As NPE 2000 opens, it's time again to celebrate new inductees into the Plastics Hall of Fame. Plastics News is pleased to profile the eight new members in this issue. They will be enshrined in Leominster, Mass., at a much-improved exhibit at the National Plastics Center & Museum. A visit to the museum is time well spent for everyone who earns a living in the plastics industry.
Or even better, if you're attending NPE, you can meet these living legends in person. The Plastics Academy will hold a banquet and induction ceremony Thursday night at the Chicago Hilton & Towers. During NPE, tickets are available at a special booth in the Grand Concourse of McCormick Place.
For a taste of what to see in Leominster, visit the National Plastics Center & Museum booth at NPE, E-12509.
This year's inductees are:
Eric Baer, founder and first chairman of the Department of Macromolecular Science at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Rudolph D. Deanin, founder and longtime director of the graduate program in plastics engineering at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
Harold A. Holz, a veteran of more than 50 years who sold resin at Union Carbide Corp. Today he is a consultant at Marval Industries Inc. in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
Gordon B. Lankton, who led custom injection molder Nypro Inc. from a regional player in Clinton, Mass., onto the global stage.
Guy A. Martinelli, veteran activist in the Society of Plastics Engineers who runs his own consulting firm, Accolade Plastics & Chemical Associates in Red Bank, N.J.
Frank R. Nissel, the longtime president of machinery maker Welex Inc. in Blue Bell, Pa., and an expert on the sheet extrusion industry.
Don L. Peters, an expert on blow molding large parts who is principal engineer at Phillips Petroleum Co. in Bartlesville, Okla.
Louis C. "Bud" Rubens, who pioneered the use of organic blowing agents to make plastic foams in a long career at Dow Chemical Co.
These new Plastics Hall of Famers have compiled a remarkable record of dedication, technical know-how and service. They set a good example for everyone in the plastics industry.
