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Katie Bradford honored by NECPA
September 3rd, 2024
The North East Canvas Products Association (NECPA) recently honored longtime member and veteran marine fabricator Katie Bradford with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Bradford, now retired, was honored for her decades of dedication to the marine industry. She served on the NECPA board for more than 25 years and spearheaded the effort to bring the marine […]
In memoriam: Robert Mastromatteo
August 27th, 2024
Robert (Bob) J. Mastromatteo, 78, Brewster, Mass., died Aug. 12, 2024. Mastromatteo was an entrepreneur at heart, starting a lawn company, co-founding a chemical manufacturing company, and eventually establishing Party Cape Cod in 1984 with his wife, becoming the Cape’s first one-stop party retail and rental supplier. Thoughout the 40 years of growing Party Cape […]
Value Vinyls Inc. promotes Marc Shellshear to president
June 6th, 2024
Marc Shellshear, Value Vinyls Inc. new president. Image: Value Vinyls Inc. Value Vinyls Inc., a specialty textiles and fabrics provider based in Grand Prairie, Texas, announced the promotion of Marc Shellshear to president. Shellshear brings over 30 years of extensive experience in operations, sales and marketing across multiple industries including specialty textiles, fabric and shade […]
Former longtime SP Associates owner Gabe Hill dies
April 24th, 2024
Gabe Hill, who spent 60 years in the textile industry–including 43 at SP Associates in Charlotte, N.C.–died April 13, 2024 in Abbeville, S.C. He was 89. Hill was owner and general manager of SP Associates, a well-known textile, nonwovens and apparel placement firm, before his retirement in 2017. "f you’ve been in a part of […]
Texas Tech University lab director elected to National Academy of Inventors
March 13th, 2024
Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D., director of the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory at Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas. Image: TTU Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D., director of the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory at Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas, was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Inventors' 2024 class of senior members. The […]
Amy Bircher appointed to advisory committee by President Biden
February 26th, 2024
Amy Bircher at IFAI Expo 2021 in Nashville, Tenn. President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint nine individuals as members of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, including former Advanced Textiles Association chairman Amy Bircher. The advisory committee provides overall policy advice to the U.S. Trade Representative on matters in connection with […]
In memoriam: Donald “Don” Michael Reinbolt
January 22nd, 2024
Former IFAI (now ATA) chairman Donald "Don" Michael Reinbolt of Temperance, MI, died at age 77 on Saturday, January 13, 2024. He was born on June 11, 1946, in Toledo, Ohio, and was the son of Charles M. and Mary Katherine (Hartley) Reinbolt. He married his high school sweetheart from Woodward High School, Suzanne Loemker, […]
GOZEN welcomes Sedef Uncu Aki as chief product officer
January 3rd, 2024
GOZEN, a San Francisco-based biomaterials startup, announced the appointment of Sedef Uncu Aki as its new chief product officer. Aki joins GOZEN with a background in sustainability and textile innovation spanning more than 20 years. Her previous tenure as the director of product development and research at denim brand, ORTA, involved effectively creating and leading […]
In memoriam: Phillip “Phil” Eugene Russell
November 28th, 2022
Phillip "Phil" Eugene Russell, 70, of Mansfield, Ohio passed away on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. He passed away quietly in his home surrounded by close family members after a very long, courageous battle with cancer. Phil was born July 14, 1952, in Mt. Gilead, Ohio to Edd and Loretta Mae Russell. He grew up with two […]
Event rental industry legend Bick Jones retires
June 21st, 2022
After 36 years of serving the event rental industry, Bick Jones, whose latest adventure in the event rental arena was serving as general manager of CommuniLux in Dallas, Texas, a subsidiary of InProduction, Chicago, Ill., decided to retire May 6, 2022. “I have tried to retire three times, but none of them lasted. I love the […]