AIM North America Acknowledges the Winners of Annual Industry Awards (AIM Award)
December 12, 2022 - Pittsburgh, PA - AIM North America (AIM NA) has selected winners for their annual awards ( AIM Award ), including 'Organization of the Year', 'AIT in Government' and 'Professional of the Year' (this year there was a two-way tie). AIM NA extends congratulations to all those who were nominated for these recognitions and honors those who won an AIM Award in each category.
"We applaud the award winners on their vision and passion that continue to drive technology innovations and AIDC awareness and implementation," said Mary Lou Bosco, CEO of AIM North America.
AIT in Government AIM Award
Since 2013, this award is presented each year to an individual, committee, group, or organization from the government sector that have championed the successful use of AIT within the local, state, or national government. This award is sponsored by the Public Policy Committee and this year's recognition goes to U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown.
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, leading the way on how best to secure and shorten food supply chains and other priorities for Ohio farmers in the 2023 Farm Bill. A key consideration in the Farm Bill is providing funding allocations for technology on farms to enable traceability. Other efforts to increase AIDC support in Ohio include the CHIPS Act which lays down a new marker: the technology of the future - from semiconductors to batteries to electric vehicles - will be developed in America and made in America. Lastly, Senator Brown sponsored the development of youth (grades 6-8) Summer Manufacturing Camps and in 2022, the students participated in tours of various manufacturing facilities, including the 9th largest egg production plant in the country which has implemented end to end traceability.
Organization of the Year
Established in 2013, this award is presented to an organization in recognition of outstanding contributions and service that have furthered the growth of the industry. As a respected and responsible leader in the automatic identification and data capture industry, this company's achievements in serving the industry deserve special recognition. This year's winner is Metalcraft.
Metalcraft announced Inlay Innovation, a wholly owned subsidiary focused on custom RFID inlay design, testing and production. The investment strengthens Metalcraft's supply chain and meets growing demand for custom products sought by RFID converters, manufacturers, distributors, and integrators. Inlay Innovation offers custom RFID inlay design and manufacturing using state-of-the-art equipment and process, continuing Metalcraft's 70-year history of technological advancements.
"In a turbulent time for our global partners and RFID customers, we made a clarifying decision: Inlay Innovation would become a core part of our business," said Metalcraft COO Kyle Bermel. "This is an investment aligned with our values - to step up in the face of challenges - and it strengthens our ability to solve customers' identification problems by creating new products."
Inlay Innovation's new facility in Ames, Iowa features Mühlbauer Group equipment for production with support from Iowa State University's Center for Industrial Research and Services.
Professional(s) of the Year Award
Since 2011, this award is presented annually to an individual in recognition of innovative and exceptional contributions to the development of the Automatic Identification and Mobility Industry through their work as a contributor, collaborator, or mentor. This year, the awardees, in a two-way tie, are Elizabeth Sinclair and Susan Flake.
Elizabeth Sinclair is the Director, Strategic Alliances for Bartender® by Seagull Scientific and is the Chair of the AIM North America Cannabis Work Group. She has a strong understanding of the emerging cannabis industry needs for automatic identification solutions and guides the Work Group with this vision in mind. Elizabeth was instrumental in leading the Work Group to publish a whitepaper summarizing AIDC technologies and the applications within the cannabis industry. Her knowledge of the cannabis issues/needs in conjunction with her expertise in AIDC are a valuable asset for both AIM and the AIDC community.
Susan Flake is the Global Director, Business Development Food and Logistics for Avery Dennison Identification Solutions. She has led the design, deployment, and evolution of almost every major RFID implementation in the retail and food space in North America. She is an expert in RFID reader portfolios, tag to reader behavior and key innovation for RFID software applications specific to the food industry needs of expiry management, traceability, and inventory management. Her wealth of knowledge and her passion have been key to the advances of AIDC within the food industry and the work conducted by the Food Supply Chain Work Group.
For more information, biography, or photos, contact AIM NA's headquarters by email or call +1.724.742.4473. If you would like to learn more about what our organization offers, contact us at [email protected].
 | About the Author: Marianne AlvaradoMarianne Alvarado is our Vice President of Sales. Alvarado joined Metalcraft in March of 2000 as a Territory Specialist, became Sales Manager in January 2022 and was named Vice President of Sales during August of 2023. She leads both the Outside and Inside Sales teams. Marianne lives in Davenport with her husband, Dave Beeman. Mobile Phone: 641-529-9492 Email: [email protected] Office: 3360 9th St. SW, Mason City, IA 50401 Office Phone: 641-423-9460 |
