippi. With more than 40 years of experience in the coated fabrics and wallcovering industry, he has held positions in manufacturing, quality assurance and product engineering. Ronnie has been awarded nine OMNOVA Technology Awards in the past twelve years for his expertise in product innovation, new product commercialization and marketing technology Innovation. Most notably, he developed the technology for ReCore Recycled Wall Technology. Ronnie continues to play a major role in new product development and innovation. His commitment to this role has helped OMNOVA improve new product commercialization, technical service and ultimately customer satisfaction.

After studying chemistry with a special focus on textile and fiber chemistry at the University of Stuttgart, Dr. Beringer started his career as Head of the Competence Center Innovative Textiles at Hohenstein Institute. From 2009 to 2015 he was the Head of Research and Development of the Department of Function and Care. Since of Function and Care, mainly specializing in research and testing in the fields 2016, Jan has led the Development of clothing physiology, fit and workmanship of garments, functionalization of fabrics, textile UV protection, textile reprocessing. Dr. Beringer has extensive knowledge in textile and fiber chemistry, functionalization, nanotechnology, coating and finishing and clothing physiology.

Katie started Custom Marine Canvas in 1985 in an unheated shed in Connecticut where seagulls dropping clams on the roof would shake foundry soot down on her work, because she always sailed, and always sewed. Now in 3000 square feet of heated (and cooled!) space, she and her six staff members produce award winning work for boats and homes around the world. She joined the MFA board in 1993, eventually serving as chairman. Certified MFC in 1996, and IFM in 2006, she tirelessly promotes association activities. She united the MFA Upper Atlantic regional workshop with the Northeast Canvas Products Association’s annual expo in the 1990’s, and it stands out at one of the largest regional workshops. She has served four terms on the IFAI board and is currently immediate past chairman.

Fitzroy Brown has over twenty-five years of experience in the medical device industry. Brown is responsible for understanding OEMs’ needs and solving their technical and non-technical textile challenges, as well as providing guidance in the operation and production of textile products for vascular applications.

Brown holds a patent for self-sealing ePTFE grafts. In 2006 he won the International Society of Endovascular Specialists’(ISES) Excellence in Research, Development and Technology Award.

Chandry Buck is the Chief Operating Officer for Victory Awning, a Dallas-Ft. Worth based manufacturer specializing in custom fabric and metal shade solutions. In the 5 years she has served in this capacity, Chandry’s focus has been on facilitating strategic growth by concentrating on people and processes. She believes an emphasis on these two elements is the key to building, growing and maintaining a successful business.

Chandry is a graduate of Harding University, where she earned a BBA in Management. She serves on the board of Ends of the Earth Ministries, a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of children in different parts of the world.

As Project Coordinator for the Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC), Ms. Burns works with program partners to develop technical standards, certification procedures, and educational materials for a new energy efficiency certification program for window attachments. She also managed the Low-E Storm Window Market Expansion Pilot for Focus on Energy Wisconsin, which incentivized retail sales of low-E storm windows, exceeded the stated pilot goals, and is under consideration for expansion to a full-scale program. Ms. Burns has experience with data analysis and reporting for certification and efficiency incentive programs and has engaged with window attachment industry stakeholders in addition to leaders and stakeholders of the lighting, builders hardware, and HVAC industries.

With over 12 years of Sales experience, Kalen oversees the entire east coast and Texas cutting and sharpening needs. He is also currently leading the development of Wolff I.C.S. (Inventory Control System) for Wolff Industries. Kalen focuses on ergonomics, scissors selection, proper sharpening and maintaining of industrial scissors and sharpening equipment.

Carole Carey, founded C3-Carey Consultants, LLC. She has over 23 years of experience at U.S. FDA CDRH as Expert Regulatory Review Scientist, Standards Liaison in medical devices consensus standards, Director of International Staff and Mansfield Fellow in Japan. Currently, she is a regulatory consultant providing advice and strategic approaches in premarket submissions and postmarket issues. Cadre trainer supporting ASEAN medical devices global harmonization programs. Chair, IEEE EMB Standards Committee; Chair, CRFID Standards Committee; Member, Translational Engineering and Healthcare Innovation and the Brain Initiative Steering Committees; Co-chair, Digital Reality Initiative, IEEE Future Directions. IEEE Senior Member, IEEE Eta Kappa Nu and IEEE-SA Standards Medallion Award. Engineering degrees from Johns Hopkins University (BS Electrical Engineering) and Loyola University (MEng Sc, Computer Engineering).

Sebastian Collet is the Vice President and Senior Design Principal at GuildWorks. He studied Architecture and sustainable design at the University of Oregon. Sebastian is one of the primary designers at GuildWorks as well as Installation lead and the primary photographer and drone operator.

Darrel Collier, B.Sc.Chem. Eng. - Mr. Collier is currently a Business Manager and editor of Tecnon Orbichem’s Synthetic Fibers and PET Resin Chemical Business Focus Newsletters after working for the company for fifteen years. Prior to working for Tecnon, Mr. Collier worked 25 years for E.I. DuPont de Nemours leading several major fiber businesses and sales organizations in both the domestic and international arenas. He has more than 30 years of international marketing, management, and consulting experience, including more than seven years developing and leading large businesses and joint ventures in foreign countries as an expatriate. Other international experiences included global fiber sales and procurement, government trade negotiations, developing and refining global fiber supply chains, and international merger and acquisition projects.

Elsie Collins serves as the Deputy District Director for the U. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Dallas/Fort Worth District Office. She has 28 years of government service with the majority of those years as the Processing Director for the SBA Office of Disaster Assistance in Fort Worth, TX. She currently assists the District Director in the management of the Dallas/Fort Worth District Office and oversees operations in the delivery of SBA’s Programs and Services to business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs for 72 counties in the North, Central and East Texas. The SBA DFW District experienced its 3rd year of $1 billion dollars in SBA loans to small business owners. Elsie enjoys helping small business owners connect to resources to start and grow their business. Elsie is a former lender & financial planner and holds a BBA in Finance.

The Small Business Administration provides counseling, capital and contracting expertise so businesses can confidently start, grow expand or recover even in the aftermath of a disaster. SBA utilizes an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations to deliver its services to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. SBA empowers small businesses to succeed.

