Behnam is the William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor of Materials in the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State University and is also an affiliated professor in the departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and the Biomedical Engineering.  He also serves as Associate Dean in the Wilson College of Textiles and is the Executive Director of The Nonwovens Institute.

Early in his career, he focused on the development of tools for characterizing various materials including nonwovens, medical devices, composite materials, etc.  For this body of work, he received the ASTM D-13 Dewitt Smith Medal.  In particular, his work on image analysis won him the Fiber Society Distinguished Scientist award in 1994.  He also was selected as the Fiber Society Lecturer where he travelled broadly to present his work to industry and academia.  He later served also as the vice president, and the president of the Fiber Society.

He is best known for his contributions to nonwovens and establishment and the growth of nonwovens at NC State.  His work in the area of filtration won him the O’ Max Gardner award in 2015 (The Highest award by the University of North Carolina System), and in 2018, he received The Holladay Medal for Excellence (The highest faculty award bestowed by NC State University).  In 2020, Behnam was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors as a Fellow.

He joined NC State in part to lead the establishment of the Nonwovens Institute (NWI).  NWI is the largest university-based research institute in the US across all disciplines.  Today, NWI is the world’s first and only accredited academic program for the interdisciplinary field of engineered fabrics. Operating on an “Open Innovation” platform, the Nonwovens Institute engages experts from industry and higher education in building next-generation nonwoven applications while also providing training and guidance to the field’s future leaders.

Pourdeyhimi has published over 450 publications and 3 books, has presented over 250 conference presentations, holds 28 US patents and 65 international patents, and has founded or co-founded several spin-outs.

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Prior to that, Carl was General Manager of Newco Enterprises, Inc. and Global Sales and Marketing Manager for the Nonwovens Systems Group of Nordson Corporation. In that role, Carl directly managed the North American and European sales efforts to disposables producers and personally coordinated hot melt systems sales and support activities for a major producer’s global baby diaper production expansion through the 1990s.

Carl is a past board member of INDA, Organizing Committee member, Moderator and Presenter for over 35 years at Vision, WOW, Hygienix, and various other domestic and international conferences. He has been recognized by the state of Georgia with the Award for Product Development and Management Excellence and has received seven patents for machinery and processes for the production of disposable products. He has also published numerous technical papers and articles, consulted on disposables projects, and acted as an expert witness.

Born and raised in Bradford, PA, and living in Monroe, GA, he and his wife Toni have been married for 47 years and have four children and four grandchildren.

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Lynda began her career at Kendall, which later merged into International Paper/Veratec and eventually became BBA Nonwovens. Throughout her tenure, she managed sales and marketing across various sectors, advancing into leadership roles. Early in her career, she embraced an expatriate assignment in Toronto, Canada, which provided her with early exposure to the rapidly growing spunmelt market.

In addition to her time at Suominen, Lynda brought deep expertise to the nonwovens industry through 11 years at First Quality Nonwovens, where she helped expand their spunmelt nonwovens offerings in the medical market. She also gained valuable insights into consulting during her two years with John Starr.

A devoted contributor to the nonwovens industry, Lynda remains a long-term supporter of INDA initiatives. She played a significant role as a key member of INDA’s AAMI medical disposable standards committee, helping to shape critical industry-wide guidelines. From 2019 to 2022, she served on the INDA Board of Directors, navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic and advocating for collaboration across the sector. While at Suominen, she championed wellness-focused events like the “Run or Walk with Suominen,” blending industry engagement with health, fun, and community.

Lynda’s passion for the nonwovens industry extended beyond her professional contributions. Known for her enthusiasm, she often turned personal encounters into learning opportunities. For example, she would often examine new nonwoven products in a hospital or doctor’s office to spark inspiration. This curiosity drove her to learn more, initiate meaningful conversations, and implement innovative changes within her own teams.

Above all, Lynda cherishes the relationships she developed throughout her career. From colleagues to friends, she believes the most rewarding part of her journey was the people who enriched it. For Lynda, the true heart of the nonwovens industry has always been the connections and partnerships that make it thrive.

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Many of his patents pertain to the development of equipment solutions that enable the production of complex bi- and multi-component fiber structures. These solutions include the method of forming a continuous filament spun-laid web, the method and apparatus for producing polymer fibers and fabrics including multiple polymer components, the method and apparatus for controlling airflow in a fiber extrusion system, and controlling the dissolution of dissolvable polymer components in plural component fibers.

Arnold Wilkie, President, Hills, Inc., earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from the University of West Florida. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Florida, and has been engaged in the synthetic fibers industry since 1970. The first 17 years were with the Monsanto Company, where he held positions in Fiber Process Engineering, Fiber Product R&D, and Product Management. Since 1988, he has been a majority Owner and President of Hills, Inc., a 52-year-old company located in West Melbourne, Florida, specializing in the development, manufacture, and supply of advanced custom fiber extrusion equipment. Wilkie has been involved with and supported The Nonwovens Institute, since its founding in 1991 as the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC), with Hills joining as a Member in 2001.

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Paul Latten, Director of Research & Development & New Business, Southeast Nonwovens, Inc. (middle) accepting the Lifetime Technical Achievement Award from Tony Fragnito, INDA President (left) and Matt O’Sickey, INDA Director of Education & Technical Affairs (right).

