TAPPI’s PLACE division honored two outstanding members during the 2010 PLACE Conference in Albuquerque, NM, held April 18-21. The following awards were presented during the conference:

Beth Foederer (Wells), principal engineer for Optex Process Solutions LLC, Fulton, NY, received the PLACE Division Technical Award and the Rohm and Haas Prize of $1,000. This award recognizes outstanding accomplishments or contributions that have advanced the industry’s technology. Foederer has been in the converting industry for 21 years. A three-time Academic All-American, Foederer graduated from Syracuse University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and she earned a master’s degree in manufacturing engineering in 1995. She is a licensed professional engineer in the State of New York.

Foederer worked for the Black Clawson Converting Systems division of Davis Standard LLC for more than 18 years. She currently works as a principal engineer for Optex Process Solutions doing consulting work for the plastics industry.

Foederer has been a member of TAPPI for 13 years and served as an Extrusion Coating Committee officer for five years. She has also been an officer for the PLACE Technical Program for four years. She was an instructor for six TAPPI Extrusion Coating Short Courses and has presented many papers for PLACE.

Bruce W. Foster, technical sales manager at Mica Corp., Shelton, CT, received the PLACE Division Leadership and Service Award and the Andreas Ahlbrandt Prize of $1,000. The award recognizes an individual for outstanding leadership and exceptional service to the Division. Foster received his bachelor of science and master of science degrees in chemistry from Texas A&M University.

Foster worked at Eastman Chemical as a polymer scientist in extrusion coating product development and technical service for 18 years. He has served in his current position at Mica Corp. for 10 years.

Foster holds a number of patents involving polyolefin compositions and/or processes for using them. He has authored papers dealing with the study of biological macromolecules featured inBiophysical JournalandBiochemistry. Foster has also published several articles dealing with new adhesives, methods for studying them, and a rheological method for measuring MWD of polymers inTAPPI JOURNALandAdhesives Age.

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