Presenter, Jay Downey
Product Management Sun ChemicalResponsible for Adhesives and Coatings for Flexible Packaging
1990 UW-Stevens Point Graduate B.S. Degree in Elementary Education
2005 UW-Superior Graduate B.S. Degree in Business Administration
Jay Downey, of Sun Chemicals, has 35+ years of experience in the printing and converting industry. He is an industry application expert for flexible packaging who has managed the Technical Department for one of the largest flexible packaging converters in North America.
He is a Certified ISO 14001 auditor and experienced leader in Six Sigma and Lean Methodology. Jay currently sits on the academic advisory board for UW-Stevens Point’s Paper Science and Chemical Engineering department.
Roles Served: operating manufacturing equipment, managing a Technical Department for one of the largest flexible packaging converters in North America, responsible for operations for a start-up digital flexible packaging platform which included the first commercial install in North America of the HP 20000 press and developed and managed a sales team in North America generating sales and growth in paper and flexible packaging. Viewed as an industry application expert for flexible packaging.
Experience Includes: Digital Print, pouch making, digital print laminations, cold seal application in natural rubber and synthetic, inline processing of water base and solvent base adhesive applications with cold seal, water base ink technology, solventless adhesive/water base ink laminations, reseal cold seal applications, barrier coating technology and quality assurance test procedures for cold seal drying and retained moisture, growing and developing a sales team in North America for the paper and flexible packaging markets.
Association Roles Served: Served as a member of the Flexographic Technical Association Wide Web Leadership Council, served as co-chair of the Sustainable Green Printing Committee, served on executive board of the Sustainable Green Partnership as vice chair of the certified printers of SGP. Certified ISO 14001 auditor and experienced leader in Six Sigma and Lean Methodology. Currently sits on the academic advisory board for UW-Stevens Point’s Paper Science and Chemical Engineering department.
Presenter, Paul Fowler
Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable TechnologyUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Paul Fowler has nearly 30 years of experience working at the interface of business and academia in the United Kingdom and the United States, translating the best of academic research into actionable outcomes for companies in the pulp, paper, bio-based plastics and packaging industries. He is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he leads laboratories dedicated to compostability testing, pulp and paper research and development as well as analytical testing.
With a keen eye to detail and a PhD in organic chemistry, Fowler guides WIST to provide technical excellence, exemplary customer service and world-class results. Fowler speaks regularly at conferences addressing matters of sustainability, paper and paper-based packaging, bio-based plastics, compostability and recyclability.