Paul Latten has been an active member of the nonwoven and fiber industries for over 35 years. Most recently he has led innovation at Southeast Nonwovens, commercializing more than 75 new nonwoven products per year. Prior to joining Southeast Nonwovens, Latten held senior leadership positions with Basofil, Consolidated Fibers, Invista, and KoSa (and Trevira and Hoechst Celanese precursors to KoSa.)

Latten has a successful career of reinvigorating company R&D efforts by instilling a focus on customer-centric innovation. He is an inventor of record for a number of patents and pending applications. Latten has given numerous presentations on innovative nonwoven materials, at events such as INDA’s World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference, RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics), the VISION International Conference, and the Converting and Bonding (CAB) Conference.

His recent innovations have been diverse in scope and include nonwovens for use in hydrogen fuel cells, moisture detection media, proprietary wipe designs, and natural fiber-based packaging. Aside from new fiber and nonwoven products, Latten has championed process innovation that has resulted in tangible output gains that broadened the market opportunity for his current and prior companies.

Latten’s portfolio of innovations has spanned across the nonwoven markets, often involving wetlaid and drylaid nonwovens. These include materials for moisture detection, synthetic papers, fuel cell cathodes, protective covers for treats, melamine nonwovens for surface treatment, and the development of binder fibers. His work also touched upon disposable hygiene applications entailing dry-laid web containing hollow synthetic fibers to improve absorbent core fluid uptake.

Latten has been a board member of INDA for multiple terms and served as Chairman in 2008-2010. Additionally, he has contributed to many INDA conference planning committees, helping drive the success of these events.

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David Powling (middle) accepting the Lifetime Service Award from Tony Fragnito, INDA President (left) and Matt O’Sickey, INDA Director of Education & Technical Affairs (right).

David Powling worked for Kimberly-Clark Corporation for nearly 25 years and has been a contributor to the Wipes Task Force and Technical Committees at INDA and EDANA for over 15 years. Powling served as Chairman of the INDA Wipes Task Force from 2009-2013. His work on these committees include developing the first and second edition of the Flushability Guidance Document (GD) and he was later instrumental in the roll out of the third and fourth edition GDs. Throughout this time, Powling coordinated activities with Kimberly-Clark Corporation to provide critical supporting data, as these flushability test protocols were developed.

Powling has been actively involved in collection studies where he was key in framing the work packages of those studies, collating and analyzing the data, and drafting reports. These collection studies include: Moraga, CA (advisor); Maine – Part #1 and Part #2 (hands-on); Jacksonville (hands-on); and the Northern and Southern California studies in 2023, which combined, was the largest study to date. Powling led the charge in the California study and was personally involved in identifying 1,745 samples.

Powling has been a key technical contributor to the INDA Government Relation efforts that has resulted in labelling regulations in multiple U.S. states. He has also been an active participant in efforts to develop an ISO standard for flushable products.  In this effort, he was a test method sub-team leader during the preparation of the proposed ISO standard responsible for organizing appendices of existing flushability methodologies. Additionally, Powling has been awarded, or has pending, 25+ U.S. patents, including many covering the development of dispersible wet wipes.

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Matt O’Sickey, INDA’s Director of Education & Technical Affairs, presents the 2023 Lifetime Technical Achievement Award to Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D., Professor, Texas Tech University.

EDUCATION:

Doctor of Philosophy (Textile Materials), University of Leeds, England, 1998

Master of Technology (Textiles), University First Rank in the Discipline, Anna University, India, 1994

Bachelor of Technology (Textiles), Graduated with Distinction, Anna University, India, 1992

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Professor, Environmental Toxicology/TIEHH, September 1, 2013 onwards
• Associate Professor, Environmental Toxicology/TIEHH, September 1, 2008-August 31, 2013.
• Assistant Professor, Environmental Toxicology/TIEHH February 15, 2005−August 31, 2008.
• Research Asst. Professor and Research Associate, January 1999-February 14, 2005.

Patents Published and Invention Disclosures

• S. S. Ramkumar, “Process for Making Chemical Protective Wipes and Such Wipes,” US Patent # 7516525 (Date of issue: April 14, 2009). This invention has been commercialized. Featured in the Texas Tech University’s Techsan Nov/Dec 2012, “Research to Reality.”
• S. S. Ramkumar, “Development of Leather Based Ballistic Protection Composites Shield,” US Patent # 6862971 (Date of issue: March 8, 2005). (Efforts are currently underway for commercialization).
• S. S. Ramkumar, “Method for Determining the Frictional Properties of Materials,” US Patent #6397672 (Date of issue: June 4, 2002).