Elissa Decker is the Director of Global Textile Development and Procurement for Moss Inc. located in Chicago, Illinois. She has a Bachelor of Science in Textile Design from the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now Philadelphia University). Before joining Moss, Elissa worked as a textile designer for a fabric mill in North Carolina. She brings years of textile experience to Moss and has a strong understanding of all textile processes from yarn manufacturing and fabric construction, to dyeing and finishing, to fabric testing and analysis. Elissa has been part of the Moss team since October of 2008.

Martin Denney is the President of Bondcote Corporation, a HEYTex Group Company. Mr. Denney has over 30 years management experience across industry and region including USA, Australia and Asia. For the past 12 years, Mr. Denney has held senior leadership positions in the US outdoor performance fabric market and has a track record of successfully developing new products and accelerating revenue and profit growth.

Ryan Derrick is the Shade Wholesale Business Manager at Rainier Industries. He oversees sales of power screens and retractable awnings through a nationwide dealer network as well as shade production in the company’s Tukwila, WA and Statesville, NC facilities.

Ryan joined the Rainier team in 2013 and has risen through the ranks from Product Control Coordinator and installer to Shade Supervisor to his current role. Under his leadership, the shade division has increased sales by a double-digit percentage and produces products with a lead time of 8 days or less. In early 2018, his team boasted a 2 day production lead time.

He has been involved in the development of Rainier’s new Glacier Building in Tukwila, which is dedicated to shade product manufacturing. The new automated production line will increase the capacity by over 200% with a new unit being produced on the line every 5 minutes. The new building also has zero landfill initiative.

With her extensive background in bespoke clothing and industrial design, Genevieve Dion’s design work is in the permanent collections of the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Her research focuses on the investigation of flexible production methods and mass customization of textiles for the development of seamlessly integrated knitted electronics into "Textile and Garment Devices". In 2012, she launched the Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITE to conduct transdisciplinary research on functional fabrics. Dion was named Fast Company's Top 100 Most Creative People in Business in 2014 for her creative approach toward the design and fabrication of functional fabrics. She now directs the Center for Functional Fabrics at Drexel University and works closely with the newly founded Advance Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) Manufacturing Institute located in Cambridge, MA. In 2018, the Pennsylvania Fabric Discovery Center will open at Drexel under Dion’s direction in coordination with AFFOA. Her research receives funding from the NSF, NIH and Keck Futures.

Alan is the Market Development Manager – Technical Composites for Rubberlite, Inc. located in Huntington, WV. This is an interesting opportunity for him that follows more than 26 years working with the Netherlands based company Stork (now called SPGPrints) where he interacted within the textile rotary screen printing and coating as well as digital printing markets.

The combination of screen manufacturing experience combined with capital equipment sales and support understanding are enabling him to expand the reach of this well-known supplier to the gasket and fabrication company into the coating, lamination and technical composites flexible substrate markets.

Mareesa Frederick is an attorney at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP's office in Washington DC. She focuses on complex, high-stakes intellectual property litigation, with a particular emphasis on Section 337 proceedings before the International Trade Commission (ITC). She was named by The Legal 500 U.S. as a Next Generation Lawyer for ITC patent litigation. Mareesa also has extensive experience counseling clients on pre-trial strategy, strategic licensing opportunities, and patent portfolios. She holds a J.D. from George Washington University, National Law Center.

Luisa Gil Fandiño is an English-trained Colombian textile designer whose design practice is grounded in creative approaches to material construction. Her research centers around incorporating geometry and algorithms to produce highly textural fabrics in Jacquard looms and embroidery. Her work has been exhibited, among others, in New Designers in London, premier Vision in Paris and ICFF in New York.

Luisa currently teaches Textiles for the Textiles and Apparel Program at UT Austin where she also is a visiting guest lecturer for the School of Architecture and the College of Fine Arts. She also works with the engineering school in material and robotics projects.

Luisa has been a guest designer for companies and trade shows. She also works with architects to create one-of-a-kind pieces for different projects. Through her company Fandindo, Luisa sells her own collection of fabrics at local stores and her finished textile products at museums stores like Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian in NY.

Nic Goldsmith, Founder & Principal of FTL Design Engineering Studio in New York is a Fellow of the AIA and former Chair of the Lightweight Structures Association. Prior, he was a designer for the Pritzker Prize Winner Frei Otto in Germany. Nic’s firm explores lightness as a visual, physical and sustainable approach and has received numerous design awards including the Carlos Moseley Pavilion for the Metropolitan Opera, the Rosa Parks Transit Center in Detroit and the Sun Valley Pavilion in Idaho. Nic has designed exhibitions for the UN and on solar energy for the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum and featured in innumerable publications including an Architectural Monograph, FTL: Softness, Movement, Light and his new book, Mass to Membrane to be published later this year. He has taught over 20 years at U Penn, Pratt Institute, Columbia and Cornell on lightweight structures.

Industry-known as a respected retail and brand solutions maker, Bo Graham has honed his skills and talents over 36 years with global thread maker, American & Efird. Currently, Bo holds the positional of Southern Regional Manager of A&E Global Retail Solutions Group, assisting product development groups in a variety of end-use markets, providing education and recommendations on various thread types, sewing techniques, and new innovations. Sharing his wealth of knowledge, Bo regularly advises customers on how best to meet and exceed expectations on performance, efficiency, and cost objectives. Bo began his textile career with A&E in direct sales, serving customers in South and Central Texas, and the immediate border areas of Mexico.

Barbara Griffith established Southern California Leasing in 1992. Throughout her career, she has originated millions of dollars in equipment financing. This steady growth has continued due to her strong beliefs in professional work ethics, her company’s reputation and the successful customer relationships that she feels are the most important factors in a business. As a lessor, Barbara takes pride in working with her lending partners to establish vendor, dealer and manufacturer relationships, as well as providing vendor-driven platforms to a targeted market in the equipment finance industry. As a well-respected industry leader, she was featured in many online and print trade publications, served as committee member for several leasing associations including UAEL, NEFA and NAELB, and was selected as speaker at conferences and trade shows. She has distinguished herself as a speaker, educator and provider of equipment financing services to companies nationwide and in Canada. She is a firm believer of paying it forward and educating the next generation.

