This annual IoPP conference, taking place August 19-20, at the Four Points Sheraton Chicago O'Hare, is focused on expanding and developing leadership skills to help packaging professionals in their careers as well as within the Institute. Full agenda includes IoPP program updates, chartered unit updates for Chapters and Technical Committees, education programs, leadership best practices, best usage of social media, innovations in package design, and more. The conference includes IoPP's Honors & Awards reception on the evening of August 19 and a tour of Frain Industries new facilities on August 20.

In February, IoPP-U.S. signed an agreement with IoPP-Kenya to license its new Fundamentals of Packaging Technology online course and make the comprehensive packaging training program available to IoPP members in Kenya, as well as other countries in the region. IoPP-Kenya is pleased to announce that 11 students are currently in the process of completing the program. Joseph Nyongesa, President, IoPP-Kenya, stated how vital the program is globally and demographically."This program will go a long way in uplifting packaging standards in Kenya," said Mr. Nyongesa." I am also proud to announce that 40% of the participants were women. Empowering women is a major priority in Kenya, the UN, and around the world. I am positive that this will inspire and encourage other sponsors to participate in this program."

Since its inception last summer, IoPP's Fundamentals of Packaging Technology online course already has trained packaging professionals in 20 countries-from Canada to Japan to Belgium to India. Not only have they learned the broad basics of the different packaging segments, but they've picked up packaging insights that can help their products perform better in the marketplace. Professionally, they have gained knowledge that helps them contribute to the bottom line and advance their career. Says a participating packaging engineer at a gourmet foods company: "IoPP's online training site is easy and convenient to use. The flexibility of being able to pause and replay course content is a great benefit because it allows you to gain a better understanding of the material. I learned the science behind packaging. This is helping me to make better package design decisions and reduce packaging costs for our company." Let us help you grow-the flexibility of taking Fundamentals online gives you the freedom to learn anywhere, anytime!

Join IoPP for a webinar on August 14 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. CST as we welcome Liam Hawry, Director of Structural Package Design, Studio One Eleven (a division of Berlin Packaging). In his presentation, "Understanding Design," Hawry will dissect the fundamentals of a good design process and provide relevant design success stories and failures. His presentation will be of particular value for packaging engineers, but also will contain plenty of need-to-knows for marketing, operations and design professionals.

IoPP's Fundamentals of Packaging Technology helps you succeed in the complex world of packaging. If you don't have a packaging degree or if you need more knowledge to deliver solutions drawn from an increasingly number of options, the Fundamentals course helps span the gap. It teaches you about every major segment of packaging, and you grow professionally. Fundamentals in Baltimore is taking place starting September 16 at the Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites.