Knowledge @ Noon is a monthly webinar series designed to help manufacturers stay up-to-date with the latest trends, ideas, and best practices. Each month will feature a new topic led by industry experts who will share insights and provide valuable knowledge and tools to help your organizations learn and grow.

In this Knowledge @ Noon monthly series the Manufacturing Innovation Network provides a great opportunity to learn why a sustainability vision is important, how to get started and resources to assist with the journey. Hear from the experts at the Pollution Prevention Institute and how a local manufacturer, ClearView Packaging, is making the transition.

Speakers:

Kim Bawden is the Technology Commercialization Program Manager and is a Senior Staff Engineer at the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute at RIT, where her primary role is to provide technical assistance to industry. Ms. Bawden supports manufacturers throughout the supply chain by assessing manufacturing processes for improvement opportunities, performing material and energy balances for baseline metric quantification, researching and identifying environmentally preferable and cost-effective alternatives, and by assisting companies in meeting sustainability certifications/scorecards. Prior to joining NYSP2I, Ms. Bawden worked in industry for eight years in various manufacturing engineering capacities for Harris RF Communications and Microwave Data Systems. She holds an M.S. in Sustainable Systems from RIT’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability as well as a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering and a M.E. in Engineering Management, both from RIT. She is also a Life Cycle Assessment Certified Professional (LCACP).

Trent Romer is a sustainability expert, author, and TEDx Speaker who has spent 30 years in the plastic bag manufacturing industry before serving as a sustainability operating partner for a private equity firm. His latest book, “This Is Our Home,” is a cautionary yet inspiring tale to take personal action in the fight against the planet’s destruction. Romer has multiple certificates and degrees from prestigious universities including Yale, Harvard and University of Albany. In 2022, Romer spoke at TEDxBoston. He authored Finding Sustainability, a “gold winner” in the Non-Fiction Book Awards. 

Following each segment there will be an opportunity for Q&A.

*The Manufacturing Innovation Network, powered by the Center for Economic Growth (CEG), serves as a forum for Capital Region manufacturers to Learn, Share, and Grow. This Network brings together Capital Region manufacturers to learn from experts on industry relevant topics, participate in thematic roundtables, discuss common issues, and expand their network.