ORLANDO, FLA. — The Society of Plastics Engineers moves into the 21st century with an e-commerce advocate at the helm — James H. Brackeen, an executive at Houston-based ECOutlook.com. Backeen was elected president of the 29,500-member SPE at the society's Annual Technical Conference. Antec drew about 3,500 people to the Orlando World Center Marriott May 7-11.
Last year, Brackeen retired as sales manager at Exxon Chemical Co., after a 34-year career in plastics sales and marketing. ECOutlook is an applications service provider for business-to-business commerce over the Internet.
"The bottom line is we are all well into the age of doing business on our personal computers, via the Internet," Brackeen said in a speech at SPE's business lunch May 8. He plugged SPE's Web site — www.4spe.org. "The future success of SPE is dependent upon having a strong and profitable Internet-based business," he said.
At the lunch, SPE leaders presented the charter for the new Rotational Molding Division to Glenn Beall, a product designer who helped launch the group.
SPE also named other officers for 2000:
President-elect Terence J. Browitt, president and founder of Terinex International Ltd. of Quebec.
Senior Vice President Claudius Feger, a member of the research staff at IMB Corp.'s T.J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
Vice President-Sections Karen L. Winkler of Dow Chemical Co., Milford, Mass.
Vice President-Divisions Donna S. Davis of Exxon Chemical Co. in Baytown, Texas.
Vice President-International Kishor S. Mehta of Bayer Corp. in Pittsburgh. SPE is based in Brookfield, Conn.