Jon Kalin, Sales and Marketing Manager for Rehrig Pacific
Chairman of the Board, RPA
Jon Kalin has been with Rehrig Pacific for more than 20 years.  Rehrig Pacific is a world leading plastic pallet and container manufacturer serving the agriculture, bakery, beverage, dairy and materials handling industries. In addition, it has been a roll-out cart, recycling bin and commercial container manufacturer serving the waste and recycling collection industry since the 1980s.

Mr. Kalin began his career at Rehrig Pacific Company as a Plant Engineer in Los Angeles in 1988.  His extensive career includes Plant Manager for Rehrig’s Raymond, New Hampshire facility, followed by a position as Design Engineer, and Design Engineering Manager in Rehrig’s Los Angeles, CA operation.  In 1995, Mr. Kalin joined the sales force first as the Food and Beverage representative in Los Angeles and then as European Sales Manager, living in Brussels, Belgium.  In 1998, he became the first Division Manager at Rehrig’s newly opened Tracy, CA facility where his responsibilities included opening the plant and hiring the staff.  As a result of the tremendous growth in the Returnable Plastic Carte (RPC) business, Mr. Kalin oversaw a 50,000-sq. ft. expansion of the Tracy facility.  Mr. Kalin became the business development manager for Rehrig Pacific’s Agriculture business group and now runs the Agriculture group.  He holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.

Drew Merrill, VP of Business Development & Strategic Planning, Container and Pooling Solutions, Inc. (CAPS)
Vice Chairman, RPA
Drew Merrill is vice president of Business Development & Strategic Planning for CAPS.  He is responsible for all of CAPS’ sales and marketing activities and has been an officer of the company since 2004. Since joining the company in 2003, Mr. Merrill’s solutions-based and client-centric approach has increased CAPS’ revenue by 73% while maintaining a 96% customer retention rate. The Container and Pooling Solutions, Inc. (CAPS) is one of North America’s premier choices for renting and pooling liquid and dry containers for automotive, food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical and other industrial applications. CAPS has spent the past 10 years supporting some of the biggest and most progressive companies in their quest to ‘green’ their supply chains while reducing their overall packaging costs. 

Prior to joining CAPS, Mr. Merrill successfully managed sales teams for services and high-technology companies including Productivity Point International and Synapsis Solutions. In addition, he was co-founder and CEO of a high-tech e-Learning services firm that grew to $4M in three years.  Mr. Merrill has a B.A. from Northwestern University.

John Frey, President, TOSCA Limited
Secretary/Treasurer RPA
John Frey is the President of Tosca Limited.  Tosca manages and services returnable packaging for its customers in various industries.  Tosca began owning pools of containers in the mid 1990s and provides a full range of services throughout the U.S.  Prior to taking over Tosca in 1990 with his business partner, Mr. Frey worked seven years for Wipfli & Ullrich, a regional CPA firm in the Midwest.  He specialized in business consulting and audits for manufacturing and construction clients.  Mr. Frey has a B.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Jerry Welcome, President and CEO, Reusable Packaging Association
Ex Officio Member of the Executive Committee
Jerry Welcome has 16 plus years senior-level association management experience including President, COO, of the International Fresh-cut Produce Association (IFPA), Executive Vice President for the United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA), and Vice President of the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI).  He also has 13 years of combined legislative experience, including six years as senior lobbyist for the American Meat Institute (AMI); and eight years Capitol Hill experience, including six and a half years as senior legislative analyst with the House Committee on Agriculture and Floor Assistant to House Speaker Thomas P. O’Neill.

Bob Klimko, Director of General Industrial Marketing, ORBIS
Immediate Past Chairman of the Board, Ex Officio Member of the Executive Committee
Bob Klimko is Director of General Industrial Marketing for ORBIS.  From 1989 to 2001, Mr. Klimko worked at ORBIS Corporation in various roles including Director of Business Development, Menasha Services, Director of Marketing, Director of Corporate Strategy and Product Manager.  These roles provided Mr. Klimko with tremendous exposure to multiple industries in the reusable packaging market in both the industrial/assembly manufacturing industries as well as the perishable foods business (meat, poultry, produce, floral).  He then joined Norseman Plastics, a provider of reusable packaging for multiple industries including beverage, bakery, food perishables, food, dry goods and others.  In 2008, ORBIS acquired Norseman Plastics and Mr. Klimko once again joined forces with ORBIS.

Prior to working at Norseman, Mr. Klimko was the Director of Marketing & New Business Development for Wilbert Plastics, the world’s largest heavy gauge thermoformer and provider of custom plastic solutions. Mr. Klimko’s former association leadership roles include Vice Chair of the Material Handling Industry of America’s Reusable Plastic Container & Pallet Association, and co-chair of the Council of Logistics Management Reverse Logistics Committee.

