Washington — The Plastics Industry Association has seen a shake-up of its senior management ranks, with several top executives out, as the group's new president and CEO begins a restructuring of the Washington-based group.
The changes reflect a still-developing plan by Tony Radoszewski, who took over as president and CEO in September, to give the group a more member-focused structure, according to Wylie Royce, an industry executive who is the immediate past chair of the group's board.
The departing executives include Patty Long, the chief operating officer, who had also been the group's interim president and CEO from December 2018 until Radoszewski started in September. Long guided the association after its longtime CEO Bill Carteaux died from acute myeloid leukemia in December 2018. She had been with the association in executive roles since 2011.
Also leaving the trade group are Mia Freis Quinn, the vice president of communications, who oversaw the group's media and public communications programs, and Kendra Martin, the vice president of industry affairs who oversaw the group's Brand Owners Council, an effort to bring in large consumer product manufacturing companies.
The group has recently lost several high-profile brand owner companies, including Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. over the industry's handling of plastic waste issues, but there's no indication that played a role in Martin leaving.
Two other jobs were also eliminated: Terry Peters, who had been the group's vice president of technical and industry affairs since 2006, and a manager in the association's human resources department, said Royce, who is an executive at additive maker Royce Global.
He said Jan. 10 was their last day of employment with the association. The group's website describing its senior leadership team was also recently changed to no longer include several of the departing executives, including Long and Freis Quinn. In a statement announcing Radoszewski's hiring in July, Long was singled out by name, with Royce saying the group "deeply appreciate[d]" her leadership after Carteaux died.
The association had not previously announced either the staffing changes nor the new strategic development process, but Royce said details on the restructuring would be announced in the near future. He said Radoszewski and other leaders are still honing the plan.
"The best way [to describe it] is understanding better where our members' priorities are and making sure the association's priorities are in sync with the members' needs and priorities," Royce said.
"I don't want to speak out of turn. The desire is to make sure all of our members are being heard directly," he said. "I'm excited and optimistic about it."
The association issued a brief statement that said changes were underway.
"The Plastics Industry Association ... has recently made staffing and organization changes to better align our team with the company's vision and mission while maximizing the value proposition to our members," it said. "We continue to rely on member engagement for insight and involvement in our efforts to support the growth of the U.S. plastics industry."
Radoszewski came to the association after serving as president of the Plastics Pipe Institute for 13 years.