Canadian Plastics Industry Association Announces 2019 Plastics Industry Leadership Award Winners

On Oct. 2, 2019 the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) recognized twenty outstanding individuals and businesses for their commitment and dedication to the growth and sustainability of the Canadian plastics industry at its annual Plastics Industry Leadership Awards Dinner.

Leader of the Year Award: Bill Dickson, Canuck Compounders

Young Leader Awards: Ian Ferguson, Chantler Packages; Crystal Howe, Ice River Springs; Jonathan Quinn, NOVA Chemicals; Joel Rudolph, Farnell Packaging Limited; Tammy Schwass, Alberta Plastics Recycling Association

Sustainability Awards: Jon Pyper, Jon Pyper Consulting Services; TC Transcontinental; Canuck Compounders

Innovator Awards: GreenMantra Technologies; StoneStraw

CanPlast Awards: Sarah Marshall, NOVA Chemicals; Dave Schwass, NOVA Chemicals & Alberta Plastics Recycling Association; Joe Hruska, Canadian Plastics Industry Association

Lifetime Achievement Awards: Dan Falla; Blair Fraser; Philip Latchman; John Lefas; Manfred Lupke; Edward Wilanowski

“This year, we are delighted to celebrate twenty individuals and companies who have demonstrated leadership and excellence, contributing immensely to the plastics industry in the areas of innovation, sustainability and more.” said Carol Hochu, President and CEO of CPIA.

The 2019 Leader of the Year Award recipient is Bill Dickson, President, Canuck Compounders.

Bill Dickson has been driving his company towards the utilization of recycled materials into a diverse line of finished products for the last 4 decades.

He began his career in a plastics compounding business at the age of 18 working part-time on the plant floor while going to school. Bill worked his way up through the ranks to full-time, then onto supervisor and management. He left his management position and went on to establish Canuck Compounders in 1979, and in 1986 he consolidated the company and became the sole owner of Canuck Compounders.

Bill’s goal of continually creating recycled formulated resins to go into higher end application is and always will be his goal. At the present time most of the finished product produced at Canuck is destined for the automotive market, with much of it ending up in-mold in color class A visual parts.

Canuck actively participates in many local fundraising efforts in the community. Every year, they support the United Way, Cambridge Memorial Hospital and the local food bank. Other local charities that have garnered Canuck’s support are the YWCA’s Small Step’s to Success Program (for woman that face significant barriers in life), Monica House (which provides life changing support for pregnant and parent youth) and the Nutrition for Learning programs at local schools.

Five Young Leader Awards recognized up and coming leaders of the plastics industry:

• Ian Ferguson is currently Chief Operating Officer at CPIA member Chantler Packages Inc. Since 2003 he has been involved in the flexible packaging industry in sales and management roles.
• Crystal Howe is the head of sustainability for CPIA member Ice River family of companies. With a background in organic farming and a passion for business with a purpose, Crystal drives sustainability best practices within the organization, the community, and with supplier and customer partners.
• Jonathan Quinn is the market development manager for CPIA member NOVA Chemicals’ polyethylene business. In his role he has conducted consumer perception-of-plastics research as well as extensive research on the eCommerce sector including food e-commerce.
• Joel Rudolph is Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at CPIA member Farnell Packaging Limited in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Joel’s role focuses on strategic growth and marketing for Farnell, helping clients develop sustainable solutions that stand out on retail shelves.
• Tammy Schwass is the executive director of the Alberta Plastics Recycling Association (APRA) where she facilitates partnerships to support and connect member organizations.

In the area of Sustainability, CPIA honored three recipients for their environmental, economic and social contributions:

• Jon Pyper, previously Associate Director of Sustainability for CPIA member company Dow’s N.A. Packaging & Specialty Plastics business, now heads Jon Pyper Consulting Services.       Jon worked at Dow for over 34 years and held various senior management positions in sales, marketing, product management, financial services, purchasing, e-Business, government affairs, and sustainability across several Dow businesses.
• TC Transcontinental is determined to make strides towards a circular economy for plastics. In January 2019, the company broke the recycling barrier by launching in North America one of the first-in-market, 100% recyclable, multilayer barrier stand-up pouch.
• Canuck Compounders sustainability efforts began 40 years ago. These efforts have been in the context of utilizing recycled products to formulate specific specifications for the higher end markets in the injection molding industry.

Two winners were honored In the Innovator category, recognizing those who have contributed to the advancement of the plastics industry:

• GreenMantra utilizes a patented and proprietary catalytic depolymerization process to create polymer additives and synthetic waxes from recycled plastic feedstocks, including 4 of the 7 streams of plastic.
• StoneStraw Ltd. is North America’s largest independent dedicated straw manufacturer. StoneStraw innovated and produced “Back to Earth”, the first Canadian made, industrially / municipally compostable straw which are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute and meet ASTM D6400 and / or ASTM D6868 standards to compost within 180 days or less.

Three recipients of CPIA’s Canplast Award were recognized for individuals who contribute their time, energy and expertise to improving the competitive and environmental performance of the Canadian plastics industry:

• Sarah Marshall is the Director of Sustainability at CPIA member company NOVA Chemicals and is responsible for leading cross-functional efforts to achieve the company’s long-term vision for sustainability. She is a strong advocate for a plastics circular economy, working with supply chain partners, customers, government officials, industry associations and others to help create innovative solutions for plastics recycling and recovery.
• Dave Schwass is Senior Advisor of CPIA member firm NOVA Chemicals and President of Alberta Plastics Recycling Association. As Sr. Advisor – Environment, Dave provides environmental leadership, support and representation across NOVA Chemicals and to the industry associations representing chemical and plastics manufacturing and research in North America.
• Joe Hruska is Vice President of Sustainability for CPIA where he leads the development and execution of the Canadian Plastics Industry’s sustainability, advocacy, and partnership programs to promote solutions that increase the recycling and recovery of plastics at their end-of-life and reduce marine litter.

Six recipients of CPIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award were recognized for making outstanding achievements and contributing enduring legacies to the Canadian plastics industry and to the community at large:

• Dan Falla is the Senior Technical Service Specialist in films at CPIA member firm Shell Polymers.  Dan has spent more than 30 years in the polymer industry and was most recently with NOVA Chemicals in product development and food packaging.
• Blair Fraser has spent more than 39 years in the polyethylene industry and presently is the VP Manufacturing for CPIA member company Hymopack Ltd., managing day-to-day activity, overseeing expansions and supporting diversification into new markets.
• John Lefas founded CPIA member company, Ingenia Polymers in 1986 after working for the Polymers Department of Imperial Oil’s Chemicals Division.
• Philip Latchman is President of CPIA member firm CCC Plastics and has been an active member of the plastics industry for over 20 years, serving five years on the Executive Board of CPIA’s Plastics Film Manufacturers Association of Canada.
• Manfred Lupke established CPIA member company Corma Inc. He is the driving force of the company and is still developing new technologies. Under his leadership, Corma has become an industry leader in its field of corrugated plastic pipe machinery.
• Edward Wilanowski has spent more than 40 years in the industry. He joined CPIA member Layfield Group in 2006 and spent the remainder of his career with them, working on the engineering and operations side of their businesses.

CPIA would like to congratulate all the award winners and commend them for their contributions to the plastics industry.

The awards were presented at CPIA’s Plastics Industry Leadership Awards Dinner Celebration on Oct. 2, 2019 in Vaughan, Ontario.

Click here for awards criteria.