Please meet the nominees for the 2009 NWPCA Board of Directors
(Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.)
To hear the audio link to their answers, please click on the candidates' names (located above the photographs).
Industry Candidates
Reggie Ash I am asking for your vote to be elected to the board of directors because I have a love for the pallet industry, in particular the NWPCA. I believe because of the times that we are in right now we need a very proactive board.  

I started in the pallet business in 1987; prior to that I was in the whole sale meat business doing 25 million dollars a year. I have been instrumental in putting together American Paltech, one of the strongest pallet groups in the Midwest. I am a person with a lot of energy that will work tirelessly for all of the members of the NWPCA to get things done. I am forward thinking and believe firmly that we as a white wood group must work together to secure our role in the pallet industry. I believe that PIMS is needed, it may not happen this year but we must keep working on it. As single companies, it will only get more difficult to compete with the big three or four. However as a strong group of NWPCA members working together, we can compete with any organizations.
Mike Hachtman Mike Hachtman currently serves as Senior Vice President of Business Development for IFCO SYSTEMS N.A., Inc. In his current position, Hachtman is responsible for all aspects of business development, national sales, industry development, and serves as company spokesman. Hachtman has been in the pallet industry since 1997 when he joined Fraser Industries, one of the original PalEx companies, and has held several positions within PalEx and IFCO.  

In addition to his duties at IFCO, Hachtman was appointed Chairman of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission by Governor Rick Perry in 2004. Hachtman served two years in this position and has also held several positions within Texas state government, including Chief of Staff for the Texas Railroad Commission. In this position, he was responsible for the general management of the agency’s 1,000 employees regulating the transportation, oil and gas industries.   
Hachtman has used his unique background and interests to actively serve on the NWPCA Industry Marketing and Government Affairs Committee for over three years. He has been dynamically involved in several issues including environmental sustainability and immigration. Hachtman believes that regardless of a pallet company’s size or business focus, they are more alike than they are different. The wooden pallet industry must find common ground to combat increasing threats we all face - especially during these difficult economic times.

Hachtman has two Bachelor of Science degrees from Texas A&M University. He, his wife Anne and their three sons reside in Houston, Texas.
Larry Konz

Larry Konz is a 30-year veteran of the pallet industry. He is currently the CEO of Konz Wood Products, a pallet manufacturing company and sawmill in Appleton, Wis., with a total of 80 employees. The company spans four generations and celebrated 100 years of woodworking in 2005.  

Konz Wood Products has been a member of NWPCA since 1990. Larry has served on the Industry Marketing & Government Affairs Committee (formerly the Trade Promotion Committee) for the last four years and has helped to promote the use of quality wood products. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Pallet Foundation and  served on the NWPCA Board from 2004-2006.
Al Longman Al Longman has been in the recycled pallet industry for over 20 years, and now is the owner and president of Pallet Central Enterprises, Inc., which was founded in 2003.

Prior to Pallet Central Enterprises, Inc., he owned Sunstate Pallets, which he later sold to Bromley, and stayed on as the national sales director at their request. When Bromley merged with IFCO, Al maintained his position until his departure for Pallet Consultants. Al was vital in Pallet Consultants’ expansion in the southeast region until he decided to join forces with his spouse, Su So-Longman, and refocus on the growth of Pallet Central Enterprises, Inc.

Al has been an active member of NWPCA since the inception of Pallet Central Enterprises, Inc., and currently serves on the Recyclers Council Executive Committee. Al is also working with the “Recycled Pallet Grade Group” to help develop new standards for used pallets for our industry.
In his effort to give back to the community, he is also active with Georgia Transplant Foundation of Atlanta, where he currently resides; the Latin American Association as a sponsor for their youth education program; Meals on Wheels for Senior Citizens; and annual fund raising for Shepherd Spinal Center.
Steve Mazza A 15-year member of NWPCA, I am the president of S&B Pallet Co., Inc. in Plainfield, N.J. S&B is a leading supplier of new, repaired, standard, and custom shipping pallets.

I am the National Director of Bett-A-Way Pallet Systems; a member of the NWPCA; and a pioneer in the nationwide whitewood pallet management arena. Along with Bett-A-Way Traffic Systems, a U.S. leader in third party logistic services.  

I’ve served two terms on Board of Directors, 2001-2003 and 2005-2007. I have been on the Recyclers Council Executive Committee for the past 12 years, in addition, I have served as Chairman of the committee from 2001-2007. I have been a regular participant of the association’s Federal Legislative Day in Washington, acting as a promoter and speaker for issues pertaining to the wood packaging industry.

I am an advocate who has progressively developed and exercised a business model that moves white wood pallets through the supply chain on a cost-per-trip basis to both fellow industry members and end user industry groups, such as the Grocery Manufacturers Association.  

I would like the opportunity to use my experience and knowledge of whitewood pallet management systems and logistics to aggressively pursue our association’s Harness the Power Initiative, which includes the PIMS business model (Pallet Industry Management System), part of NWPCA’s 2009 business plan.  

The NWPCA is the industry’s best tool in meeting the challenges of the future and communicating the benefits of wood packaging materials to other industry groups whose members use those products. I also see the NWPCA as the best source for education and, more importantly, networking opportunities.
James S. (Jim) Schwab I am honored to be nominated to the Board of Directors for the NWPCA. The NWPCA has been essential to me as a new business owner in a dynamic industry. The information, the people, and the network, have all been extremely helpful to our success. I view service as a Director as an opportunity to represent and serve the people who have helped me along the way.