Freddie Groce, Vice President of Marketing at Fil-Tec, Inc., helps leading companies to solve application issues and maximize thread performance in various sewing environments. With over 25 years of experience in the industrial thread and yarn industry, Freddie has worked closely with many manufacturing operations in the military, outdoor, furniture and automotive industries.

Freddie has overseen the development of patented thread technologies that have eliminated extra manufacturing processes used by auto manufactures and companies producing gear for the US Armed Forces.

Freddie is a member on the board for the Industrial Fabrics Association International Makers division.

Luke Gusman is the head of marketing at Sta-Lok Inc. who design and manufacture stainless steel fittings. Luke oversees the delivery of Sta-Lok's worth of experience of working with blue chips organizations such as the Fiat Group, Disney, Vinci and so many more. His eclectic mix of marketing experience has allowed Luke to learn various lessons from multiple strategies to Sta-Lok. In Luke's first 18 months with the company, Sta-Lok has won multiple awards including, being a finalist for "Best use of social media." With a new marketing strategy Sta-Lok has entered new markets and geographical spaces and their social media has grown at the fastest rate in the company's history.

Vince Hankins is the director of industrial markets for Sunbrella. He has nearly 30 years of shade fabrication experience and serves on the IFF (Industrial Fabrics Foundation) board, and is active in IFAI and PAMA.

As the founder of Teagles Consulting, Torey wants to streamline your business and simplify your life.

Combining his experience with Tool & Die, manufacturing, software development, and workflow consulting, he helps to eliminate the daily frustrations that come with the multitude of software systems needed to manage your business. His specialty is web applications that you can access anywhere.

Torey is an entrepreneur, software developer, Certified Flow Professional, a proud member of the Marine Fabricators Association, a QuickBooks certified ProAdvisor, and a dedicated life-long learner.

Torey loves to talk about life and business, feel free to ask him about either one.

Frank Henderson is a Third Generation, Textile and Sewn Products Executive, that leads an Organization committed to the Growth and Development of Textile and Sewn Products in the Western Hemisphere. Henderson Sewing Machine Co., Inc., Sells New and Used Industrial Sewing Machines, Parts, Supplies, Accessories and Custom Designed and Manufactured Automated Solutions for the Textile Sewn Products Industries. Frank speaks to Industry groups Globally on Innovation, Global Manufacturing Shifts, Policy Changes and Disruptive Challenges and Changes within the Global Textile and Sewn Products Industries.

Eileen Hill began her professional career in 1980 as a staff member to then U.S. Senator Joseph Biden (D, Del). She moved to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) later that year where she has held numerous positions, including as a specialist on U.S.-Canada commercial relations, and as the ITA expert on trade-related intellectual property issues (TRIPs), serving on the U.S. Government negotiating team for TRIPs during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. In 1994, Ms. Hill held a fellowship with the U.S. Senate Finance Committee as one of its trade counsels.

Ms. Hill then worked on U.S.-European commercial relations as ITA’s Director of the Office of European Union and Regional Affairs. She followed this by concentrating on standards issues as a Director in ITA’s Office of Multilateral Affairs. Since 2013, she has led ITA’s Standards Team, serving as the ITA liaison to the American National Standards Institute and U.S. standards development organizations, and spearheading a program to ensure that ITA offices effectively address trade-related standards issues.

Ms. Hill holds a BA in Economics and History from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and an MA in International Relations and Business from American University in Washington, D.C. She is also a graduate of the Commerce Department’s Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program.

Connie Huffa, a Textile Engineer, is the President of Fabdesigns, Inc. a 3D engineering firm in Malibu California. Connie is an alumnus from The Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, where she also taught in the Masters’ of Textiles program. With over 30 years of advanced textile experience, Connie has built a solid reputation for a successful 'fiber upward' textile materials focus, in several markets, including performance & 3D knitted apparel, footwear, composites, extreme environment, automotive, medical, and e-textiles, emphasizing integrated manufacturing, which uses only what’s needed. Realizing the importance of true sustainability decades before it became popular, she and her husband Bruce founded Fabdesigns, Inc. in 1988, focusing on building manufacturing platforms with nearly zero waste. Connie has presented on cutting edge engineering and sustainable Textile industry best practices throughout her career and continues to do so representing Fabdesigns, Inc.

Danielle Iverson, Sr. Regulatory & Product Compliance Consultant with TÜV Rheinland of North America provides guidance and recommendations to clients in regards to testing and quality assurance programs and protocols designed to protect their brands, ensure compliance with national and international compliance regulations and minimize risk for apparel, textiles, footwear as well as toys and children’s products.

Before joining TUV Rheinland, Danielle was the Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs with the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). Danielle also served as Director of Government Affairs with the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA). She received a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Japanese Language & Literature from the George Washington University, and also holds an Associate in Applied Science degree in Fashion Design from Parsons School of Design.

Judy leads Mitchell Allen in developing marketing solutions for business-to-consumer and business-to-business companies in a variety of categories for small to medium sized businesses.

She delivers innovative and effective marketing campaigns by aligning the strategic direction of marketing efforts with overall growth initiatives, and executing tailored strategies for diverse product and service offerings.

She’s savvy in textile marketing having worked with retailers, fabricators, manufacturers and distributors of specialty fabrics and hardware in residential, commercial and architectural markets. She “gets” your business and how to market awnings, signs, casual furniture, tents, umbrellas, marine, signs and upholstery. In addition to leading clients in their marketing, Judy also leads the American Marketing Association Hampton Roads Chapter as the current President.

Clara Jiménez is an attorney at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP's office in Washington DC. She works closely with clients of all sizes, including Fortune 100 companies and startups in the chemical and medical device industries to develop intellectual property solutions tailored to their business needs. She counsels clients on patent portfolio management and trade secret protection policies. She holds a J.D. from Boston College Law School.

Marc graduated from Mulhouse in Textile Engineering. He has worked in the Textile industry since 1995. Since 2001 he has wokred in Non-Wovens as a porject engineer and in 2004 took the position of Head of R&D within Norafin.

Mr. Jones served in the United States Navy as a Naval Aviator for over 20 years. The Navy refined his talents for Leadership, Production Control, Quality Control and working with his team to get challenging stuff done safely. To better prepare himself to add value to the private sector, Mr. Jones added degrees in Finance and Marketing to his earlier Engineering training. He served as a Director and Plant Manager for one of America's largest aluminum processing facilities and as a consultant for manufacturing improvements and organizational culture development before joining the Shelter Structures Team in 2014. He has helped design and deliver over 371,000 square feet of fabric shelter and he passionately pursues his mission to educate Government and Private Sector clients. It's all about value for the Customer.

Chris Jorgensen is the director of technology transfer at IPC—Association Connecting Electronics Industries, a global industry association representing all facets of the electronics industry supply chain. As a member of IPC’s technical department, Jorgensen’s primary responsibility is staff liaison to standards development committees. These committees are responsible for such standards as those for e-textiles and printed electronics.

Jorgensen is secretary of the United States Technical Advisory Group – TAG – of the International Electrical Commission’s Technical Committee 91 Electronics Assembly Technology and is a participating member of its technical working groups. He is also a member of the US TAG for IEC TC 119 Printed Electronics and is a participating member of its working groups.

Jorgensen also represents IPC as a member of NextFlex–America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute for which he is a co-lead of its Standards, Reliability and Test Technical Working Group.

He has nearly 20 years of experience in standards development, nonprofit management and marketing. He received his degree in communications from Columbia College in Chicago.

Bimal quit a science & academic career to pursue sustainable practices in waste mitigation & recycling. He is a firm believer and active supporter of the post-consumption economy of repair, reuse, repurpose and recycle. His emphasis is to implement novel and sustainable solutions to extract residual value and reuse from the functional afterlife of post-industrial, post-consumer waste streams - where both the waste generator and the waste end-user benefit - in its most direct and purest form of repurposing & recycling. One’s surplus is redeployed as ingredient raw material with the least amount of further preparation or embellishment.

Shavati Karki-Pearl is the Director of Engagement for Autometrix Inc. Shavati has held roles as diverse as Campus Administrator to Director of Global Business Development in the field of vocational education and workforce development for over 18 years. In the recent 5 years she has served as a member of the local Economic Development Council and Workforce Development Board. Shavati is the founder of Nevada County Tech Connection and Connected Communities Academy, both initiatives to build the local tech ecosystem as well as tech talent in Nevada County. She is in an envious position of working with a company like Autometrix that supports not only internal talent development but that of the community as a whole.

Timothy is the President, CFO, and Sales & Design Manager of Capital City Awning in Columbus Ohio. Timothy has 32 years of experience in the awning industry where he has managed national accounts as well as local residential and commercial projects. He has a BS in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. He has served on the board of directors for the Zone 7 Canvas Products Association, and he currently serves on the PAMA Advisory Board.

As the Senior Technology Manager at Bolger & O’Hearn, Inc. Frank Keohan has led the development of high performance fabric effects including repellents, odor control agents, and adhesives for the past six years. Mr. Keohan holds a BA-Chemistry from Holy Cross College, an MS-Chemistry from Virginia Tech, and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Before his position at Bolger & O’Hearn, he served as a Materials Program Manager at 3D Systems developing novel polymers for 3D printing, an Applied Technology Manager at H.C. Starck performing business development for conductive polymer products, and Vice President at Cape Cod Research, managing government-sponsored R&D programs. Mr. Keohan has over 30 years of experience in polymer synthesis, applied chemistry, materials science, and textile finishing.

Ed Keough joined Futureguard Building Products, Inc. in 2008 as Sr. VP of Sales and Marketing. Responsibilities include overseeing a sales and marketing team working with Futureguard’s nationwide network of NuImage and Bel-Aire branded professional awning dealers. His awning career began in 1994 as a regional salesman for Eastern Awning Systems where he progressed to national sales manager over 13 years. With extensive experience in the family hardware business, Ed is a hands-on, mechanically inclined person who likes to be involved in all aspects of the business. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from St Michaels College in VT.

At Propel LLC, Anjali Khemani is involved in the design and development of interactive textiles and creates complex computer programs that translate into ingenious 3D knitted structures. Anjali believes the future of textiles is digital fabrication, interactive textiles and user experience-based garments. Anjali has been working on a US Navy funded SBIR for a smart integrated uniform for a smart garment. A recent graduate from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Anjali Khemani originally studied fashion design until she discovered technical textiles and realized it was a field that merged her design and technical coding skills.

Mr. Kolmes is the Executive Vice-­President of Supreme Corporation, USA. Supremes’ Mission is to make the highest quality cut, slash, and abrasion resistant yarns, fabrics, and safety products in the world, utilizing proprietary coatings engineered to provide antimicrobial, flame retardant (FR), durable water repellent (DWR), and other desired protective finishes. Supreme celebrates its fifty second year in business this July, and has engineered yarns, fabrics, and safety products for such prestigious organizations including the Japanese Police Department, Dutch SWAT, The Italian Ministry of Defense, and in America for the New York Police Department (NYPD). Supreme engineers a diverse array of extremely high tech yarns, including those that are used for body implants and medical devices, and conductive and reflective yarns used for Military, Police and Sports applications. Our latest projects include creating a durable flame retardant application for elastic (diabetic compression socks) and we are patent pending on this groundbreaking invention.

Supreme has the unique ability to take any fiber and combine it with other fibers to increase the performance characteristics. Our motto is 1 + 1 = 3 because we are able to take two fibers and combine them in a synergistic way to get three times the performance out of each of them. We also offer our skills out as a unique resource to Research & Development (R&D) and Product Design (PD) professionals to increase the performance capabilities of their current products, or to design brand new applications, giving other companies value added points of differentiation for their well known brands.

