PMMI has, once again, recognized 10 individuals who are quickly advancing in the industry in its sixth annual PMMI ON THE RISE AWARDS 2023 developed by the Emerging Leaders Committee. The winners were honored in October 2023 at PMMI’s Annual Meeting in Stone Mountain, Georgia. But there’s a lot to learn about these forward-thinking problem-solvers. So, OEM took some time to get to know these outstanding rising stars. Here are their stories.
Jacob Wall, the packaging engineering manager at PPC Flexible Packaging, LLC, is known for his keen ability to see the full scope of all projects while adding tremendous value to the process. He does this by effectively translating his extensive technical knowledge in an easy to understand and actionable way for customers.
For example, in July of 2022, PPC was partnering with a new customer within the Pet Food industry. This opportunity represented a tremendous growth opportunity for the company as the program included over 17 items that the customer needed to onboard and commercialize within a very short timeline to support their demands of a major retailer. Wall was a pivotal partner in successfully onboarding this new program by working hand in hand with PPC’s national account manager and directly with the account. He was the lead on all technical aspects, and worked collaboratively with the production facility making multiple trips to the customer site to support trial and to oversee the initial product runs to ensure everything was completed flawlessly.
This is just one of many examples of how Wall goes over and above his job duties in order to ensure a successful outcome of projects. He is also described as having a “quiet yet confident demeanor,” being a “forward-thinker” and “keeping a pulse on trends within the industry.”
In his day to day responsibilities, Wall leads a growing team of engineers who manage the new product development processes of the business including, but not limited to, raw material selection, product design, testing protocols, and product qualifications. “We work closely with internal and external customers, acting as the bridge between our sales and operations teams,” he said.
They also help the company to innovate by maintaining close relationships with raw material suppliers and machine manufacturers. “We are constantly looking to improve and utilize our relationships to develop new product formulations through formal trials and qualifications internally and at our suppliers,” he said.
To that end, Wall thinks about the big picture, especially as it pertains to sustainability. He has even educated the PPC leadership team on the tools and resources needed to be a competitive force in the packaging industry for sustainable solutions.
With just over three years now on the packaging engineering team, Wall has taken full advantage of the opportunity to develop knowledge in different areas. And he continues to learn. “I am pursuing a project management certification and a master’s in engineering management to further build my skillset and to become a better leader,” he said.” I’ve also begun implementing lessons from The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni, which has opened my eyes to the skillset of each of my team members.”
Even with all of the kudos and credentials, Wall remains humble, noting: “First and foremost, I wouldn’t have been able to make it through any obstacle without my faith in God and the support of my wife.”
