James M. Figaniak

Jim Figaniak holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Inorganic Chemistry from Drexel University, earned in 1990. He has extensive professional experience, including serving as Vice President of Americhem Engineered Compounds since 2014, and previously as President of LTL Color Compounders, Inc., and Dongguan LTL Color Compounders, from 1990 to 2015. Residing in the Philadelphia area, he is married with two children and two grandchildren. Committed to education, he actively contributes to two school boards, focusing on supporting disadvantaged youth and groups.

Margie Hanna

Margie Hanna is the Vice President of Business Development for CEI, a product development consulting firm. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois, Chicago and has more than 30 years of experience in education, sales and marketing roles.

She has served the Medical Plastics Division as Councilor for more than six years and on the technical programming committee by assisting with the MDM programming as well as n the last three MiniTecs. Ms. Hanna also served as MPD's Social Chair, coordinating new member recruitment efforts by arranging the MPD's receptions at several ANTECs. She has served on the Student Activities Committee, judged the student posters sessions and contributed on the Communications Committee. Currently, Ms. Hanna is a member of the MPD Finance Committee and the Assistant to the Treasurer of the EMPD.

Mark Lavach

Mark Lavach is employed by Arkema Inc. where he oversees its North American Analytical and Systems Research Group. Prior to joining the analytical team, he was responsible for Arkema’s North American PVC Additives technology development including R&D, process development and technical support involving stabilizer, impact modifier, and process aid products for the rigid PVC marketplace. Before managing the group, he was the lead North American scientist for PVC Additives Impact Modifier/Process Aid product and process development. During this time he also served as chief technical advisor to a variety of trade groups involved with support and production of rigid vinyl products.

Mark is an honored Fellow of both ASTM International and the Society of Plastics Engineers. Additionally he is the recipient of the SPE Vinyl Division’s Technical Contributions to Vinyl Award, the ASTM D20 Robert MacFarlane Award of Excellence, the Vinyl Siding Institute’s Ken Mieure Award for Distinguished Service, and an Arkema’s Chairperson’s Award for Distinguished Technical Innovations. In 2023 he received the SPE Vinyl Division Award for Outstanding Service. He is a four-time recipient of the Best Technical Presentation Award at SPE VINYLTEC Conferences and completed over seventy projects involving either the authorship of new or revision to existing ASTM standards supporting the plastics industry.

Mark is also the immediate past Chair of ASTM International Committee D20 on Plastics and currently chairs its Subcommittee on Plastics Recycling. A holder of multiple US Patents, he holds an M.S. in Engineering Science (Chemistry/Chemical Engineering) from the New Jersey Institute of Technology as well as a Certificate in Technology Management from the California Institute of Technology.

Dr. Jason Lyons

Jason began his career at Arkema Inc in 2006 as a Scientist developing the next generation toughening agents for a variety of plastic materials before becoming the R&D Manager for this group in 2012. During this time, his team successfully introduced 11 new products to the Plastic Additives portfolio, many of which remain commercial today and Lyons was awarded eight patents for his contributions. After four years, Jason moved into a commercial role, charged with growing and commercializing a new start-up business within Arkema’s corporate incubator. In his first three years prior to the global pandemic, Jason and his team grew the size of this business by over 90% and increased the number of Boeing specifications from two to seven. Post pandemic, Jason quickly pivoted the business and grew sales to non-aerospace applications by over 30%. Today, Jason is the Global Market Manager responsible for Arkema’s medical polymers portfolio within the High Performance Polymers business unit. Prior to joining Arkema, Jason worked for NovaComp, Inc where he led efforts to secure government funding for small business research grants and he was an Adjunct Professor at Jefferson University in the College of Engineering teaching courses on Biomechanics and Textile Mechanics.

From 2010-2018, Lyons sat on the SPE Engineering Properties & Structure Division (EPSDIV) Board of Directors. During that time, he introduced the EPSDIV Seminar Series, was an EPSDIV Technical Program Chair (TPC) in 2010 and 2017 and was EPSDIV Chair in 2014. He also sat on the SPE Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Special Interest Group Board of Directors from 2016-2020 and has been an ANTEC® moderator since 2010. Lyons was appointed to the SPE Executive Board as VP Divisions in 2016 and he culminated his service as President during the 2021-2022 term.

Lyons received his Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering from Drexel University and his Bachelor of Science degree in Textile Engineering from Philadelphia University.

Albert F. McGovern

Al McGovern retired in July 2021 after 43 years–and 11 issued patents–in the product and part design field as a Mechanical Engineer, Director and Servant Leader. His expertise encompasses numerous materials and manufacturing processes, domestic and international engineering and manufacturing, and use of additive manufacturing for design and production since 1991. He is passionate about his family, giving back to help those in need, and offering his experience to smooth out the journey of future product and part designers and engineers. Visit Albert (Al) McGovern | LinkedIn to learn more.

Dr. Barry Morris

Barry A. Morris retired from Dow as an R&D Fellow with over 35 years of experience in material science, extrusion and packaging innovation and technology. He held a variety of technology roles supporting the ethylene copolymer business at Dow (formerly DuPont). Barry is a holder of 12 U.S. granted patents and has written for over 125 publications, including his recently published 2nd edition to his comprehensive book, The science and technology of flexible packaging (Elsevier, 2022). He excels at applying scientific principles to complex technical issues and explaining it in a way that the practitioner can understand and use. In 2022 he formed BA Morris Consulting LLC to continue to offer his expertise to the packaging and plastics industries. In 2022 he also assumed the role of Chief Technology Advisor at VOID Technologies, a company developing solutions for more sustainable packaging.

Barry is a Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE). He has been an active member of the Flexible Packaging and Extrusion Divisions for many years. He was elected a director of the Extrusion Division in 2002 and has been serving on the board in a variety of leadership roles ever since, including chair, ANTEC TPC, and councilor. He was involved in the formation of the Flexible Packaging Division and has served on its board continuously since 2008. As a director and past chair, he helped establish the division’s scholarship and organize many of its conferences. He is currently serving his second time as chair.

Dr. Maureen Reitman

Dr. Maureen Reitman, Sc.D., P.E., is a Group Vice President and Principal Engineer specializing in polymer science and materials chemistry at Exponent. With a Sc.D. and B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT, she brings expertise in polymer and composite technology, failure analysis, materials selection, and product development across diverse industries such as medical, telecom, construction, and consumer products. Dr. Reitman has contributed extensively to intellectual property support, technical advisory roles, and standards development, holding leadership positions in the Society of Plastics Engineers and Underwriters Laboratories panels. Her work includes developing materials for medical devices, 3D printing, and environmental durability, complemented by a prolific academic and patent portfolio.