Supreme’s Tuff-­N-­Lite® brand of safety clothing is the original innovator and this year celebrates its 10 year in business. As an alternative to para aramid (such as Kevlar®) and other products we have earned our reputation by providing the highest performance in three areas: Safety, Comfort, and Durability. Tuff-­N-­Lite® yarns, fabrics and clothing are manufactured at our vertically integrated manufacturing facility in Hickory North Carolina (USA) and we custom design our yarns, fabrics and products for each application. Tuff-­N-­Lite® has been featured on televisions shows including The National Geographic Channels NATGEO network, on their shows Rocket City Rednecks, and the Showdown of the Unbeatables. Tuff-­N-­Lite® is currently engineering material to prevent injuries from Shark attacks, and creating new designs for the Motorcycle Industry. Our brand of safety apparel is used in Professional Hockey all around the world and we are currently co-­branding with Under Armour® and providing the cut resistant yarn in their hockey socks

Mary Lynn Landgraf currently serves as  President of Landgraf Consulting and focuses on military and specialty textiles for both domestic and international clients.  Ms. Landgraf worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Office of Textiles & Apparel (OTEXA)  where she promoted  U.S. made smart, technical and military textiles around the world for  15 years before moving into the private sector in January 2018.

Ms. Landgraf holds an M.S. degree from Georgetown University and a B.A. from East Carolina University.

Jeffrey Lee major polymer material physical properties and characterization. He has worked for ITRI to be researcher for developing advanced polymer composite, and Siliconix Vishay to be Power MOSFET packaging R&D process engineer and ASE Corp RD to be green program manager. Currently, he is Assistant Vice President in iST-Integrated Service Technology Inc., and main works are to develop global Open Collaboration engineering projects for ICT related Q&R technology with industry alliance including IMAPS, IPC, INEMI, SMTAI,TPCA and AATCC committee.

He has published more than 80 technical papers about IC package, PCB assembly and PCB technology on material, process and reliability study in international electronic conference and Journal.

Dr. Weifeng Liu works for Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Group of Flex as a manager of wearable technology development. Before joining Flex in 2013, he worked for Hewlett Packard and Huawei, responsible for component and assembly reliability. Dr. Weifeng Liu has 20 years’ experience in electronics technology and process development, covering a wide range of products from consumer products to high end systems. His expertise includes technology development, mechanical design, material selection, process development, reliability evaluation, and failure analysis. Dr. Weifeng Liu holds a Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from University of Maryland. He received the IPC standard leadership award and the IPC distinguished committee service award. He has published dozens technical papers, one book, holds over 20 US patents and has more pending.

This presentation will explore the latest advancements in extrusion technology which are enabling the next generation of drug delivery. It will also explore some of the medical applications that stand to be most significantly impacted by this technological advancement.

Previously at the Wyss Institute at Harvard and Otherlab in San Francisco, she developed wearable robotic exoskeletons for the military. She has since worked on a number of software and AI-related projects in the fashion space.

Leanne is the author of Fashion Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence for the Fashion Industry, released by Apress in Fall 2018.

Madeleine MacRae serves as CEO, Founder and Chief Innovator for MM MacRae, a national learning, coaching and consulting firm focused on the development and growth of pros and companies serving the home professionals industry. Madeleine has more than 13 years of experience leading, consulting and growing pros, contractors and corporations and has developed a time-tested process and “language” for effectively bridging the gap between the needs and expectations of the corporate world and the needs and expectations of their greatest asset—their pros in the field. Madeleine derives her energy from educating, inspiring and leading her clients. She is deeply connected and responsive and has a unique 360 degree view and understanding of objectives, goals and stakes.

Immersed in a world that is connected by products and services, but divided by a distinct disconnect in language, needs and motivators, Madeleine and her team serve as a compelling, engaging and proven bridge to awareness, education, loyalty and growth.

Coming soon....

Madison Maxey is an award-winning technologist who is passionate about materials and creative technology. She focuses on bringing flexible, robust circuitry (e-textiles) to scale as Founder and Technical Lead at LOOMIA. Throughout the course of her work at LOOMIA, she has developed e-textile prototypes and workshops for companies like North Face, Google, PVH, Flextronics, Adidas and Corning. Maddy’s work has built the foundation for several pending patents and has led to invitations to lecture at Columbia University, Parsons School of Design, NYU and University of Illinois Champaign Urbana. In addition to e-textiles, Maddy has performed computational design and physical computing work for the F.I.T Museum, Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit, CNBC’s Jump Jive and Thrive and Google Creative Lab. She has also held creative technology residences at the School of Visual Arts, Autodesk, and Pratt’s BF+DA where she won the BF+DA Technology Innovation Award. She is a former Thiel Fellow, Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, TED@NYC selected speaker, and Lord & Taylor Rose Award Recipient.

Shane McFarland is a senior engineer working on advanced spacesuit development at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. He brings more than 10 years of experience to bear in his role leading long-term technology development strategy for the pressure garment assembly, focusing on future Lunar and Mars missions. Shane is also currently co-leading development of the next-generation liquid cooling ventilation garment and the thermal comfort undergarment. Previously, he was the technical lead of the High-Performance EVA Glove project, for which he received the NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal in 2017, and also served as lead for various crew survival components of the Orion spacesuit. Shane is an author and presenter of more than 20 technical publications on spacesuit development, testing and history.

Bill McSpadden earned a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Science from The University of Virginia. Bill worked in construction, hazardous waste before starting Pacific Chai, a tea company, with his wife Joy. Pacific Chai grew from a start up in their garage to a the 6th best selling instant tea brand in the US. 15 years later, Pacific Chai was sold to Hood Dairy and Bill retired. Bill was restless in retirement and was always looking for another manufacturing business to purchase. In 2007, Bill purchased Capitol Awning. In the last 11 years, the business has doubled and the company now stands as the dominant player in the Central Virginia market and has expanded to doing work as far away as Ohio, Massachusetts, and Tennessee.

As Managing Director of Hohenstein Institute America, Ben represents OEKO-TEX® in North America and promotes Hohenstein’s expertise as a globally recognized leader in textile research and testing. He also serves as the company’s liaison with governmental agencies, industry collaborations, and trade associations.

He previously consulted with various brands on content development, training, and establishing partnerships with industry leaders and experts to increase industry engagement in green chemistry and sustainable textile processing. Ben started his career at Nike, where he helped develop a restricted substances program and was involved in implementation of sustainable materials and water programs.

Ben has degrees in Chemistry and Textile Chemistry from North Carolina State University and a certificate in Green Chemistry from the University of Washington.