Mr. Klimko has an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and an MBA in marketing and personnel management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Board Directors

Mike Hachtman is Senior Vice President of Business Development for IFCO SYSTEMS N.A., Inc.
IFCO is the leading provider of logistical solutions for pallet management, custom crating and RPC management systems.  In his current position, Mr. Hachtman is responsible for all aspects of business development, national sales, industry development, and serves as company spokesman.  Mr. Hachtman has been in the pallet industry since 1997 when he joined Fraser Industries, one of the original PalEx companies, before the ultimate merger of PalEx and IFCO in 2000.  He has held several management positions within PalEx and IFCO.  Mr. Hachtman has two B. S. degrees from Texas A&M University. 

Robert Zachrich, Vice President Sales and Marketing, The Fabri-Form Company
Rob Zachrich recently joined Fabri-Form as Vice President Sales and Marketing to lead the company’s sales and marketing effort.  Prior to joining Fabri-Form, Mr. Zachrich held several senior level sales and marketing positions for MACtac including the position of GM of Six Sigma for MACtac’s adhesives business.  His career also included Manager of Product Marketing for GE's Switchgear business, Industrial Systems division.  Mr. Zachrich is a General Electric certified Six Sigma Black Belt and retired Captain, U.S. Marine Corp.

Robert Engle, President of North American Operations, Schoeller Arca Systems
Robert Engle brings 20+ years of operations, manufacturing and supply chain experience within various industries, managing both domestic and international manufacturing operations and distribution centers within the food, chemicals, plastic and electronics industries.  He is the President of North American operations for Schoeller Arca Systems, a large global reusable plastic pallet and container manufacturing company.  Previously, Mr. Engle held positions as the Vice President of Supply Chain for Dole Food Company, one of the world’s leading suppliers of fruits and vegetables, and was the North American Director of Supply Chain for Storck, a $1.5 billion dollar German candy manufacturer. 

Mr. Engle has worked on several consulting engagements including the design and construction of one of China's first FDA cold storage and meat cutting facilities. He also has owned and operated several successful businesses including a food brokerage operation, restaurants and several multi-million dollar internet companies.  He sits on several committees for the AFDO, an FDA advisory panel.

Pete Budney, Vice President of Marketing, ORBIS Corporation
ORBIS Corporation helps world-class companies move their product faster, better, safer and more cost-effectively. It is a privately-held company and a leader in reusable packaging. As vice president of marketing for ORBIS, Mr. Budney is responsible for all aspects of ORBIS' marketing strategy including new product development, emerging market development and core market growth across ORBIS' portfolio of businesses.  Prior to joining ORBIS, Mr. Budney was Product Marketing and Development Manager at Brady Corporation.  He also spent 11 years in the Automotive Systems Group of Johnson Controls. Mr. Budney holds a Bachelor’s degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI.

Phil Davis, Senior Perishables Supply Chain Manager, The Kroger Company
Phil Davis is Senior Perishables Supply Chain Manager for The Kroger Company.  Mr. Davis’ career with The Kroger Company has spanned more than 37 years. He began as a stock clerk and advanced through various positions in Produce Procurement and Merchandising, Floral Distribution, Perishable Freight Management, and Perishable Supply Chain Management. Mr. Davis spearheaded the internal project conversion by Kroger to adapt a reusable packaging system for many of their commodities.  He has been a key advisor to the RPA’s RPC Label Standardization: Guidelines & Best Practices Task Force and also served as an advisor to the RPA Asset Recovery Committee.

Eric Frank, General Manager, Georgia-Pacific RPC LLC
Eric Frank has nine years of experience in the reusable produce container (RPC) industry. Currently, he is general manager for Georgia Pacific’s RPC line of business. Prior to joining Georgia Pacific, Mr. Frank worked at Rehrig Pacific for three years in the company’s material handling/RPC division. Also, Mr. Frank has served as the RPA chairman for the California Standards Committee, and as the RPA’s chair for the Label Standardization Committee. He has also served on RPA’s board for three years as director.

Chris MacGrory, Market Manager, Reusable Packaging Containers, IPL Products Ltd.
Chris MacGrory has dedicated the last eight years of his career to reorienting a $240 million dollar injection molding company whose sales were dominated by single-use packaging to reinvest in reusable packaging developments to facilitate growth within the organization.  It is his personal business mantra that the product or service that a company supplies is its icon. A company’s values, capabilities, strengths and weaknesses only exist if they are reflected in what it offers. Guided by his mantra, Mr. MacGrory works with vigor and discipline to create iconic products that meet the social, economic and environmental needs of the market.

