The Rutgers University team – Marie Misterio, Diana Mayorga, Miles Borgeson, Diana Jones — took first place in the 2013 PACK Solutions Challenge, and will share a $4,000 scholarship from the PMMI Education and Training Foundation. Marc Ostertag, president of contest sponsor B&R Industrial Automation, made the presentation in a brief awards presentation this afternoon.
Six packaging programs participated in this year’s competition: Cal Poly State University, Clemson University, Purdue University Calumet, Rutgers University, University of Florida and Virginia Tech.
Purdue Calumet’s team (Armando Cabrera, Jr., Florin Mustata, Aminov Parvizsho and Thaddeus Wleklinski) earned second place in the contest, a $2,000 scholarship to share; and third place went to Clemson’s team of Richard George, Raj Navalakha, Colin Mitchell and Mackenzie Lussier. The Clemson team will share $1,000.
Judges came from a range of consumer packaged goods companies, and spent the better part of the day considering the entries. Chris Baker, Teva; Travis Powell, Schreiber Foods, Inc.; Greg Lewis, Chattem; Jeff Russell, Pepsi Beverages Company; Mark Wright, Keurig; and Dave Villeneuve, DRV Coaching & Consulting, Inc.
However, all the teams will have a second chance for accolades in a brand new People’s Choice Awards.
“The judges had a very difficult job, and you have the opportunity to see what they faced,” Ostertag says. “The teams’ poster presentations are on display in the Education and Workforce Development Pavilion, just outside the Upper South Hall. Attendees can vote for their favorites and be entered to win an iPad.”
The “People’s Choice” winner will be announced after PACK EXPO.
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