Quebec plastics industry veteran receiving SPE award

A Canadian plastics industry veteran is among three new Honored Service Members who will be recognized by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).

Marie-France Sosa, director of sales and project development with Saint-Félix-de-Valois, Que.-based injection molder Plastiques GPR, will receive the award at the SPE’s Antec 2017 technical conference, which will take place May 8-10 in Anaheim, Calif.

Marie-France Sosa. Photo Credit: Society of Plastics Engineers

Sosa has more than 24 years of experience in the plastics industry. She holds a Bachelor in Industrial Design from the University of Quebec, a technical degree in applied technologies of plastics materials, and certificates in sales and negotiation, customer service, and marketing from the HEC Business School of Montreal. She has held a range of positions in various plastic companies, such as quality control, product design, sales of plastic resins and processing machinery, and project management. She has also been involved on the board of directors of SPE Quebec section since 1993, served as special event organizer for the Canadian Plastics Industry Association, and as a training advisor for the Canadian Plastics Sector Council.

The second new Honored Service Member is Dr. Donald Duvall, a senior managing consultant with Aurora, Ill.-based failure analysis consultancy. Duvall has been a member of SPE since 1981 and has served on the board of directors and as chairman of the Engineering Properties & Structure Division, and the Failure Analysis & Prevention Special Interest Group.

Dr. Donald Duvall. Photo Credit: Society of Plastics Engineers

Third is blow molding industry veteran Benjamin Lopez. For the last 30 years, Lopez has been worked for Battenfeld Fischer, Uniloy Milacron, Bekum, and currently with Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH. He joined the board of directors of the SPE Blow Molding Division in 2004 and has served as secretary, chairman, and treasurer. Lopez also implemented, directed, and participated in a special education committee of the SPE’s Blow Molding Board to develop and initiate a beta blow molding training class at a state technical community college and established a blow molding training program.

Benjamin Lopez. Photo Credit: Society of Plastics Engineers