Lewis Taffer, Chief Marketing Officer, iGPS Company
Lewis Taffer has spent over two decades in marketing, business development and general management, building new businesses and growing existing enterprises.  He is currently Chief Marketing Officer of iGPS Company, LLC, operator of the world’s first pallet rental service providing all-plastic pallets with embedded RFID tags.  He also serves as an operating advisor to Pegasus Capital Advisors, a New York-based private equity firm.

The bulk of Mr. Taffer’s career was spent at American Express Company, in a series of management positions of increasing responsibility over 22 years. Before joining American Express, Mr. Taffer served as Assistant Counsel to the Senate Banking Committee in Washington, where he authored several important federal statutes, including the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.  He is an attorney by training, and spent his first four years as a legal aid lawyer in Pittsburgh. Mr. Taffer received a BA from the University of Pittsburgh, and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School. 

Jim Vangelos, President and CEO, Polymer Logistics U.S. Business
Jim Vangelos is President and CEO of the Polymer Logistics U.S. business.  Polymer Logistics is a leader in one-touch, retail-ready reusable packaging. Mr. Vangelos has been leading the start up U.S. business since mid-2006.  Prior to Polymer Logistics, Mr. Vangelos was President and CEO of ORBIS Container Services.  This reusable plastic container (RPC) business was launched as Hays Container Services in 2001 and Mr. Vangelos drove the introduction of the Hays RPC business during its formative years.  He also was involved in the transition of the business from Hays to ORBIS ownership that occurred in late 2004.  Prior to ORBIS Container Services, Mr. Vangelos was employed by CHEP USA as the Vice President of the Wal*Mart team and the produce business.  He participated in CHEP’s entry into the produce industry with both pallets and RPCs.  Mr. Vangelos also has prior senior management experience at Del Monte Foods and Hansen Beverage Company.  He is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA and has an MBA from Willamette University in Salem, OR. 

Tim Smith, Vice President, Sales, CHEP USA
Tim Smith is Vice President, Sales for CHEP USA.  CHEP is the global leader in pallet and container pooling services, serving many of the world’s largest companies.  In his position, Mr. Smith is responsible for leading the growth of new business for CHEP across the United States.

Mr. Smith has been with CHEP since 1999.  Prior to his role as Vice President, he was Director, New Business Development and Sales Manager, New Business Development.  He was previously a District Sales Manager for Hershey Foods.  Mr. Smith has a BA from St. Lawrence University and an MBA from Stetson University.

RPA Committee Chairmen

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Robert Zachrich, Vice President Sales and Marketing, The Fabri-Form Company

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Pete Budney, Vice President of Marketing, ORBIS Corporation

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Bob Klimko, Director of General Industrial Marketing, ORBIS

MEMBERSHIP END-USER COMMITTEE

Phil Davis, Senior Perishables Supply Chain Manager, The Kroger Company

Lyle Schmitt, Manager, Worldwide Logistics Quality, John Deere & Company
Lyle Schmitt has been with John Deere for 35 years. During his tenure at John Deere, he has served in various capacities – as a mechanical engineer; a construction engineer; and as an environmental engineer. He has also played a significant role in energy management and strategic planning. During the last eight years, his career has focused on Logistics, Quality & Packaging.  Mr. Schmitt is responsible for specifying returnable packaging for raw material purchased by John Deere factories and for ensuring that finished products are not damaged during transit. He has a degree in Agricultural Engineering from Iowa State University.

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Tim Debus, Director, New Business Development, IFCO Reusable Plastic Container (RPC) Management Services
Tim Debus serves as Director, New Business Development for IFCO’s Reusable Plastic Container (RPC) Management Services, where he works to expand the application and performance of IFCO RPCs.  Mr. Debus leads the company’s research and development initiatives to bring to market innovative product concepts and supply chain solutions.  IFCO is the global leader in managing RPC pools to deliver superior quality products, generate efficiencies in supply chains and reduce the environmental impact of transport packaging.

Prior to joining IFCO, Mr. Debus was the Executive Director of the International Banana Association (IBA).  The IBA advanced the common interests of the banana industry before government, media, trade and public audiences and provided a forum for its members to discuss common and technical issues pertaining to banana production, distribution and marketing.

Before becoming a professional banana advocate, Mr. Debus worked in government and regulatory affairs for companies in the agricultural biotechnology industry, including Eco Soil Systems and Mycogen Corporation.  At these companies, he was responsible for product registration and regulatory compliance activities for biopesticides and plant biotechnology products.

Mr. Debus achieved a Master’s Degree in political management from The George Washington University.  He received his Bachelor’s degree in political science and a certificate in public and environmental affairs from Indiana University.