2023 was an incredible year for the Young Professionals Network (YPN) as we continue to engage the next generation of packaging and processing leaders through events, leadership development, mentoring, and thought leadership. This year we had two opportunities to meet in person and network with our YPN peers at the Young Professionals Conference in July in Chicago and the Young Professionals Networking Reception in September at PACK EXPO Las Vegas.

We revealed this year’s class of On the Rise Award honorees in October at the Annual Meeting in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Lastly, we provided timely, informative content on our blog with topics such as creating SMART goals, hosting effective meetings, building office camaraderie, connecting with the Next Gen workforce, and more.

Make YPN a part of your 2024 by joining us and taking part in what’s sure to be another stellar year! For more information, visit us on pmmi.org.

The sixth annual On the Rise Award winners were announced in October at PMMI’s Annual Meeting in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Presented by PMMI and the Emerging Leaders Committee, the award goes to 10 young professionals who demonstrate leadership potential and a commitment to the packaging and processing industry. The honorees represent the rising stars of packaging and processing and have made remarkable strides at their companies and in the industry as a whole. They come from all over the country and work in engineering, sales, marketing, design, and operations, to name a few. The recipients were awarded a trip to this year’s annual meeting, including airfare, hotel, and meeting registration. In addition, the winter issue of OEM magazine, the official publication of PMMI, features profiles of the winners.

Visit here to learn more about this year’s class of honorees.

If you’re an emerging leader in packaging and processing, save the date for the next Young Professionals Network reception taking place during PACK EXPO East. The reception will be hosted on March 18, 2024, 5:00–7:00 p.m., at SPIN in Philadelphia. Described as “fun and vibrant,” SPIN is a 12,000-square-foot Ping Pong Social Club located in Center City. PACK EXPO East is the premier packaging and processing event on the East Coast attracting 7,000 attendees and more than 400 exhibitors with solutions for over 40 vertical markets. With networking events like the Young Professionals Network Reception being made available to registered attendees, PACK EXPO East is an industry event you don’t want to miss.

Registration for the networking reception opens on Feb. 1, 2024. In the meantime, register here for PACK EXPO East.

The 2024 Young Professionals Conference (YPC) will now be held on the last day of the Annual Meeting on Sept. 25, 2024, 1:00–5:00 p.m., in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The YPC is an opportunity for emerging leaders in packaging and processing to get expert career advice, explore industry hot topics, and network with peers. Registration for next year’s YPC will open in May.

One of the highlights of PACK EXPO Las Vegas was the Packaging & Processing Women's Leadership Network’s (PPWLN) Network Breakfast featuring award-winning entrepreneur Manjit Minhas. Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Minhas co-founded Minhas Breweries, Distilleries, and Wineries at the age of 19, alongside her brother. She is a powerhouse entrepreneur, philanthropist, investor, and even a dragon on the hit Canadian TV show Dragons' Den.