PROGRAMMING
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SCHEDULE
**Schedule and program subject to change.**
Monday, November 9
Welcome Reception (hosted by Board of Directors)
Enjoy an open bar and light appetizers.
6:45 PM - 8:45 PM
Tuesday, November 10
Coffee Service
Kick off the day’s programming with a coffee service and light snacks.
1:00 - 1:15 PM
PSTC Program
1:15 PM - 1:30 PM I Welcome and Opening Remarks
Kick Off the Program with PSTC President Jonathan Hirsh
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM I Keynote: Gene Marks
Gene Marks
Gene will speak on 3 key topics impacting our industry. Each segment will include a presentation followed by a short panel.
Globalization & Trade
- The impact of globalization on the pressure sensitive tape industry, including import and export dynamics.
- Evolving trade policies and tariffs and their influence on manufacturing costs, supply chains, and competitiveness.
- Balancing domestic manufacturing priorities with the realities of a global marketplace.
- Building resilient supply chains through strategic international partnerships.
- The future of sourcing, reshoring, and nearshoring initiatives.
Panelists: Joe Tocci, Intertape Polymer Corp., Ananth Sundaram, Synthomer & Marco Covini, Savare
Artificial Intelligence & Digital Transformation
- The growing role of AI across manufacturing, operations, logistics, customer service, and business intelligence.
- Opportunities for AI to improve efficiency, productivity, forecasting, and decision-making.
- Challenges associated with AI adoption, including workforce readiness, data quality, cybersecurity, and governance.
- The impact of AI and automation within warehouse and distribution environments.
- Balancing technological advancement with human expertise.
Panelists: Greg Bajbus, Mactac & Gerald Michael, BASF
Affordability – Navigating a Higher Cost Environment
Companies in the pressure sensitive tape (and related industries) have seen their operating costs skyrocket over the past few years. How are companies navigating this higher cost environment? Gene Marks will share with you some of the strategies being used by many of his clients, readers and community to manage their bottom line in this very volatile and disruptive time. During his presentation Gene will make recommendations for minimizing tariff exposures, maximizing pricing, leveraging new tax deductions and credits, financing options and government programs to consider as well as controlling healthcare, retirement, PTO and other workplace benefits.
Panelists: Jonathan Hirsh, Lamart Corp., Timothy Kaufenberg, 3M & Mike Hill, Vybond
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM I State of PSTC & Committee Updates
State of PSTC
Close out the year with PSTC President Jonathan Hirsh. See what we have accomplished this year and what you can expect in the year to come.
Committee Updates
1:15 - 4:00 PM
Welcome Reception and Dinner
Join us for the Welcome Dinner and start the event off right with an evening of cocktails, conversation, and relaxed networking. The evening will feature lawn games and a dinner buffet starting at 6:00 p.m.
5:00 PM
Wednesday, November 11
Morning Coffee
All attendees are welcome to coffee service to start your day.
8:00 AM
PSTC Program
8:15 AM - 9:15 AM I PSTC Research Project: Breakthrough Research
Guiding Future Growth: A Decade of PSA Tape Opportunity Research
Join us for an engaging session with Christy Panlilio, Vice President from Breakthrough Research, that brings together insights from PSTC’s latest research initiatives to explore the evolving landscape of PSA tape applications and future growth opportunities. Drawing on both broad industry feedback and a deep-dive examination of data center and AI infrastructure applications, this presentation will highlight emerging trends, key market opportunities, and strategic implications for the industry.
Attendees will gain a comprehensive view of how PSA tape opportunities have evolved over the past decade, learn about the latest research findings, and participate in an interactive discussion designed to translate insights into practical actions. The session will also explore potential priorities for future education, content development, and industry collaboration, helping PSTC members prepare for the next phase of category growth.
Through a combination of research findings and a strategic foresight exercise, participants will leave with a deeper understanding of where the industry is headed and how emerging applications within data centers and AI infrastructure may shape future demand and innovation.
An advance copy of the PSTC research findings will be provided to all registrants approximately one week before the event.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM I Keynote: ITR | Taylor St. Germain
Setting Expectations for 2027 and Beyond
Taylor St. Germain, ITR Economics
Uncertainty makes even the strongest businesses hesitate. When markets shift, leaders need more than forecasts – they need clarity, context, and a plan. This session will help business leaders understand what is coming next, how it will affect their industry, and where to focus when conditions change. Inflation, interest rate changes, and margin pressures can derail pre-existing plans. Having a broad view of business cycle changes and sector-level drivers will help you identify risks and opportunities, aligning strategy, budgeting, and investments with forward-looking economic insight.
