LETTER FROM THE IOPP BOARD CHAIR
IoPP has adapted well to serve you during the pandemic Wow! What a year. Last year when I penned this letter we had just started lock down and feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you had asked me whether it would have lasted this long, naively I would have said no. I just didn’t see how the world could stop. In fact, the world didn’t really stop; people, products, organizations, and companies big and small, adapted and moved forward. I’m happy to report IoPP is one of those organizations that survived and actually thrived by providing great resources to the packaging community. In my second year as Board Chair, we looked at how IoPP could leverage the assets and offerings we had in our arsenal, as well as what else we could do to add value. Since many people found themselves pausing for a while, they took advantage of our online Fundamentals of Packaging Technology course and obtained their CPP (Certified Packaging Professional) designation. In addition, we offered 11 webinars where attendance was up twofold over 2019. Chapters and National found ways to connect virtually by having meetings and happy hour chat sessions and utilizing the PackChat app. We, of course, participated in PMMI’s PACK EXPO Connects virtual trade show last fall and hope to see many of you in person at the next PACK EXPO this fall in Las Vegas. This past year we launched a member referral program, where any member can earn points to upgrade or redeem for a full year of membership if someone newly joins and mentions them in the “How did you learn about IoPP?” field on the membership application. So, if you aren’t a member of IoPP, I encourage you to join us and be sure to name who referred you. We will continue to look for ways to engage the packaging community, extend our reach and drive the Institute forward. Once again, I am pleased to share the results of the IoPP 2021 Salary Survey.
Respectfully,
Rebecca Lane Oesterle, CPPL Chair, Institute of Packaging Professionals
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