Breaking Down Boxes

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

In this episode we talk with Jana Harris.

Jana has come a long way from being the child rollerskating around the boxplant founded by her parents. Always with an entrepreneurial spirit, she started a business at the age of 29, only to be forced to fire her partner a year later. Later, her compassion and education lead her to a four-year stint in healthcare. Then four years later, she and her sister, Janice Cox, now CFO of the family companies, were brought into Harris Packaging by their father after he had to replace a once-trusted employee.  

While Jana’s path might not have been direct, with the support of family and strong teams, her companies have seen double-digit growth over the last 10 years. Now, Harris Packaging is the largest sheet plant in Texas, and American Carton is a thriving folding carton plant.

Jana also shares her passion for education about and for the industry by sharing her experience working closely with UTA and a new project with a STEM high school.

Jana Harris is a second-generation owner and CEO of her family’s manufacturing business, Harris Packaging and American Carton. She is the current AICC Chairman and is the 3rd woman to Chair for AICC. She serves on the President’s Advisory Board at her local university, the University of Texas at Arlington and is very active with their Packaging Program as well as with the College of Business. Jana and her husband Zachary Campbell became partners in a wine label out of Sonoma CA called Sanglier Cellars as well as recently becoming silent partners in a scratch Italian restaurant, Tre Mogli, which is in their hometown. In addition to the love she has for boxes and wine and great food, her interests include family, travel, buying new manufacturing equipment and educating college and high school students about the packaging industry.

American Carton Website

Facebook

LinkedIn

Harris Packaging Website

Facebook

LinkedIn

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.

Breaking Down Boxes is sponsored by Ox Box, offering strength you can depend on.

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

Gene Marino, President, Akers Packaging Service Group and AICC Past Board Chair, and Joe Morelli, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Huston Patterson Printers & Lewisburg Printing Company and AICC Past Associate Board Chair, speak with Guy Ockerlund and his son Eric of Ox Box on Breaking Down Boxes.

At the age of 26 Guy had to decide if he was going to fight to keep the family business going or follow the rest of the family and move on in a different direction. He left his home and wife out west and spent a month at the company to discover a business with a sterling reputation and loyal customers and was determined to carry on the legacy.

We also hear from Eric about his own experience of returning home to work at Ox Box, and the path he is taking to learn the business.

Resources

Watch the eco-board case study video.

Ox's Website

@oxboxusa on X

Ox on YouTube

Visit Guy on LinkedIn

Visit Eric on LinkedIn

In the next episode we hear from AICC Board Chair, Jana Harris of Harris Packaging & American Carton Co.

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

In this episode we talk with Jerry Frisch, President, Wasatch Container.

After starting his printing career in high school, Jerry had a lot to share during this conversation with the hosts. After finishing college and working his way up in a company, he became the president of a folding carton and rigid box converter in Minneapolis at the young age of 31. After a few years, the company was sold out from under him. Leveraging his relationships, he found a new opportunity in Salt Lake City.

Jerry's Website

Jerry's Facebook page

@wasatchcontainer on Instagram

@wasatchCTNR on X

In the next episode hear from father/ son team Guy and Eric Ockerlund of Ox Box.

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

In this episode we talk with Bill Larsen, Owner & President, Larsen Packaging Products.

Hear the challenges and successes Bill experiences as he expands a distribution company started by his father, into a corrugated converting company, at the start of the pandemic.

In his entertaining way, Bill shares how he changed the direction of a company, the sales tactics his father shared with him for success, and his only regret.  

About Bill

Bill Larsen is the owner and president of Larsen Packaging Products, Inc. in St. Charles, IL. Larsen Packaging began as a small family business selling distributed packaging, shipping supplies and janitorial products from his family’s garage. Bill’s involvement with the company began in 1989, initially serving as its primary salesperson. As Bill learned the operations of the company, he eventually assumed ownership of his parent’s business and opened a facility in Carol Stream to provide Larsen’s clients with expanded products, support, and warehousing capacity. Today, Larsen Packaging is a full-service custom corrugated packaging manufacturer with the ability to design, print, manufacture and ship final product to customers on Larsen’s own fleet of trucks. As his colleagues and customers well know, Bill is passionate about the corrugated packaging industry and is constantly looking for ways to push the envelope to provide new packaging capabilities for his customers.

Bill's Website

Bill on YouTube

LinkedIn

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

In this episode we talk with BJ Slater, Owner & Operations Manager, Plant Marvel.

Slater shares his story about transitioning the 100-year-old fertilizer company from his father and uncle to him and his cousin. It was not all clear skies for this bush pilot when dealing with family dynamics, differing expectations, and family dinners.

He also explains how his training as a pilot has impacted his leadership and communication styles.

B.J. Slater is the co-owner and Operations Manager of Plant Marvel Laboratories, a manufacturer of water soluble fertilizers for professional growers in the horticulture industry.  He is a 3rd generation owner of the 100 year-old family business based in Chicago Heights, IL.  Prior to joining Plant Marvel, B.J. had a fifteen-year career in the aviation industry as a commercial pilot and Director of an airline safety program.  As a pilot and safety expert, B.J. focused on the “human factors” of flying and flight safety, now he applies those skills to leadership and management of organizations.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjslater/

Plant Marvel: www.plantmarvel.com

B.J.’s Speaking & Consulting: www.bjslater.com

Resources

Entrepreneur and Family Business Council: https://www.myefbc.com/

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

In this episode, we talk with Jeff Pallini, President, Fosber America.