While many markets improved this year, others experienced only muted growth and are at risk of hard landings in 2027. This session will delve into the key macroeconomic drivers that will take hold next year or carry over from 2026. We will focus especially on the top economic drivers impacting your business – such as inflation, interest rates, labor, and geopolitical uncertainty – and their implications for overall cost structure, workforce strategy, the risk of profitless prosperity, and the timing of resource allocation across an organization.
ITR Economics has a long and proven track record of “seeing the future first,” empowering our audiences to anticipate market shifts and prepare their strategies and tactics accordingly. ITR Economics’ forecasting expertise equips decision makers with the knowledge needed to navigate often-turbulent markets. By leveraging these insights, business leaders can ensure their organizations remain resilient and thrive in the ever-changing market landscape.
8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Golf Outing (optional acitvity)
1:00 PM
Closing Dinner and Awards Recognitions
Celebrate PSTC’s achievements this year with your industry colleagues in a business casual, plated dinner setting. Includes full open bar.
6:45 PM - 9:00 PM
SPEAKERS
KEYNOTES
Gene Marks
The Marks Group
A former columnist for The New York Times and The Washington Post, Gene Marks now writes regularly for The Hill, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Forbes, Entrepreneur, The Washington Times, and The Guardian.
Gene is the author of more than half a dozen bestselling business books, including his latest, The AI Business Playbook — Lessons, Risks and Opportunities.
He appears regularly on national media outlets including Fox News, Fox Business, and CBS, and is a frequent guest on “Eye on the World” with John Batchelor as well as SiriusXM Wharton Business Channel, where he discusses the financial, economic, and technology issues impacting business leaders today.
Through his keynotes and breakout sessions, Gene helps business owners, executives, and managers understand the political, economic, and technological trends shaping their industries—and, most importantly, the practical actions they can take to grow and remain competitive.
Gene is the founder and owner of The Marks Group PC, a successful technology and consulting firm serving small and midsized businesses.
Earlier in his career, Gene, a Certified Public Accountant, spent nine years with KPMG in Philadelphia, where he was a Senior Manager in the firm’s entrepreneurial services practice.
Christy Panlilio
Breakthrough Research
Christy Panlilio is a Vice President at Breakthrough Research, a custom research firm that partners with organizations to uncover growth opportunities and elevate strategic impact. Breakthrough has partnered on multiple initiatives for PSTC, helping the council identify and illuminate new opportunities to expand its influence on the pressure-sensitive tape industry and related applications.
With 20 years of marketing research experience across categories such as pressure-sensitive tape, automotive, telecommunications, retail, and entertainment, Christy specializes in custom research design, brand strategy and positioning, and marketing communications. Prior to joining Breakthrough Research, she held senior-level roles at Kantar, Kantar Added Value, and Hypothesis, where she led complex, multi-market studies and advised clients on turning insight into clear, commercially grounded decisions.
Taylor St. Germain
ITR Economics
His dynamic personality and extensive knowledge of economic trends and their business relevance are highly valued by clients and colleagues alike.
Taylor spent time in the tech industry providing market intelligence to electronics OEMs, semiconductor companies, and component manufacturers. In his five years with ITR Economics, he has worked with various distributors, manufacturers, and producers, helping each client navigate the business cycle and optimize their corporate planning strategy. Taylor has also spent several years in Texas furthering his research in the industrial sector, with a specific focus on oil and gas.
Taylor earned his bachelor’s degree in statistics from the University of Vermont and is finishing a master’s degree in applied economics at Southern New Hampshire University. He has been featured in OEM Magazine and on the Fab Lab and Wealth Formula podcasts.
PANELISTS
Greg Bajbus
Mactac
Greg brings more than 20 years of experience at Sherwin-Williams, where he worked at the intersection of R&D, data, and enterprise technology. Most recently, he led the global implementation of a laboratory informatics platform designed to centralize experimental data and test results across a complex multinational R&D organization. Throughout his career, Greg has led major data governance, master data management, formulation system, and digital transformation initiatives while partnering closely with scientists, engineers, IT teams, and business leaders. His unique combination of scientific background, systems thinking, and change leadership made him an exceptional fit for this role.
Greg holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Dayton and brings extensive experience in coatings formulation, raw materials technology, product development, laboratory informatics, and enterprise data systems.
Beyond work, Greg is an active community volunteer and former nonprofit board president. He’s also a talented amateur luthier who enjoys building and restoring guitars and effects pedals. Several of his custom-built pedals are currently being used by professional musicians, which may make him one of the few people who can talk equally comfortably about data governance and guitar circuitry.
