Jane Saale Named IAPD President for 2012-2013

The International Association of Plastics Distribution (IAPD) is pleased to announce that Jane Saale, president and CEO of Cope Plastics, Inc., is the association’s president for 2012-2013. The announcement was made at the opening general session at the 56th Annual IAPD Convention today in Rosemont, IL, USA.

Saale represents a second-generation IAPD president. Her grandfather, Dwight W. Cope, served as president from 1965-1966. Mr. Cope’s contribution to the industry is remembered with the Dwight Cope Memorial Fund, which supports annual scholarships for undergraduate students.

In addition, Saale is the first woman president of IAPD in its 56-year history. Saale has served on IAPD’s Executive Board for three years, most recently as vice president. She has also been the Chair of the Convention and Expo Committee, member of the Industry Research and Benchmarking Committee and is a mentor with the IAPD Future Leaders Program.

“On behalf of IAPD, I am pleased to see Jane Saale begin her term as president,” said Susan Avery, CAE, IAPD Executive Director. “Jane has been a tremendous asset on the Board and Executive Committee, understands the importance of distribution as the way to market and has demonstrated innovative thinking at IAPD and Cope Plastics, Inc.”

“I look forward to serving IAPD members as president this coming year. IAPD is and will be an association that we can all be proud of. I encourage the entire plastics community to stay with us and help us to continue the momentum and build a better IAPD for all members,” said Jane Saale.

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Eastern Illinois University, Saale began her career 25 years ago as an outside sales person with Cope Plastics, Inc. She then moved into the Chief Financial Officer role before becoming President/CEO in 2004. Saale was recognized as a Most Influential Business Woman by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2006 and as St. Louis Top Women Business Owners by the St. Louis Small Business Monthly, also in 2006.

Cope Plastics, Inc. was recently certified as a Woman-Owned Business by the National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC). Cope Plastics, Inc. has been Woman-Owned since 2004, but has not been certified as Woman-Owned by a certifying entity until now. NWBOC is a national 501(c) 3 not-for-profit corporation.

Cope Plastics, Inc. is a leading fabricator and distributor of plastic sheet, rod and tube across the country; and, while they already have national contracts and significant relationships with many large companies, they are proud to become certified by the NWBOC.

About IAPD
The International Association of Plastics Distribution, founded in 1956, is an international trade association comprised of companies engaged in the distribution and manufacture of plastics materials. IAPD members produce and distribute materials for a wide variety of engineering and high-performance applications in industries such as food processing and packaging, OEM parts and equipment, chemical processing, waste and water treatment, construction, MRO parts, agriculture, automotive, medical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, electronics, marine, signs and displays, and many more. An important part of IAPD’s mission is to educate engineers, designers and specifiers on the various applications and sustainability of these plastic materials.