Invention Disclosures, Total: 21

• Seshadri Ramkumar, Development of an Artificial Human Finger Sensor, TTU Number: D-0283, April 27, 2000.
• Arun Arunachalam, Senthil K. Chinnasami and Seshadri Ramkumar, Friction Parameter Calculator, TTU Number: D-0332, July 16, 2001.
• Seshadri Ramkumar, Chemical Protective Composite Substrate and Method of Producing Same, TTU Number: D-0348, September 20, 2001 (Technology Commercialized).
• Seshadri Ramkumar, Composite Body Armor Leather-Nonwoven Composite Shield and Method of Manufacturing, TTU Number: D-0396, July 9, 2002.
• Arun Arunachalam and Seshadri Ramkumar, Fiber Assembly Property Database (Microsoft Access based), TTU Number: D-0401, August 2, 2002.
• Seshadri Ramkumar and Thandavamoorthy Subbiah, Electrospun Nano Metal Oxide Nanofiber Web, TTU Number: D-0441, August 28, 2003.
• Seshadri Ramkumar and Thandavamoorthy Subbiah, Annular Nozzle Design for Electrospinning Nanofiber Coated With Particles, TTU Number: D-0475, June 2, 2004.
• Seshadri Ramkumar and Thandavamoorthy Subbiah, Electrospinning Bicomponent Polymeric Nanofibers, TTU Number: D-0476, June 2, 2004.
• Seshadri Ramkumar, Adsorbent and Breathable Chemical and Biological Countermeasures Substrates, TTU Number: D-0488, September 27, 2004.
• Seshadri Ramkumar, Needlepunched Soft Body Armor Substrates, TTU Number: D-0530, August 17, 2005.
• Seshadri Ramkumar and Appachi Arunachalam, Simultaneous Plasma Integrated Spunmelt Nonwoven Process, TTU Number: D-0612, February 11, 2008.
• Seshadri Ramkumar and Uday Turaga, Protein Enhanced Direct Electrospinning of Cell Culture and Other Materials, TTU Number: D-0753, April 5, 2010.
• Seshadri Ramkumar, Low Micronaire Cotton for Industrial Applications, TTU Number: D-0767, June 7, 2010.
• M. Balasubramanian and Seshadri Ramkumar, Eco-friendly Soy based Pigs for Oil and Natural Gas Industry, TTU Number: D-0800, January 10, 2011.
• Seshadri Ramkumar and Vinitkumar Singh, Nano Nonmetal and Metallic Yarns, TTU Number: D-0824, March 14, 2011.
• Seshadri Ramkumar, Ernest Smith and Uday Turaga, Novel Ex Vivo Pharmacological Applications, TTU Number: D-0849, October 4, 2011.
• Ronald Kendall and Seshadri Ramkumar, Spunlacing (or hydroentangling) of Carbon Composites, TTU Number: D-0854, November 1, 2011.
• Seshadri Ramkumar and Vinitkumar Singh, Low Micronaire Cotton Oil Sorbent Batts, TTU Number: D-0987, May 11, 2013.
• Vinitkumar Singh and Seshadri Ramkumar, Novel Carbon Sorbents, TTU Number: D-1064, January 17, 2014.
• Seshadri Ramkumar, Ernest Smith and Francis Wekesa, Superabsorbent Cotton Pads, TTU Number: D-1388, March 10, 2017
• Seshadri Ramkumar, Layered Porous Substrates, TTU Number: 2020-064, May 20, 2020.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS (Key and Representative List): Recognition for research in nonwovens that lead to advanced applications in defense, environmental protection, and personnel protection.

Major International Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI), 2022
• Silver Medal (for sustainable processing of advanced textiles) by Society of Dyers and Colorists, United Kingdom, 2020
• Marks Hollingsworth Prize & Technical Achievement Award in Nonwoven Textiles, 2016, Awarded by World’s leading association, Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Association (over 100-year old association), United States of America.
• FELLOW of The Textile Institute (United Kingdom), World’s oldest scientific association in textiles.
• HONORARY FELLOW, Textile Association (India): World’s largest society for textile materials with over 22,000 members. Professor Ramkumar was the youngest member to awarded at the time of his award.
• Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award, Texas Tech University’s Highest Research Award. Professor Ramkumar was the only one recipient in the year 2009.
• Professor W. B. Achwal Oration Award, by Institute of Chemical Technology (formerly UDCT), Mumbai, 2018. Professor Ramkumar to be the youngest to receive this honor.
• President’s Excellence in Commercialization Award, Texas Tech University’s Highest Research Commercialization. Professor Ramkumar was the only one recipient in 2016.
• President’s Excellence in Diversity Award, 2017. Texas Tech University’s Highest Award for Promoting Minorities and Diversity. Dr. Ramkumar has over 20-years has helped students from INDIA and helped to establish a scholarship to support Indian origin students in Lubbock, TX, USA.
• Technical Textiles Accomplishment Award—International award presented for nonwovens research and USA-India collaborations at the international conference, “Performance Wear and Functional Textiles,” July 24-25, 2008, Coimbatore, India, Please see Lubbock AJ, Education Briefs, August 4, 2008.
• USA-Lubbock’s first Top Twenty Under 40 Award in 2007 by Young Professionals of Greater Lubbock for nonwoven wipe technology transfer. Please see Lubbock AJ, October 28, 2007.
• Introduced to Board of Reagents of TTU system and recognized for the development of nonwoven decontamination wipe and the organization of World Conference in India (Reagents’ Meeting Minutes, October 27, 2006 www.irs.ttu.edu/Reports/StateReports/SYSTEM/Minutes/BoardMinutes102706.pdf).
• Two times the Editorial Board of Lubbock Avalanche Journal recognized my work in their editorial opinion columns:
  • Scientific Fabric Test, March 23, 2000,
    http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/032300/edi_0323000033.shtml
  • Tech Project Will Increase Safety, April 8, 2005
    http://lubbockonline.com/stories/040805/edi_040805035.shtml
• Received Best Paper Award, 2006 INTC Protective Materials Session-I for the Paper “Chemical Warfare Simulant Adsorption–,” INDA’s INTC Conference, September 2006, Houston.
• World’s leading textile trade magazine, Textile World recognized the nonwoven wipe as “Quality Fabric of the Month”, April 2004.

External Grants: Successful in obtaining $3,696,683.37 from external sources (Success Rate: 63.64%). Out of this total award, grants from the US Department of Defense alone so far: $2,691,310.37.

Technology Transfer: My technology on Non-particulate Dry Sorbent Nonwoven Wipe has been licensed to Hobbs Bonded Fibers of Waco, Texas. Recently, as part of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contract, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) evaluated 30 or more currently available products. This was initiated by DHS to develop next-generation Low Cost Personal Decontamination System (LPDS). LLNL has recommended a two-part LPDS which consists of my technology as the dry wipe component. In the LLNL study the dry wipe technology developed in my laboratory came out to be the best performing wipe in terms of chemical warfare agent retention as well as chemical compatibility.

EXTERNAL RESEARCH GRANTS: Received about $4.5 Million in grants at TTU from agencies such as Department of Defense. NSF-MRI, United States Department of Defence, to name a few. Single largest grant that I received was, “Countermeasures/Development of Nonwoven CB Protective Clothing with Enhanced Protection and Comfort,” from US Department of Defence, US $618,987. “

BOOK/ BOOK CHAPTERS

• BOOK: New Developments in Biological and Chemical Terrorism Countermeasures (eds): Seshadri Ramkumar, Ronald J. Kendall and Steven M. Presley, CRC Press, ISBN: 13: 978-1-4987-4756.
• Personnel Protective Fabric Technologies for Chemical Countermeasures, Seshadri Ramkumar, Utkarsh Sata and Munim Hussain, in book on “Advances in Biological and Chemical Terrorism Countermeasures,” CRC Press-A Taylor & Francis Company, pp. 201 -225, 2008.
• Conclusions and Research Needs for the Future, Kendall R.J., Austin G.P., Chang C., Cobb G.P., Coimbatore G., Cox S.B., Fralick J.A., Leggoe J.W., Presley S.M., Ramkumar S.S., Smith P.N., Strahlendorf J.C., Zartman R.E., in book on “Advances in Biological and Chemical Terrorism Countermeasures,” CRC Press-A Taylor & Francis Company, pp. 243-247, 2008.

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (Many Internationally Visible Scientific Papers)

• Thandavmoorthy Subbiah, Bhat, G. S., Tock, R. W., Parameswaran, S. and Ramkumar, S. S. (2005), “Electrospinning of Nanofiber,” J. Appld. Poly. Sci., Vol. 96(2), 557-569. * This paper has been listed as Highly Cited Paper by Thompson Scientific’s ISI Web of Knowledge database. This paper has received OVER ONE THOUSAND (1326) CITATIONS per Google Scholar. This paper has been recognized as Highly Accessed paper by the Journal (Wiley).
• An early invention, “artificial human finger,” got global attention as it was the first time such a mimic was used to evaluate the feel/touch or quality of materials such as textiles. United States based Indian news media such as NY based “India Abroad,” recognized such internationally visible work. Ramkumar, S. S., Wood, D. J., Fox, K., and Harlock, S. C., (2003), “Development of a Polymeric Human Finger Sensor for Studying the Frictional Properties of Textiles, Part I: Artificial Finger Development,” Textile Res. Journal, 73 (6), 469-473.
• Work on new material for absorbing oil to counter environmental pollution has brought worldwide recognition. World’s most noted, “American Chemical Society,” recognized this work and announced it to the world via a podcast. See: American Chemical Society’s recognition on July 30, 2013. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2013/july/acs-podcast-cotton-is-an-ecofriendly-
  way-to-clean-up-oil-spills.html
  Crude oil sorption by raw cotton
  V Singh, RJ Kendall, K Hake, S Ramkumar
  Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 52 (18), 6277-6281

TECHNICAL ARTICLES:

Ramkumar has written technical papers, which are of broad interest to fibers, nonwovens and technical textiles industry and has been published in leading technical-trade journals in the field such as Nonwovens
Industry, Textile World, Specialty Fabrics Review, etc. Most recently, their work on the growth prediction of Indian technical textiles industry has been extremely well received due to its importance and has been published in almost all magazines in the field such as Modern Textiles (Cover Page Article), Nonwovens Industry, Textile World Asia, Colourage, Indian Textile Journal, etc. This work has been picked-up by major broadsheet newspapers such as Hindu Business Line (June 6, 08), Business Standard, Press Trust of India. Please see TTU News Release for more info:
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/communications/news/stories/08/05-india-textiles.php

EDITORSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP IN JOURNAL BOARDS

Editor: Ramkumar serves as the technical editor and oversee the peer reviewed section of a comprehensive journal on nonwoven and technical textiles, “Nonwoven & Technical Textiles,” published by Colourage Publications, India. This journal is quarterly and one of its kind that focuses on nonwovens & technical textiles. He is a member of the founding team of the journal. He also serves as Special/Guest Editor for J of Engineered Fibers & Fabrics for a Special Issue.

