AMERIPEN Announces Executive Director Departure

AMERIPEN Announces Executive Director Departure
Organization Initiates Search for New Executive Director

SPRINGFIELD, MA – September 24, 2024

AMERIPEN, the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment, announces today that its Executive Director, Dan Felton, will step down from his position on November 1, 2024, to lead another organization. The association also announces that it is initiating a search to identify a new leader.

“It has been my honor to lead AMERIPEN through significant evolution and growth over the past five years,” says Felton. “During this time, we have been able to significantly expand how AMERIPEN helps its members and the U.S. packaging industry. No organization offers the level of support, particularly on public policy advocacy, that AMERIPEN provides to the entire packaging industry value chain for all packaging material types. Anyone following packaging policy in the U.S. knows that the past several years have brought seismic shifts to the industry in terms of new laws and regulations impacting the packaging industry. I am very grateful to have been part of an amazing team of passionate and talented members, leaders, consultants and staff shaping that public policy in the best ways possible. I am committed to helping ensure the upcoming leadership transition for AMERIPEN will be as seamless and successful as possible.”

Kelly Smith, Vice President, Head of Institutional Affairs US for Ferrero and AMERIPEN President, notes, “We’re grateful to Dan for his exceptional leadership over the past five years during a time of significant policy change in the packaging space. His tireless advocacy on behalf of the entire packaging value chain and his pursuit of proactive policy positions has raised the profile of the organization significantly, strengthening even further its reputation as a trusted partner and subject matter expert for policymakers and industry stakeholders. He has also played a key role in expanding AMERIPEN’s membership, revenue, programs and research. We wish Dan every success in his next endeavor.”

The association is activating its succession plan to guide the process of selecting a new Executive Director. It has formed a committee to oversee the search process that will commence in September.

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AMERIPEN – the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment – is a trade association dedicated to improving packaging and the environment. We are the only material-inclusive packaging industry trade association in the United States representing the entire packaging supply chain. This includes materials suppliers, packaging manufacturers, consumer packaged goods companies, retailers, and end-of-life materials managers. Our membership also includes a robust array of industry, material, and product-specific trade associations who are essential to the AMERIPEN fabric. We focus on science and data to support our public policy positions, and our advocacy and policy engagement is based on rigorous research rooted in our commitment to achieve sustainable packaging policies.