William is the President and owner of Ohio Awning and Manufacturing Company, a traditional retail fabricator dating back to 1865. Having worked in nearly all facets of the business, William continues to push for innovation in both the products created, as well as in the fabrication of those products. William earned a BA from Denison University and an MBA from Baldwin Wallace. He also currently serves on the IFAI Board of Directors.

Retired from 3M in St. Paul, MN in May 2014 with over 40 years of experience in various technical, manufacturing, and business positions. Has over 35 years of experience in nonwovens technology in corporate research, product development, and manufacturing technology. Currently working with the Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC as Director, Industry Engagement and Education. Responsibilities include coordination and development of industry short courses, industrial membership activities, research contracts, and student mentorship.

Past Chairman of the Nonwovens Institute's Industrial Advisory Board at North Carolina State. Former Board Member of INDA, the Trade Association for the Nonwovens Industry, past adjunct professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma - Norman.

Kevin Nelson received his Ph.D. from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas under the direction of Dr. Robert Eberhart. As a faculty member in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington in 1996, he joined a team working on an NIH grant to develop a fiber-based, biodegradable vascular stent with the goal of delivering gene therapy to the vessel wall. Simultaneously working with Dr. Nathan Schwade to develop drug-loaded microspheres for improved wound healing, he eventually combined the drug-loading techniques of microspheres with the fiber for the biodegradable stent, and fiber-based drug delivery was born. Eventually patented, this technology has been the focus of Dr. Nelson’s professional life and the driver behind TissueGen, Inc.

Matthew Neri is vibrant sales representative of Blindtek Designer Systems and Markilux North America, Inc. Matthew specializes in unique interior and exterior shading solutions, which seamlessly integrates into any building envelope. Matthew’s main objective is to share his installation experience and product knowledge with architects, engineers, designers, contractors, and end consumers alike. Matthew has received extensive hands on training at the markilux headquarters located in Emsdetten, Germany. His knowledge of Lutron motors and home automation gives him an edge over the competition. He works to identify trends within the shading industry by attending yearly shading conventions. Matthew attended the Pennsylvania State University and studied business management, and marketing.

Jonathan Palmer is the CEO and 2nd generation owner of Autometrix, Inc. and actively manages the development of new cutting solutions for the textile world. His first employment at Autometrix was in his teens, counting parts and crating them for new equipment installations. In the years that followed, Jonathan has gained experience in every area of the business and earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering. As the father of two young girls and the owner of a family-oriented business, Jonathan is familiar with the unique struggles faced by many family-owned manufacturers in the US, and works each day to brings a practical, problem-solving approach to the world of modern cutting rooms - from digitizing and pattern layout software to cut parts coming off the table.

Drew Pangborn, CEP, is a Senior Energy Consultant with APPI Energy. With over 10 years of experience in the energy industry, Drew utilizes expertise and data-driven procurement strategies to provide his clients with powerful energy solutions, designed to help them save time, reduce costs and create budget certainty. His clients are represented heavily in the automotive and manufacturing sectors of key deregulated markets across the country. Drew also holds the energy industry professional designation of Certified Energy Procurement Professional through the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).

Thamizhisai Periyaswamy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Environmental Studies at Central Michigan University. She has a doctoral degree in the field of Textile Engineering & Sciences obtained from the Philadelphia University. Over the last decade, she has been studying material characterization using non-contact ultrasound techniques, and was developing textile-based interfaces for human electrophysiology signals applied for wearable systems. Additionally, she has been investigating neurophysiological signal properties associated with tactile perception of flexible materials, made of various textures and low-stress material properties. She is an active member of several professional organizations including the Fiber Society and IEEE.

The Private Sector Liaison (PSL) for FEMA Region 6 is seated in the National Preparedness Division, and works year-round to identify and support opportunities to build cooperative relationships between the public and private sectors. During disasters, the PSL is the point person for private sector issues, including information sharing, employee survivor support, supply chain, and best practices/lessons learned.

Caroline is an occupational therapist and nursing home administrator. She has worked in healthcare since 1995, providing direct patient care for over 20 years. She has provided services as a custom seating practitioner, worked in outpatient specialty clinics, and post-acute care. Her experience includes teaching at colleges and universities, and presenting lectures and workshops at the local, national, and international levels. She is a representative on the Corporate Advisory Council of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP), and works as Senior Clinical and Education Specialist at Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc.

Wayne Rendely has 20 years of practice as a licensed Professional Engineer. He has provided services to more than 200 clients and has made a significant contribution on more than 1000 unique special structures worldwide.

Wayne Rendely Specializes in Tensile Membrane Structures both permanent and temporary, licensed in 50 jurisdictions and the Engineer of Record (EOR) for more than 350 projects.

Coming soon...

Mar Ricketts is the CEO and founder of GuildWorks: Architecture of the Air. He studied architecture and engineering at Pratt Institute in New York. He began his career pioneering high performance tensioned fabric kites but has always been working towards innovative architectural solutions.

Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Nickolas Rivera started his journey in textiles almost twelve years ago when he was hired by MMI Textiles, Inc. After a year of dedication and training in customer service, Nick was promoted into the position of Production Manager. In this role, he was able to strive in meeting and exceeding customer expectations while strengthening long term partnerships with key suppliers.  In March of 2014, Nick was formally named as Director of Operations, during which time MMI has experienced consistent, double digit growth and expansion across multiple markets. Nick continues to serve as part of the management team headed by President and Founder of MMI Textiles, Amy Bircher and also has the pleasure of serving as the Chairman on the IFAI Military Division.

"Owner of Banner Canvas for 32 years. The company manufactures custom marine interior and exterior products as well as industrial custom applications for NASA and Lockheed Martin as well as others.

Faith holds a degree in Apparel Design as well as being certified for life as a MFC for interior and exterior products from IFAI. She also holds an IFM from IFAI. She also has courses in banking and finanace as well as consumer protection in clothing and textiles. "

Stephanie Rodgers has been at the forefront of textile and component product development for luxury and flagship automotive interiors for General Motors, Magna International, Fisker Automotive and newly emerging electric vehicle companies for the majority of her career, however also, the first textile engineer at Microsoft Corporation, she challenged and collaborated with XBOX and SURFACE researchers and engineers to design and develop with textiles. Receiving two Microsoft applied US Patents pending in integrated electronic textile applications and for developing a user attachment for handicapped XBOX players. Stephanie is also a specialist in color development and is passionate about the use of engineering simulation, rapid prototyping as predictive development tools and manufacturing.