Membership in Journal Editorial Boards

• Founding Chairman of Editorial Advisory Board, Nonwoven & Technical Textiles.
• Editorial Advisory Board of Journal of Engineered Fibers & Fabrics.
• Journal of Industrial Textiles published by SAGE Publications.
• Journal of Natural Fibers published by The Haworth Press.

International Conference Proceedings Editor: Ramkumar has served as the editor for the souvenir/book of abstracts and conference proceedings for the five international conferences ATNT organized in India (2004-2008). He has initiated dialogues to publish Newsletters for AATCC-Materials Track and TAPPINonwoven Division and will spearhead this effort.

International Conferences Organized: Ramkumar has organized six international conferences that attracted 250-300 delegates each from 8-10 countries. The ATNT conference presentations were published as
proceedings and Souvenir/Book of Abstracts for which I served as the editor.

High Performance Materials and Textiles, July 7-9, 2004, Coimbatore, India.

Advances in Materials, Textiles, Technology and Management, July 7-8, 2005, Coimbatore, India.

Advances in Fibrous Materials, Nonwovens and Technical Textiles, August 7-9, 2006, Coimbatore, India.

Advances in Textiles, Nonwovens and Technical Textiles, June 18-20, 2007, Coimbatore,

ATNT-08, 5th Edition of Advances in Textiles, Nonwovens and Technical Textiles, July 14-16, 2008, Coimbatore, India. Served as Organizing Secretary.

Performance Wear and Functional Textiles, PFT-2008, July 24-25, 2008, Coimbatore, India.

These conferences have brought high international visibility for TTU’s nonwoven research program. The organization of such conferences has been recognized by TTU Chancellor, TTU President and College of
Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office. ATNT-08 was highly successful and was inaugurated by Honorable Central Minister of State for Textiles, Government of India which received wide coverage in broadsheet newspapers. The coverage in India’s National Newspaper, “The Hindu” appeared on July 15, 2008.

Committee Memberships Held: Due to TTU’s research accomplishments in nonwovens field, Ramkumar was invited to sit in several important committees in professional organizations in his field.

Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry: Hold key membership positions such as: 1) Technical Advisory Board (since 2006 and youngest member); 2) Member of the International Nonwoven Technical Conference Committee (since 2005). Ramkumar was instrumental in initiating session on Nanofiber/Nanotechnology in 2005 and Protective Materials session in 2006; 3) Member of Needlepunch Committee (since 2006); 4) Co-Chairman. INDA-India committee (since 2006) and 4) Co-Chairman of the Organizing Committee for INDA’s first international conference, “The Link with INDIA”, October 16-18, 2007, Mumbai, INDIA. In Link with INDIA conference, he delivered a tutorial on “Nonwoven Technology,” October 16, 2007. Texas Tech University is the only academic university from USA that has this unique honor. In addition, he served as tutor for 5 INDA Nonwoven Workshops in India.

American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists: 1) Secretary of Materials Interest Group; 2) Secretary of Nonwovens Committee; 3) Secretary RA-89 Committee on Hand and 4) Served as Steering
Committee Member for many conferences.

Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry: 1) Member of Steering Committee of Nonwovens Division; 2) Vice-Chair, Materials Characterization & Modeling and 3) Vice-Chair, Fiber Process &
Technology Committee.

Fiber Society: Member of Publications Society.

International Ph.D. Dissertation Examiner: Invited by University of New South Wales, Australia, Deakin Univ., Australia, Anna Univ., India, Madras Univ., Bharathiar Univ, India and Avinashilingam Univ., India.

Teaching and Graduate Student Advising: Ramkumar served as a major thesis advisor and thesis committee chair/co-chair for many GRADUATE STUDENTS from INDIA in the Departments of Environmental
Toxicology, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mathematics. A new graduate level course on “Countermeasures to Chemical Threats,” has been developed that delves deep into the fundamentals of protection mechanism of different materials against chemical threats. This course has received very favorable response from the student body across science and engineering disciplines at Texas Tech University. Many of his graduate students have won awards such as Industrial Fabrics Association’s 2008 IFF Student Scholarships (Arvind Purushothaman, PhD student).

INVITED TALKS, SPECIAL SEMINARS, CONFERENCE INAGURAL AND VALEDICTORY ADDRESSES, PANEL CHAIRMAN ADDRESSES: About ONE HUNDRED .

