New Tool: ProSource
Checkout our packaging and processing solutions finder, ProSource.

Hall of fame is enhanced

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association has announced that Pat Helm, Mark Jacobson, Dwight Schmidt, James E. Scott, and Dennis Young will be inducted into the Packaging Hall of Fame.

Pw 4993 Pat Helm

PAT HELM has made his mark on most aspects of packaging: as an engineer, manager, consultant, business owner, and mentor.  He's had an impact on manufacturing companies, packaging equipment manufacturers, OEM manufacturers, membership organizations, and educational institutions.

Helm’s contributions and his standing in the industry have drawn notice more than once over 30-plus year career. He’s a go-to subject matter expert for training wage employees, and he was recognized by Packaging World magazine as a “Top 40 Packaging Expert.”

MARK JACOBSON is known for the generosity with which he gives his time and energy to all things packaging. He’s also been extremely successful as a businessman and packaging professional.

Jacobson’s dedication to education is apparent through his service on PMMI’s Education Committee, his work establishing the Claude Breeden Scholarship fund for packaging students, and his donations of machinery to packaging education programs.

As an active PMMI member, Jacobson has been on the Board of Directors more than once, including serving as Chairman (1996) and a member of the Executive Committee (1995–1997). As part of the leadership, he played integral roles in PMMI’s decisions to launch PACK EXPO Las Vegas, to acquire the rights to EXPO PACK México, and to expand PMMI membership to component suppliers and materials/containers suppliers.Jacobson is a founding member of the New England Packaging Association, which gives packaging machinery manufacturers in the region an opportunity to come together to address resource sharing and performance benchmarking.

DWIGHT SCHMIDT is president of the Fibre Box Association (FBA) and has been serving the packaging community for 40 years.

As Executive Director of the Corrugated Packaging Alliance (CPA), he has emerged as an early adopter and promoter of packaging sustainability goals. He also serves the International Corrugated Case Association as Vice President of the Americas, and a member of its board and executive committee.

For 12 years, Schmidt has served on the board of the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation, a group that has given more than $10.7 million to support packaging education since 1994. At his alma mater, Michigan State University (MSU), he has personally established an endowed scholarship fund for incoming freshmen at the School of Packaging and was chosen by fellow packaging graduates to the school’s Hall of Fame in 2000. MSU honored him in 2002 with the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award — a first for a packaging school alum.

JAMES E. SCOTT has, for 37 years, shaped the transition of packaging from large metal and glass packaging suppliers to today’s diverse end user packaging departments.

At the same time, Scott displayed a gift for embracing, evaluating, developing, and commercializing new ideas and technologies. As a result, he delivered a number of technical innovations and first-to-market commercialization of what’s now considered “standard” food and snack packaging, such as:

The first commercially successful laminate structures containing EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol) for cereal inner liners and cake mixes;
The first reclosable, stand-up pouch for the snack cookie/cracker market;
The commercialization of the first cold seal laminates for single-serve packages;
and The first digital camera clam-shell plastic packaging for retail shelves and peg board displays.

Scott’s dedication to the packaging industry is evident in his volunteer efforts as well. He has been a member and chairman of the Packaging Education Forum, and served on the Packaging Management Council, the Council on Packaging in the Environment and Clemson University’s Packaging Faculty Advisory Board.

DENNIS YOUNG's impact on packaging combines his impressive academic accomplishments with professional experience in all areas of packaging. His educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in packaging from Michigan State University (MSU), Master’s degrees from MSU and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and course work completed in Ph.D. programs in marketing and logistics & transportation.

Young is on the faculty of MSU and RIT, and has organized and participated in more than 100 seminars, workshops and presentations in the United States and internationally, appearing in China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and Singapore.

Young’s volunteer leadership includes active roles in the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) — he is a member of its College of Fellows and has earned IoPP’s Certified Packaging Professional designation. Young also serves as Vice President for Strategic Innovation for the International Safe Transit Association.

How Can You Honor a Leader?
Induction into the Packaging & Processing Hall of Fame is the highest honor in our industry. Submit your leader to be considered for the Class of 2024 now through June 10th. New members will be inducted at PACK EXPO International in Chicago
Read More
How Can You Honor a Leader?
Discover Our Content Hub
Access Packaging World's free educational content library!
Read More
Discover Our Content Hub