She has been putting her Bachelor of Science degree in Textile Engineering from Philadelphia University to work for 30 years. In addition to traveling the global textile community, she has lectured about textiles to design and engineering students of all disciplines. She currently works as the Director of Advanced Product Development for Apex Mills using yarn as a vehicle for innovation. Additionally, she is an advisory panel member of the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America Institute and co-chairs the IPC committee developing the first industry consensus standard for e-textiles materials.

Brydon attended the University of Toronto and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree. After completing his degree and not wanting to get right down to business he traveled extensively in Europe Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Travel became his passion for many years which found him living the life in places like Greece, London, Christchurch and Sydney. He discovered Shade Sails and shade structures while living in Australia and subsequently formed Shade Sails Canada with his father after his return back to Canada in 2001. Brydon would return to Australia between 2000 and 2006 learning more about Shade Sails by working with Australian operators in different parts of Australia. In 2007 Brydon left Toronto for a better lifestyle in the mountains to open up a Shade Sails West, a division based out of a small mountain town in the interior of British Columbia called Revelstoke.

During the last 15 years Brydon has gained extensive experience in tensioned fabric structures and Shade Sails Canada has become the leading Shade Sail design build firm in the country as well as expanding and doing some projects in the US and Caribbean.

Brydon says the company goal is to help create a standard of professionalism and knowledge in the industry, North and South America wide by spreading knowledge and helping people gain access to the right products and techniques, something he noticed was lacking in Australia.

An expert in organizational excellence and the textile manufacturing marketplace, Robert L. Rosania brings a unique blend of technical knowledge, practical application and continuous improvement to his organization. Mr. Rosania’s extensive educational background and professional experience has led him to the position he holds today at one of the pre-eminent specialty fabrics end-product manufacturers in the United States.

Robert L. Rosania is Part Owner & Chief Executive Officer of Ehmke Manufacturing Company, Inc. Mr. Rosania joined Ehmke in 1993 as a Partner and Plant Manager, and was later promoted to Vice President, Sales and Marketing, before moving into his current position in 2000. During his tenure as CEO, Ehmke has grown tenfold and expanded into the Defense, Military and Aerospace marketplaces.

Prior to joining Ehmke, Mr. Rosania was Technical Account Manager for Nalco Chemical Company designing water treatment programs for nuclear and fossil power plants. Previously, he was a Production Control Engineer – D5 Trident Nuclear Missile Program for General Electric Company.

Mr. Rosania received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, he was a member of the Varsity Football Team that won the Ivy League Championships in 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985. He also attended Drexel University’s Masters in Business Administration program concentrating in Finance. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Mr. Rosania attended the William Penn Charter School graduating in 1982 and now serves on that school’s Board of Overseers.

Mr. Rosania currently serves on the following Board of Directors: Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF), the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC), Enable Sports & Fitness (501c3) and MMI Textiles. Mr. Rosania also serves as President of the Philadelphia Little Quakers; an all-star youth football program that provides a “pathway forward” for Delaware Valley student-athletes through football & scholarship.

He has received two (2) Professional Certification by the IFAI: as an Industrial Fabrics Manager in 2001 and as a Certified Project Planner in 1999. A noted inventor, Mr. Rosania also holds two US Patents for “Methods for Ameliorating Oil Spills in Marine and Inland Waters.”

Dr. Satchell is the Technology Director for Situ Biosciences LLC and focuses his biochemical expertise on product development and testing for industrial and consumer products. With over 25 years’ experience as a research biochemist, Dr. Satchell’s expertise facilitates global product development, enhanced material performance and durability, regulatory support, and product registrations. Dr. Satchell participates in various committees that are directly applicable to common standards used with textile formulations, bringing scientific focus to the development of quality and durable products and materials.

Dr. Reinhold Schneider is senior scientist at the German Institute for Textile and Fiber Research (DITF) Denkendorf. Dr. Schneider is chemist and received his pHD degree at the University of Stuttgart in 1992. His scientific work focuses on the field of textile printing, dyeing and finishing of textile materials.

Conventional textile printing as well as the innovative inkjet printing technology and the digital functionalization of surfaces are subject of his main research. This work includes the formulation of color and functional inks as well as the physico-chemical pre-treatment for inkjet printing and functional coatings. In particular, electrically conductive inks have been developed, with the help of which electrical conductors and electrical switches could be printed on textile materials. Furthermore, sensors for composite materials as well as electroluminescent textiles have been developed. In addition, there are innovative invisible markings on textiles that are of interest for the protection against plagiarism. These and other works are documented in more than 200 publications, technical papers and research projects.

Chris Semonelli is the President of Coated Technical Solutions and Vice President of Erez USA. He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University and MBA from Pepperdine University.

He has be involved with Technical Textiles for over 35 years also, holding previous positions at Cooley Incorporated and Intertape Polymer group.

He is currently on the board of the IFAI Advanced Textiles Products (ATP) group , a member of the Rhode Island Textiles Innovation Network (RITIN), and on the board of FabNewport in Newport Rhode Island.

He was a member of the ambassador design team, developed by The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education which developed and wrote the next strategic plan for elementary and secondary education in Rhode Island, He has been involved in various volunteer activities for many years to enhance the educational and career opportunities available to middle and high students in the Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math ( STEAM) environment.

Marc Shellshear, IFM, MFC has been in the Industrial Fabrics business for over 25 years, nicknamed Dr. Shade. Marc has held positions within 4 companies in the past 25 years from sales, sales administration, marketing, operations and almost every facet of manufacturing. Marc has worked with companies such as Nissan, Sirius XM, Martha Stewart, Wal-Mart, Play Power, MD Anderson Hospital, NASA, and Volkswagen to name a few and has worked all over North and South America. Marc is currently the Chairman of the Fabric Structures Association and has served on the Education Committee of IFAI, International Achievement Awards Judge, Certification Judge, and IFF judge for IFAI.

