BETHEL, CONN. — The Society of Plastics Engineers has named Russell Broome, an SPE activist and former society president, as its new managing director, based at the headquarters in Connecticut.
The move, announced Sept. 25, brings a leader and SPE spokesman to the U.S. head office — as the society becomes more international, with SPE's CEO, Willem De Vos, based in Belgium and the current president, Vijay Boolani, in India.
Broome has worked in sales and marketing, and global business development, positions for materials companies LNP Engineering Plastics, GE Plastics and PolyOne Corp. Most recently, he worked at TE Connectivity as an engineer in a purchasing function, focused on strategic sourcing of plastics.
Broome has volunteered for SPE functions for 20 years. He was SPE president for the 2011-2012 year.
“Russell will be instrumental in implementing and enhancing the changes and improvements SPE has initiated in the last two years,” De Vos said. “I am delighted that we found an experienced manager who comes from the industry and knows the society well.”
Broome will focus on North American operations, providing support to SPE's sections and divisions and working to attract more young professionals.
Broome is a leading advocate for bringing young people into the SPE, and the plastics industry overall. “Without the robust involvement of today's younger professionals, we will not achieve our potential as a global professional society,” he said in his incoming president's speech at the 2011 Antec conference.
Boolani said Broome will play a key role in the internationalization of SPE. “With a strong new managing director based in North America, a CEO operating from Europe and myself being from Asia, we can continue our global expansion and strive towards the vision of SPE being the ‘go-to- place for plastics professionals around the world,” he said.