Ramkumar has presented invited seminars/papers on his  research endeavors in several academic, research and corporate laboratories and in international conferences in the US, Canada, Egypt, England, Australia,
Greece, Germany, France, Turkey, India, Singapore and Hong Kong. Select lectures since his time at TTU are given below:

• British Textile Technology Group, Didsbury, England, “Overview of Surface Interaction of Skin and Fabrics—Effect of Different Finishes on Fabrics,” April 2000.
• Harvard School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA, “Tribological Studies with Textiles and Human Skin,” July 2000
• Deakin University, School of Engineering and Technology, Geelong, Australia, “Development of Protective Fabrics Using H1 Needle-punching Technology,” April 2001
• School of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, Canada, “Nonwoven Protective Textiles,” March 13, 2002
• Government of India, Ministry of Defense, DRDO ER and IP HQ, New Delhi, India, June/July 2005
• National University of Singapore, “Nanofibers,” June/July 2005.
• Big 12 Innovation and Capital Formation Conference, (Organized by Big 12 CEDIC), Kansan City, MO, Feb28-March 02, 2007, he was one of the three invited speakers from Texas Tech University to present innovative technologies.
• 3rd International Congress on Innovations in Textiles & Fabrics—Textile Trends, Feb 13-15, 2007, Berlin, Germany, “Novel Fabrics Structures for Defense and Value-Added Applications”.
• The Future of Wipes Conference—PIRA, “Nonwoven Decontamination Wipes for Defense and Homeland Security”, Dusseldorf, Germany, 27-28 June 2007. Day 2 Chair as well.
• Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Fiber & Polymer Eng., April 7, 2008.
• Invited talk on “New Developments in Military Wipes,” The Future of Wipes 2008, July 3, 2008, London, England. Served as Conference Chair, July 2-3, 2008, (www.wipes2008.com).
• Invited Lecture, “Nonwovens and Technical Textiles in the Indian Marketplace, “The Future of Wipes 2008”, July 3, 2008, London, England. Served as Conference Chair, (www.wipes2008.com).
• Conference Inaugural Address in, “Advances in Textiles, Machinery Nonwoven and Technical Textiles,” July 14, 2008, Coimbatore, India.
• Avinashilingam University for Women, Chemistry Association Inaugural Lecture, Coimbatore, India, July 23, 2008.
• Conference Inaugural Address in, “Performance Wear and Functional Textiles,” July 24, 2008, PSG Tech, Coimbatore, India.
• Panel Discussion Chair Address in, “Performance Wear and Functional Textiles,” July 25, 2008, PSG Tech, Coimbatore, India.
• Three Inaugural Addresses, INDA-USA, “Workshop on Nonwovens,” Ahmedabad, July 18; Coimbatore, July 28 and Kolkata, August 1, 2008. I served as workshop tutor as well.
• FICCI-SASMIRA, Seminar on “Agrotextiles-Emerging Opportunities”, Invited Lecture, to be delivered on October 1, 2008, Mumbai, India. Invited Session Chair as well.
• TEXCELLENCE Conference, Invited Paper, Value-Added Nonwovens, to be held on October 3, 2008 and Session Chair on October 4, 2008, Ahmedabad, India, (www.textilereview.com).

Ramkumar has regularly presented in leading technical conferences of the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) and American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. A significant one has been
the invited presentation at the INDA’s (once in 3 years) IDEA Engineered Fabrics Exposition in 2004, the largest nonwovens exposition and conference in the USA. In 2005, he was invited as an expert to deliver seminars on nonwovens in Ahmedabad and Surat by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, December 2005. I was also invited by DRDE-Ministry of Defense in December 2005, Gwalior, India to talk
about needlepunched fabrics for military applications.

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Jim Robinson (middle), Principal, Absorbent Hygiene Insights, LLC, received the 2023 INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award from Matt O’Sickey (left), INDA’s Director of Educaton & Technical Affairs, and Tony Fragnito (right), INDA’s President.

Jim Robinson has thirty-three years in the absorbent hygiene industry leading technical teams that focus on the application of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) into hygiene products and consulting in the SAP applications and development space (hygiene, medical, agricultural, firefighting, waste remediation and other applications). This has given him a breadth of experience with numerous hygiene converters and extensive knowledge of SAP applications, absorbent core formation, and hygiene article design, performance and testing. Interactions with many major converters also have provided him with strong understanding of how converting equipment performance impacts finished product performance.

As an individual with many years in this evolving market, Robinson also has a broad market understanding including consumer preferences and product trends. He has extensive experience in the development of new test methodologies to better understand SAP behavior. Robinson has also worked on projects that provide SAP in alternative forms, including foams, films and fibers, as well as the different particulate manufacturing technologies (belt, kneader, extruder).

Organizational Skills:

• Twenty years managing a diverse team of lab analysts and field service personnel in a fast-paced, customer focused environment
• Strong triage and prioritization skills to assure that the most urgent projects are tackled quickly but without sacrificing long-term projects
• Established history of training, coaching and promoting technical personnel and of establishing grass roots
  Technical Service teams
  • Upon moving the business to Charlotte (2001), I hired and built the North American Hygiene Technical Service team.
  • Built the South American Hygiene Technical Service team in Jacareí, SP, Brazil
  • Developed and modernized Technical Service in China using both adaptive and well-known processes and approaches to customers.
• Developed innovative approaches to capturing and sharing critical technical information and globally sharing best practices
• Continual evolution of management techniques based on evaluating new management concepts including safe zones, personal time allotment, delegation of project responsibilities to the lowest level
• Institutionalized an attitude of ‘learning something new every day’ and continually trying new, innovative approaches to business practices and problem solving

Technical Skills:

• Application of six sigma and Design of Experiments to short and long term lab projects including the development of training materials for DOE and 6-sigma for a technical team
• New tests and methodology development: SAP content including methods for testing used products, acquisition speed of hygiene products, mannequin testing protocols, lab core formation, core integrity, nonwoven treatments evaluations
• Project management of both new hygiene materials and critical customer projects
• Evaluation of hygiene articles, cores, and SAP using both proven and self-developed lab techniques
• Developed custom solutions to address customer problems and opportunities
• Managed innumerable customer partnership projects to develop new hygiene products and improve customers’ offerings to the market
• Expertise in all facets of absorbent hygiene technology: SAP, fluff pulp, adhesives, core design, core performance
  optimization

Communication Skills:

• Strong written and verbal abilities around the communication of technical information and problems
• High-impact Powerpoint presentations with strong personal presence of delivery
• Excellent listener
• Ability to reduce complex issues to key components that are communicated in simple, understandable terms
• Strong history of building successful justification documentation for management proposals around projects, products, and personnel greatly increasing the rate of approval
• Represented our customers as the ‘voice of the customer’ for internal meetings and projects
• Developed deep, trusting and lasting relationships with key customer personnel and key industry thinkers that benefited both the customer/partner and BASF

CAREER & EDUCATION HISTORY

Principal – Absorbent Hygiene Insights, LLC (2018 to Present)

Recent and Current Activities:

• Test Method Development, Editing, and Review for NAFC in support of the National Association For Continence (Contract work to support bringing key NAFC/INDA test methods up to date and to correct deficiencies in older tests)
• Advisor to a retail absorbent hygiene converter with responsibilities for SAP-related issues (selection and evaluation of performance; converting losses) and core performance and design optimization
• Advisor to two sustainable commercial SAP manufacturers with responsibilities to help them develop applications and sales support expertise and polymer performance evaluation and optimization.
• Instructor for hygiene training courses around the topics of SAP, core design and performance and product testing (INDA Absorbent Hygiene Course, Know Diaper (Carlos Richer), Advanced Absorbent Hygiene Training Course (Osprey – Europe), Hygienix Short Course, INDA Extended Short Course

Technical Service Manager – BASF Hygiene Products, Charlotte NC (1990 to 2017)

Key Achievements:

• Managed a customer-focused team of lab personnel with the primary function of supporting customers in the application and evaluation of SAP in absorbent hygiene products while supporting 100 million dollars in sales per annum
• Implemented product upgrades at North American hygiene converters helping customers to achieve reduced leakage goals and improved dryness goals
• Worked directly with customers to implement fluffless core designs and evaluate the appropriate SAP systems to work in these demanding environments
• Worked with customers and key retailers (HEB, Target, Walmart) to understand and develop support solutions for consumer needs and product development trends
• Headed up co-supplier relationship efforts with International Paper, HB Fuller, Osprey in an effort to develop joint business models
• Lead projects at Curt Joa (machine manufacturer) to evaluate polymer performance in different diaper structures while obtaining key experience on diaper machines
• Led consumer use test efforts on infant and adult hygiene product evaluation including analysis of the use test results
• Led efforts to introduce odor control technology for SAP in absorbent hygiene products including developing testing protocols and supporting customer field evaluations.

Technical Presentations of original work at Industry Conferences/Trade Shows:

• Hygienix/Insight – 2016, 2015, 2012, 2009, 2008
• RISE – 2016, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021
• Advanced Hygienic Training Instructor [Osprey, France] – 2016, 2015
• Absorbent Products Design Symposium Instructoer – 2016, 2014
• INDA Absorbent Hygiene Training Course Instructor – 2018, 2019, 2022
• INDA Short Course in Absorbent Core Concepts Instructor – 2022
• INDA Hygienix Short Course in Absorbent Core Concepts Instructor – 2021

Professional Affiliations:

• TAB Committee – INDA
• Hygienix Conference Committee – INDA
• National Association for Continence

Education:

• MS Chemistry (with Thesis) – Duke University, Durham, NC (1980)
  Thesis: Photoacoustic Detection of Natural Circular Dichroism in Transition Metal Complexes
• BS Chemistry (ACS Accredited) – Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA (1977)
  Research Project: Electron Spin Resonance Behavior of Organosilicon Radical Anions

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Ed Thomas retired after 39 years, with 32 years in the nonwovens industry, and has remained active teaching the Intermediate Nonwovens Training Course for INDA and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University, as well as providing consulting services to the industry.

Ed’s’ experience includes Process Engineering, Plant Management and Strategic Planning, DuPont; Technical Director, Reemay; VP of Research, Technology and Operations, and Global VP of Research and Development for Fiberweb/BBA Nonwovens; and Head of Research and Product Development, First Quality Nonwovens.

Some important accomplishments include:

• Developing and leading a development strategy supporting businesses in North and South America, Europe and Asia, his team successfully raised the level of innovation such that products less than 3 years old represented 35% of total sales. This was achieved by establishing early- stage success criteria and close customer collaboration.
• Developed and implemented the first Reicofil/Hills bicomponent spunbond line for unique new nonwovens and converted additional lines to bicomponent capability.
• Developed and launched numerous elastic and elastic compatible nonwovens.
• Lead 500+ employee manufacturing operations and implemented significant improvements in performance and product quality.

Thomas holds 10 U.S. nonwoven patents and he and his teams have been awarded more than 250 patents for numerous and diverse innovations that have played significant roles in the success of the nonwovens industry. These include applications for the global hygiene market, industrial nonwovens, and filtration media.

