Four Nonwoven Industry Professionals Honored with INDA Lifetime Awards

Four long-time industry contributors are being honored by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, for their key contributions to the growth of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

Jan O’Regan is receiving the organization's Lifetime Service Award, and Seshadri Ramkumar, Jim Robinson, and Ed Thomas are being recognized with Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards.

"We are pleased to recognize Jan, Ram, Jim, and Ed with these well-deserved awards," says Tony Fragnito, INDA President. "These awards are meant to honor individuals with long-established records of service and technical achievement. All four have given their best both personally and professionally to INDA and the nonwovens industry."

Jan O’Regan: INDA Lifetime Service Award

O’Regan spent over four decades in various roles in the nonwovens industry. As Director, Strategic Initiatives and Nonwovens Marketing, for Cotton Incorporated prior to her retirement, she uncovered new opportunities for cotton to bring value into the nonwovens industry. Her work included leading efforts in strategic planning, technical and market project management, sharing new ideas and results with the global supply chain, and applying her broad experiences to new markets for cotton in nontraditional applications.

Serving and volunteering with INDA for decades, O’Regan was a frequent speaker at INDA, INSIGHT, EDANA, and other events, and was a go-to source of information for cotton fibers in nonwovens and hygiene.

She will receive her award at the World of Wipes International Conference on July 18.

Seshadri Ramkumar: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award

Ramkumar has more than 25 years of experience within the technical nonwovens space, conducting industry-leading research and educating nonwovens professionals at Texas Tech University, where he established the university's Nonwovens Laboratory in 1999.

Ramkumar has numerous patent and invention disclosures, including the widely used FiberTect toxic chemical decontamination wipes. The author of more than 500 articles and columns, he has served on the editorial boards of multiple fiber, nonwoven, and textile journals. He has also organized conferences for nonwovens and textiles and has actively promoted INDA and its technical training offerings for more than 20 years.

A longtime member of the INDA Technical Advisory Board, Ramkumar and his industry contributions have been recognized by Texas Tech, TAPPI, Society of Dyers and Colorists (UK), the Textile Institute (UK), and the Textile Association (INDIA).

He will also receive his award at the World of Wipes International Conference on July 18.

Jim Robinson: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award

Robinson spent 33 years in the absorbent hygiene industry, including 28 years as a Technical Service Manager at BASF. He led technical teams that focused on the application of superabsorbent polymers in hygiene products and, while with BASF, led efforts with multiple external companies to provide co-supplier solutions to hygiene converters.

He coordinated establishment of fitness for use standards of adult incontinent products with the National Association for Continence and helped develop and review absorbent product test methods with INDA/EDANA. Robinson is also an active contributor to INDA's Technical Advisory Board and Hygienix organizing committee and was a contributing developer in establishing the INDA Absorbent Hygiene Training Course.

Robinson will receive his award at the Hygienix Conference on Nov. 14.

Ed Thomas: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award

Following his retirement – including 32 years in the nonwovens industry – Thomas remains active teaching the Intermediate Nonwovens Training Course for INDA and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University, as well as providing consulting services to the industry.

His career includes positions in process engineering, research, and product development with DuPont, Reemay, Fiberweb/BBA Nonwovens, and First Quality Nonwovens. Thomas holds 10 U.S. nonwoven patents. and he and his teams have been awarded more than 250 patents for numerous and diverse nonwovens innovations including applications for the global hygiene market, industrial nonwovens, and filtration media.

He will receive his award at the RISE Conference on Sept. 26.

Based on information from INDA.