Marco Covini
Savare
With 19 years of experience at Savaré, Marco Covini has developed extensive expertise in the pressure-sensitive adhesives markets, particularly across EMEA and North America. Marco currently serves as Market Director, PSA and Assembly, with global responsibility for defining market strategies and driving business development. Based at the company’s headquarters in Milan, Italy, he travels extensively to maintain close connections with regional markets, customers, and industry stakeholders, ensuring that market insights inform strategic priorities and growth opportunities.
Throughout his career, Marco has built a combination of technical expertise, commercial acumen, and market knowledge. Prior to joining Savaré, he held various technical sales and management positions in the B2B chemical industry, gaining valuable experience in the application of chemical technologies across industrial markets.
He holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Chemistry and is passionate about understanding evolving market needs, translating customer insights into strategic opportunities, and fostering sustainable business growth through innovation and collaboration.
Mike Hill
Vybond
Michael E. Hill was named CEO of Vybond in February of 2025. Previously he served as President of Berry’s Engineered Materials / Flexibles Divisions since 2018. Prior to becoming President, he served as Berry’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of various segments with the Consumer Packaging Division. Mr. Hill started with Berry in 1997 during which time he held multiple positions of increasing responsibility in operations, sourcing, supply chain, product management, marketing, and sales. Mr. Hill holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Middle Tennessee State University and is also a certified Six Sigma Green Belt.
Gerald Michael
BASF
Gerald Michael is Vice President, Business Management Dispersions North America at BASF, responsible for serving customers across adhesives, coatings, construction, paper, packaging, and other industrial markets. He leads a multifunctional organization spanning sales, marketing, technical service, product development, and R&D, located in Charlotte, NC. Throughout his 12 year career at BASF, Gerald has held several leadership, strategy, procurement, and commercial roles across the United States, Germany, China, and the Netherlands. He previously led BASF’s Adhesives & Fiber Bonding business across Asia Pacific.
Having worked across a wide range of industries and markets, from commodity chemicals to specialty materials and customer-centric downstream businesses, Gerald is passionate about understanding customer needs and translating those insights into innovation, growth, and long-term partnerships. He believes that sustainable business success starts with a deep understanding of customers, their challenges, and how technology and collaboration can help them win in their own markets.
Born in Germany and raised across Europe and Asia, Gerald holds degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business Management.
Jonathan Hirsh
Lamart Corporation
Timothy Kaufenberg
3M
Tim has more than 22 years of experience working for 3M in multiple business management roles in Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division, Safety and Industrial Business Group, Lean Six Sigma, and Global Business Development.
Tim currently leads the sales, marketing and portfolio activities across The United States and Canada. Tim has extensive industry knowledge for our industry and go to market strategies. He has led businesses in China, across Asia and in the United States/Canada, and brings his global experience to help drive business growth for our customers.
Tim holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.
Tim enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and friends outside of work.
Ananth Sundaram
Synthomer
Vice President Polymers, Adhesive Solutions, Synthomer
More than 15 years of commercial leadership experience in Electronics and Chemicals industry.
Ananth holds a Masters in Business Administration degree from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management with majors in Financial Management.
Joseph Tocci
Intertape Polymer Corp.
Joe Tocci is currently the Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Global Sourcing for Intertape Polymer Corp. He originally joined IPG in April, 2005 as the Vice President of Supply Chain and has assumed additional responsibilities over the past twenty-one. His responsibilities include Supply Chain, Global Sourcing, Research & Development, and Innovation. Joe is also a member of IPG’s Executive Leadership Team and a leader on the Business Integration and Mergers & Acquisitions Teams.
Joe began his career with Nabisco in 1990 in Supply Chain. He later held roles of increasing responsibility in Supply Chain, Sourcing, and Sales with GT Interactive Software (Atari), Home Depot, and Polo Ralph Lauren. He is also very proud of his ten years spent as a member of the Board of Directors for the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council, including time in the roles of President and Treasurer.
PERSONAL: Joe is a native of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He earned his B.S.B.A. in Business Management from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. Joe is the proud father of three sons – Tyler (31), Jason (30), and Spencer (27).
ACTIVITIES
Wednesday, November 11
GOLF OUTING
1:10 PM Shotgun Start
Deadline to register is Thursday, October 15th.
Price includes green fees, cart, sleeve of balls, unlimited range balls, GPS Golf System, all tournament services (i.e. scorecards, scoreboard, cart cards, etc.) and box lunch. Drinks the responsibility of players.
Golf Clubs are availabe to rent for $65.
PSTC will not be providing transportation. Allow 20 minutes to get to course due to traffic.
The Club at Emerald Hills
4100 North Hills Drive, Hollywood, FL 33021.