During his career, Thomas has presented several keynote addresses and papers to industry conferences, participated in North Carolina State University’s Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC) prior to it becoming The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), INDA’s Technical Advisory Board, INDA’s Sustainability Committee, and was Vice Chair of NWI’s Industrial Advisory Board prior to retirement and remains an Emeritus member.

A Vietnam combat veteran, Thomas received his mechanical engineering degree from SUNY Buffalo with graduate studies in business at the University of South Carolina.

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Tony Fragnito, INDA President, presents the 2023 INDA Lifetime Service Award to Jan O’Regan, Principal, O’Regan Consulting.

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Built new business in global markets from ground up including market analysis, technical development, market appeal, strategy and communications. Achieved market share of more than 10% in 15 years.
• Led product line extensions beyond core technology for multiple companies. Results led to acquisitions.
• Developed and implemented first global branding strategy through collaboration with international marketing team.
• Established marketing programs that 15 years later are still utilized.
• Developed global distribution partnerships for small start-up, opening doors for international as well as domestic market expansion.
• Promoted nonwovens industry development through leadership of INDA World of Wipes committee for 5 years, participation on several other conference planning committees and sharing research findings at conferences.
• Supported the Nonwovens Institute through participation as an industrial advisor and executive board member.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

O’REGAN CONSULTING, Chapel Hill, NC 2022 – Present

• Guiding strategic and business development planning across diverse service and manufacturing industries.

COTTON INCORPORATED, Cary, NC 2004 – 2022
Global, non-profit organization dedicated to research and marketing across all aspects of cotton from seeds through sustainability.

Director, Nonwovens Marketing:

• Led technical, marketing and economic analysis to justify the opportunity for cotton in the nonwovens market.
• Conducted market and technical analyses to introduce the value of cotton in wet wipes to supply chain partners around the world.
• Expanded cotton in nonwovens beyond wipes feminine hygiene, baby diapers, adult care and skin care applications with partner companies in the US, Europe, Asia and South America.
• Grew to more than 10% market share of global staple fiber nonwovens business over 15 years.
• Partnered in innovation development with several global market leaders in baby care products.
• Led innovation team in developing 3D printed and injection molded products containing cotton.
• Spoke at conferences & trade shows 4 – 5 times per year, sharing new research findings.
• Led World of Wipes Conference committee in program development and execution for 5 years.

ALLASSO INDUSTRIES, Raleigh, NC 2004
Technology start-up at NC State commercializing imaging technology for quality control and product development of
nonwoven textiles.

Consultant on Commercialization Project: 10 months

• Project: Develop a plan for commercializing new technology
• Result: Through leveraging industry partnerships with companies specialized in equipment for R&D and production, 6 technology suppliers, domestic and global, sought to provide market distribution for Allasso’s imaging technology.

CORMETECH, INC. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES, Durham, NC 2001 – 2003
Joint equity company owned by Corning Incorporated and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. A leader in the development and manufacture of Selective Catalytic Reduction material for control of nitrogen oxides from power plants, refineries and other stationary sources.

Senior Market Research Analyst

• Launched marketing systems for an engineering driven organization.
• Market analysis: Developed databases for quantitatively measuring and tracking volume potential and share in key business segments.
• Research: Provided research for strategic planning, new business development and sales strategies.
• Customer Satisfaction: Led Customer Satisfaction Survey team. Results became the basis for managerial goals and objectives.

Communications:

• Standardized company image and rolled out unified image and communications programs to build awareness and recognition.
• Coordinated development of B2B marketing communications.
• Lead participation in trade shows, conferences and user groups, 24 per year.

FREUDENBERG NONWOVENS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, Durham, NC 1977 – 1989 | 1991 – 2001

Marketing Director, Durham, NC

• Global Marketing:
• Collaborated with European and Asian colleagues to develop company’s first global image and branding campaign. Five years later, campaign was still active and brand achieved global recognition.
• Collaborated with international colleagues on development of company’s first global product range and global marketing communications structure.
• North American Product Line:
• Broadened product line beyond core manufacturing technologies to gain share and volume in the apparel industry.
• Sales exceeded budget by year three.
• Responsible for North American sales meetings (5 days, 120 people) and participation in trade shows.
• Led annual strategic planning for North America and coordination with global colleagues on global strategy.

Market Research Manager

• Responsible for quantitative and qualitative research to support top management strategies and planning.
• Established first competitive analysis database system.
• Built quantitative model for tracking market share in North America.
• Conducted customer satisfaction survey and non-customer survey. Structure used again two years later.

Business Development and Marketing Nonwovens for Apparel and Consumer Product Markets

O’REGAN MARKETING INC., Redondo Beach, CA 1991 – 1993

• Served as west coast independent contractor for MRCA Corp. (see below)
• Grew MRCA’s business 30% in 24 months.

MRCA CORP., Stamford, CT 1989 – 1991

Senior Account Executive – Consumer Market Research

• Responsible for business development of syndicated and custom consumer market research with apparel, textile, nonwoven and retail clients.
• Business doubled in two years

EDUCATION

• MBA, Marketing, Stern Graduate School of Business, New York University, cum laude
• BS, Textiles and Business, Penn State, summa cum laude
• Executive Education, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University

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