Since joining the industry, I have actively participated in virtually all NWPCA events, and have had a chance to speak at an ALC, contribute to Pallet Central, and serve on several committees, including the Research Committee for the past two years, with particular emphasis on helping refocus the committee on addressing the sustainability agenda.

“Where there is adversity, there is opportunity.” I think these are critical but exciting times for the industry. We all know the issues we have been addressing at recent conferences, not the lease of which is PIMS. Given the current economic environment, increased industry

competition (and choice, as well as a political sea change), we need leadership at the board level that combines deep industry experience with some outside perspective. I think I can help in that regard. My background is diverse. For the past four years, I have served as  President of Pallet Logistics of America, headquartered in Irving, Texas. My business partner, Robert Sullivan, and I purchased the business from Jim Crowe, himself a former NWPCA Director.  Prior to the pallet business, I headed the North American wireless data applications development group within Ericsson, AB; was the head of logistics and later operations for Paging Network, Inc.; and spent four years as a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. I began my career as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. I am a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. and have an MBA from Harvard. I am married and have three children.

I believe that my current position coupled with my background can help to lead our industry through these challenging times. I would proudly serve if given the opportunity.
Patrick Sherry I believe that there are going to be some major changes in the pallet industry in the near future. Major grocery pallet receivers are pressing for a move away from stringer pallets to block pallets. Our industry needs to help guide this process in order to remain viable. I also believe that international factors beyond ISPM 15 are important for our industry to be aware of. In the past we have been very near-sighted as to our position in the world.  

My recent travels to Europe, in conjunction with FEFPEB annual meetings, has given me an insight on the global pallet industry. The European industry is far advanced beyond our own in their processes and environmental stances. We need to understand international pallet industry and logistic processes and integrate those things that will work for, and enhance, the U.S. industry.
Having served as a Board Member for the NWPCA, I had the great honor to serve as its Chair. I have also been a member of the Industry Marketing and Government Affairs Committee (formerly the Trade Promotion Committee) for the last 12 years. Among other positions, I have also served three terms as President of the Western Pallet Association.

I have worked for NEPA Pallet & Container Co., Inc. of Snohomish Wash. for the last 21 years. NEPA is a proud member of the NWPCA, WPA and CWPCA.  

I earned my bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington’s School of Forestry in Wood Products Business and Marketing. Meetings with international counterparts have given me a broader perspective on our industry’s potential, and my experience in the day-to-day management of a pallet company provides the determination to seek practical solutions that can be applied in flexible, workable ways to enhance our individual companies.

I would like the opportunity to once again serve this industry as a member of the NWPCA’s Board of Directors.

Michael L. Smith  Michael Smith is President of PALNET and currently serves as the Chairman of the Research Committee. He has more than 18 years of senior-level management experience with some of the country’s top privately held organizations. His experience ranges from manufacturing and engineering to distribution and logistics to strategic business development, growth strategy implementation and corporate responsibility. He brings a rare combination of leadership, business acumen and creativity.  

Michael lives with his wife and four children in Southern New Jersey. He is actively involved in the community and its many civic and nonprofit institutions where he serves as a board member, including Peter’s Pantry a local food bank and shelter, Boy Scouts of America and Little League baseball. His academic credentials include a B.S. in Business - Management from the University of Phoenix and APICS holding both CPIM and CIRM certifications.
Shane Thompson My name is Shane Thompson and I am the Pallet Division President of WestWind Logistics, a mid-sized pallet and logistics company in the Midwest. I have been in the pallet business since the mid-1990’s, and love the day to day challenges of the industry. What other industry could survive with their goods being sold at the same or lower price for the last 15 years. We are all creative, efficient, and maybe a little crazy.

I graduated Iowa State University, with a degree in Transportation Logistics in the spring of 1995. In the summer of 1995, I was hired to conduct a time motion study on a small pallet company in Des Moines, IA called Andrew Pallet. Upon completion of the study, I was hired as the assistant manager of the facility, mainly to implement my prescribed recommendations.    
Since that time, Andrew Pallet and myself have grown. Andrew Pallet, through a series of buy-outs and acquisitions has become WestWind Logistics, and I have become the Pallet Division President. I have continued my education in and out of the classroom. I have completed IT courses at Simpson and Drake Universities, and religiously attend all NWPCA events and meetings. I think all will agree, we can all learn from each other----and have!

The pallet industry is at a crossroad with the push towards the block pallet. We can either take our industry back with a vengeance, or it will slowly wither away. Our respective companies have been providing the logistics backbone for the entire industry (whitewood and rental) for years, why not capitalize on that knowledge. Thank you for consideration.

International Candidate

John Dye

 I have been involved in the Sawmilling and Pallet industry since I started working for my father’s firm in 1983. I spent eight years managing the sawmill and then moved to his pallet company. I am currently employed in the position of Business Development Manager by Marlaw Pallet Services Ltd who are part of the Scott Timber Group. Scott Timber is one of the largest, if not the largest, pallet and packaging companies in Europe and are by far the largest in the UK. The Group manufactures new pallets, approximately 25 million per annum, and also handles in the range of 15 million reconditioned pallets per annum through its 30 sites around the UK.

I am the currently in my fourth year as President of the UK Timber Pallet and Packaging Confederation (TIMCON) a body I have been involved with for many years having been Treasurer and Vice President before becoming President, I also sit on the UK Wood Marking

Scheme and in my role of TIMCON President I represent the UK at the European Federation Of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB) Technical committee meetings.