Karl Sherrill, CIC, CRM, MBA, is the Leader of Marsh & McLennan Agency’s National Manufacturing Group. With almost 30 years of experience in various manufacturing operations, he is responsible for assisting the national team in understanding the dynamics of the industrial manufacturing segment and the unique exposures in manufacturing environments. Karl’s experience in manufacturing includes operations management and consultative sales positions in textiles, furniture, chemicals, lubricants, food/beverage, automotive, plastics, and heavy machinery. He has experience in team building, consultative sales, leadership development, principles of management, professional communication, ISO Standards, and lean manufacturing. Karl frequently presents to manufacturing groups on industry topics and also serves on adjunct university faculty teaching various sales, marketing, and business courses.

Jeff Sponseller has been in the industrial fabrics and graphics business for nearly twenty years. As an Executive Vice President of Miller Weldmaster, he has worked with numerous industrial fabrics manufacturers, government contractors, sign industry leaders, and has consulted on numerous projects requiring thermoplastic welding and fabric handling worldwide. Jeff has presented at seminars in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Jeff was the original chairmen of the Industrial fabric equipment division and formerly served on the Board of Directors for the Industrial Fabrics Industry for six years.

Prior to the industrial fabrics industry, Jeff worked as a biomedical engineer and as a sales representative in the pharmaceutical industry. He has degrees in Engineering and Management.

Thomas Stegmaier is the manager of research for Technical Textiles at the German Research Institutes in Denkendorf with the focus on bionic developments. He is involved in several German and European working circles and scientific committees and vice president of the “International Society of Bionic Engineering - ISBE”.

With his teams he develops new applications with fiber based materials with the knowledge and help of living nature. He received several scientific awards.

Alan joined the MPanel Software Solutions team in 2017 after being a user and agent for the company for more than 10 years. He is tasked with developing and supporting global distribution channels while improving user access to the software and support.

Alan has been involved in the fabric and tensile structure industry in Australia for 20 years. He was the Director and founder of Structureflex, a wholesale supplier of fabric architecture products and services around the world.

As a user of MPanel products for 10 years, Alan has substantial practical experience in projects of all sizes around the world and will be happy to answer any project related questions you might have.

Coming soon....

Michael F. Sullaway, P.E., President and CEO of Sullaway Engineering, Inc. is a 1985 graduate of the prestigious Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California, San Diego, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Structural Engineering. He has over 30 years’ experience in the design of international bridge projects, nuclear containment structures, steel pedestrian bridges, post-tension concrete foundations, parking structures, commercial and residential buildings, remodels and retaining walls. In 2010, Sullaway co-founded Sullaway Engineering, Inc., a nationwide structural engineering firm and recognized leader in the sign and awning industries for providing structural analysis and stamped structural engineering drawings and calculations for projects throughout the United States and Canada. Sullaway currently serves as a director on the Fabric Structures Association (FSA) Advisory Board and holds professional engineering licenses in 48 states, including the District of Columbia.

Louis Troilo is an attorney at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP's office in Washington DC. He provides a full range of counseling services to a broad range of clients. He represents Fortune 100 companies to startups and universities looking for assistance in patent procurement, portfolio analysis, opinion drafting, and intellectual property licensing. For companies seeking to develop a strategic IP position, he provides patent landscaping and due diligence analyses. He holds a J.D. from Catholic America University, Columbus School of Law.

H. Lee Wainwright, sometimes referred to as the “Grandfather of E-Textiles” has created E-Textile products and production machinery since 1985. He has received over a dozen patents and awards for applications and production processes. Lee authored a chapter on E-Textiles for a textbook published in 2017 and shared his experience as a mentor at the New Orleans E-textile Conference in October of last year. Lee has presented E-Textile technologies at Smart Fabric, Flexible Display, LED, and Textile Conferences in Washington DC; Phoenix, Arizona; San Diego, CA; Melbourne, Australia; Japan and South Korea. Lee has developed E-Textile applications and products for dozens of companies including SONY, Sylvania, MACY’s, Target, Disney Parks, NASCAR, GIVENCHY, D&G, GM, WB, Mattel, MGM, NIKE and others.

Bud Weisbart, VP of A&R, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. After graduating California State University, Northridge, with a degree in Political Science, he joined the Peace Corps, teaching English in Thailand from 1963-1965. He attended the CORO Foundation’s Fellowship and then moved to Peru to run Foster Parents’ Plan’s program.

In 1978 the Weisbarts purchased 1/3 of A&R which, at that time, had dedicated to serving the trucking industry. Under their leadership, A&R capitalized on the culture it developed to diversify into new markets, first serving the aerospace industry and subsequently addressing architectural needs. The foundation of A&R is the ability to build upon the longevity of its staff to manufacture products required by the new markets.

Randy Westlund is an engineer and productivity expert who grew up in his father's awning shop, where he learned the ins and outs of running a small business.

He is the founder of Awning Tracker, the software that is helping awning, sign and marine fabric businesses across the country take control of their workflow and be more productive than ever before.

As an expert in computer systems and data management, Randy has performed satellite communication work for NASA in McMurdo Station, Antarctica. He has also worked for MIT, where he created animal biometric software that is used to protect endangered species, and developed aircraft autopilot systems. He holds a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Lloyd has more than two decades of Washington experience in public relations and government affairs. He represents the U.S. Industrial Fabrics Institute (USIFI) and Narrow Fabrics Institute (NFI) divisions of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) as well as the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO). Of note, Lloyd coordinates activities of the Berry Amendment Textile Coalition, an informal coalition of trade associations and companies dedicated to preserving and expanding the Berry Amendment, a law requiring the Department of Defense to buy textiles and clothing made with 100 percent U.S. content and labor.

Dr. James Zahler serves as the Associate Director for Technology-to-Market (T2M) at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) where he is responsible for oversight of T2M activities across the Agency. Dr. Zahler is responsible ARPA-E’s DELTA (Delivering Efficient Local Thermal Amenities) program focused on advanced textiles.

Prior to joining ARPA-E Dr. Zahler held numerous leadership positions in development of a variety of technology products including industrial sapphire materials and growth equipment at GT Advanced Technologies, solar cell technology at BP Solar, and III-nitride materials at Aonex Technologies.

Dr. Zahler earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and a M.S. in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University.