Pallini shares how his company created a culture built around a customer service model taught to him by his father, “Commitment to the Customer to Work Harder Than Anyone in the Industry to Make Our Customer Happy.” With his upfront personality, listeners will learn how his involved approach to hiring the right team members fosters this culture.

He also explains how the accident that took his hand changed him and the work he does to help others in the industry take responsibility for their own safety.

Originally from Pittsburgh. Jeff got his degree from Clarion University of PA. He then became a service engineer for Perini tissue converting equipment. Then sales and management at Perini before starting Fosber in 1988.

In the next episode Jerry Frisch, President, Wasatch Container

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

In this episode Hosts Gene Marino, Akers Packaging, and Joe Morelli, Huston Patterson Printers & Lewisburg Printing Company, come to you from the AICC 2022 Spring Meeting. They share their stories about the human side of leadership, the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) & other frameworks, and continuity in leadership. The hosts also discuss combining company cultures and what to do when staring up a mountain of to-dos.

Resources

EOS Questions

1. What are your core values?
2. What is your core focus?
3. What is your 10-year target?
4. What is your three-year picture?
5. What is your one-year plan?
6. What are your quarterly priorities?
7. What is your marketing strategy?
8. What are your issues?

Radial Equity https://www.radialequity.com/

The Traction Group https://www.thetractiongroup.com/

Good to Great series by Jim Collins https://www.amazon.com/Good-to-Great-6-book-series/dp/B082KFXTV6

In the next episode hear from Jeff Pallini, Fosber North America, about taking chances, putting the customer first, and building a company culture that people want to be a part of.

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

In this episode we talk with John Bird.

We go way back with John Bird, Chairman & CEO of JB Machinery, who explains how it all started when he left home at 15 and never gave up. Starting up, growing, and leaving (sometimes voluntarily) several companies brought this indomitable man to new heights in the industry.

Chairman & CEO | JB Machinery

John started his career in the printing industry in 1960 installing collars for ink rollers. He quickly graduated to development ink chemist while attending the London College of Printing. In a career spanning over 60 years, John’s experience encompasses a wide range of printing disciplines including litho, flexo, screen process ink, stencil coatings and the pioneering of credit card manufacturing. In 1975 John cofounded Colordry Ltd., a UK based company specializing in the manufacture of drying and UV curing systems. After immigrating to the US in January 1982, he cofounded IVT Colordry which supplied coating and drying systems for both litho and flexo applications. In 1987 IVT Colordry received an honorable mention from AICC for supplying the first drying system in the World designed for a sheet fed flexo diecutter.

In 1998 John founded JB Machinery specializing in the manufacture of drying, curing, ink management, and plate cleaning/washing systems specifically for the flexo printing industry. In 2012 JB Machinery won AICC ‘Innovator of the Year’ for KleenPlate. In 2016 JB placed third with InKomand, and in 2021 won with AutoWash and placed third with DigiFlex. John served as Associates Chairman of AICC in 2008/2009. He currently lives in Westport, CT and Estero, FL with his wife and family.

John shares:

• Proof of perseverance
• Importance of belief in self
• Building a company with family

John's Website | John on YouTube | John Bird on Linkedin

Coming Up

In the next episode we talk with Jim Haglund, Chairman, Central Package & Display, whose thoughtful leadership and generosity of spirit have reverberated around the industry.

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes . We have compelling conversations with successful entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

Get a sneak peek of the next episode of Breaking Down Boxes where we hear from John Bird.

Chairman & CEO | JB Machinery

In 1998 John founded JB Machinery specializing in the manufacture of drying, curing, ink management, and plate cleaning/washing systems specifically for the flexo printing industry. In 2012 JB Machinery won AICC ‘Innovator of the Year’ for KleenPlate. In 2016 JB placed third with InKomand, and in 2021 won with AutoWash and placed third with DigiFlex. John served as Associates Chairman of AICC in 2008/2009. He currently lives in Westport, CT and Estero, FL with his wife and family.

The Unflappable Mr. Bird release date: Monday, April 4

Stay up to date: Breaking Down Boxes website

Welcome to Breaking Down Boxes. We have compelling conversations with entrepreneurs in the packaging space.

Greg Tucker, Chairman & CEO of Bay Cities, had to make some hard choices to ensure the company survived its founder. Thoughtful decisions, nurturing the right team members, and a little bit of luck helped make the company into the diverse powerhouse it is today.

Greg shares:

• Leadership philosophy
• Ideas on celebrating employee success
• How to shift company culture

Chairman & CEO | Bay Cities

@BayCitiesPak on X | Greg's Facebook page | @baycities on Instagram

Greg's Website

Resources

Holly Green, The Human Factor, https://thehumanfactor.biz/

The Traction Group, https://www.thetractiongroup.com/

Don Schmincke, SAGA Research & Growth Alliance, https://www.sagaleadership.com/

Coming Up

In the next episode, we talk with John BIrd, JB Machinery, who is a testament to the try and try again attitude.

New episodes drop the first Monday of every month. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

This podcast is brought to you by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org.