USA – The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) has announced Dan Felton as its new president and CEO.

Founded in 1950, FPA aims to amplify the voices of converters, suppliers, trade professionals, and academics. It offers advocacy, educational programs, networking, and growth opportunities for its members.

As president and CEO, Felton will lead FPA’s efforts to grow its value within the flexible packaging industry, expand its meetings and programs, and strengthen its membership base.

His responsibilities also include advocating on behalf of the US flexible packaging industry to policymakers and stakeholders.

Felton brings extensive experience in association management and public policy advocacy. Most recently, he served as the executive director of Ameripen (the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment), where he led membership growth, advocacy efforts, and public profile expansion.

His passion for environmental and packaging issues has led him to lobby at state and federal levels for multinational corporations and trade associations.

William Jackson, chief technology officer for Amcor Flexibles and FPA chair, expressed confidence in Felton’s leadership, noting his extensive experience and ability to guide FPA successfully in the years ahead.

Felton himself stated that he is excited to join FPA, describing it as a leading organization with strong, passionate leaders and members.

Carl Joachim inducted into Ben Franklin Honor Society

In a separate announcement, Carl Joachim, co-founder of ePac Flexible Packaging and a printing industry veteran, has been inducted into the prestigious Ben Franklin Honor Society.

This honor recognizes Joachim’s decades of leadership in digital printing technology and marketing innovation, particularly his role in transforming the packaging industry.

Joachim’s work with ePac has empowered small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to compete globally by utilizing digital printing technology for flexible packaging solutions.

Joachim’s career began long before the founding of ePac. He spent decades developing markets for digital technologies at companies like Xerox, Ocè, and Ricoh.

In 2016, he co-founded ePac in collaboration with California Polytechnic State University and fellow co-founder Jack Knott.

The vision behind ePac was to create a packaging company that could serve SMBs with short-run, quick-turnaround flexible packaging solutions that traditional converters could not offer.

Today, ePac operates 22 locations globally, providing high-quality, digitally printed packaging to help SMBs compete with larger brands.

Reflecting on his career, Joachim expressed pride in the role he played in digitizing printing and establishing ePac as the world’s first all-digital flexible packaging company. He emphasized the satisfaction of seeing thousands of brands succeed with ePac’s support.

California Polytechnic professor emeritus Dr. Harvey Levenson, who nominated Joachim for the Ben Franklin Honor Society, praised his intellectual and practical contributions to digital printing and packaging.

Joachim’s innovative digital platform for ePac empowered smaller brands to scale quickly and offer affordable, eco-friendly packaging solutions.

Under the leadership of ePac’s co-founders—Jack Knott, Virag Patel (current CEO), and Joachim—the company has become a disruptive force in the industry, focusing on tools that give smaller brands the same competitive advantages as global giants.

Recently retired, Joachim leaves behind a legacy of innovation and leadership. He is particularly proud of ePac’s Austin, Texas facility, one of the company’s flagship plants.

As ePac continues to evolve, it is developing new technologies, including serialization in response to upcoming FDA track-and-trace regulations, ensuring transparency and security across the supply chain.

Through constant innovation and a commitment to sustainable packaging, ePac continues to carry forward the vision Joachim helped shape.

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