Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1482881
8 PalletCentral • September-October 2022 palletcentral.com NWPCA Welcomes Becca Fuhrken to the Team W e are thrilled to welcome Becca Fuhrken (FUR-kin) to NWPCA. Her role as Member Services Database Specialist allows her to work directly with our members, so please give her a warm welcome. Becca joined the NWPCA team in late August, and with her diverse work experience, from trade associations to conservation charities, she brings a fresh perspective to her role. "I hope to use my data management and analysis expertise to serve our members," she said. "I've loved my time with NWPCA so far; the staff has been immensely welcoming, and I'm glad to be a part of the team." Outside work, Becca enjoys creating art, spending time with her fiancée, and traveling. She can be reached directly at bfuhrken@palletcentral.com. Global Wood Packaging Forum Meeting & FEFPEB in Italy T he Global Wood Packaging Forum consists of wood packaging association staff and leaders from organizations around the world. NWPCA facilitates the bi-monthly Zoom meetings. Most recently, a delegation from NWPCA, led by NWPCA Board Chair Carolyn Beach, participated in a robust in-person meeting before the Federation Europeenne des Fabricants de Palettes et Emballages en Bois (FEFPEB) conference in Florence, Italy. Joining Carolyn in the NWPCA delegation was Executive Committee member Hinton Howell, past Board Chair Jordan Piland, NWPCA President and CEO Brent McClendon, and Vice President of Science and Technology, Dr. Brad Gething. e meeting addressed many issues of mutual interest. ISPM 15 standards and compliance efforts, environmental messaging, and global opportunities from increased government and end-user focus on carbon neutrality were common areas of interest. e Forum continues to work closely together to advance shared global goals. e FEFPEB conference was packed with more than 250 people. e program was full of timely presentations on wood packaging's position in the circular economy, sustainability, and global business trends and projections. ere were also factory tours of new and recycled pallet manufacturers, Pallets Bertini, Mo. Vi. Imballaggi and Toscana Pallets. We were quite appreciative that more than twenty NWPCA members attended the event. INSIDENWPCA NWPCA Announcements and Upcoming Events Where's the Pallet? B e one of the first five to respond with the correct answer, and we'll send you a $10 Starbucks card. All you have to do is find the pallet (NWPCA logo) image inside this edition. Drop an email to aferri@palletcentral.com with the number on the image and which story inside this edition was your favorite. That's it! We'll share our winners in the next edition. Thanks to last month's winners who found the pallet image labeled "0417" on page 9, hiding in a plant visit photo: Carol Ann Hartness, Dakota Packaging Solutions, Marlin Kauffman, Pennyrile Pallets, Konner Morgan, Pro Pallet and Joe Movic, Pallet Alliance. The story on "OSHA: Heat Stress Prevention" was the favorite. Gething Presents at Multiple Global Events for NWPCA D r. Brad Gething spoke worldwide throughout September on behalf of the industry. During the International Forestry Quarantine Research Group (IFQRG) virtual meeting and the Western Pallet Foundation webinar, he demonstrated the carbon reduction benefits in our sector. e presentations explored the challenges and opportunities emerging for the wood packaging industry as the world becomes more carbon conscious. For Mexico Wood Packaging Conference, Brad presented the rich history of PDS development and highlighted key features while providing insights into future releases of PDS. Attendees showed a great interest in PDS features for unit load analysis of corrugated boxes and sheet goods. NWPCA continues to engage various organizations to advocate using wood packaging in global trade. Brad spoke to the Continental Dialogue on Non-Native Forest Insects & Diseases in Baltimore. e presentation focused on the core principles of ISPM 15 and how the program's success can reduce risk while exploring opportunities to improve compliance.