DAVID D. AUDRAIN, CEM
President, Messe Frankfurt North America
David Audrain, is President of Messe Frankfurt North America, which includes offices and subsidiaries in Atlanta, Georgia, and Mexico City. Audrain and his combined staff of 40 are responsible for the production of ten exhibitions, as well as the promotion throughout North America of more than 120 Messe Frankfurt shows worldwide.
Previously Audrain has held senior executive positions with leading exhibition industry firms: ConvExx; Advanstar Communications; Hanley-Wood Exhibitions; and Miller Freeman, Inc.
Audrain is a Past Chairman of the International Association for Exhibitions and Events.
Showcase participants please contact Genevieve Garland if you would like a copy of the presentation.
MAURO BADANELLI
ACIMIT Economics and Press Manager
After graduating with a degree in Political Science at University of Milan, he received a specialization in Market Research from the London School of Economics.
Mr. Badanelli acquired considerable experience as a market analyst with a consulting firm. In 2000 he joined ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers)
as the Economics and Press Office Manager. His responsibilities include the analysis and forecasts of the industry trends, conducting market research and media relations.
Overview of Italian Textile Machinery Industry
JIM BORNEMAN
Editor in Chief of Textile World Magazine
Jim is the Group Publisher of Textile Industries Media Group (TIMG) and President of Atlanta-based Billian Publishing. TIMG publishes Textile World, Textiles Panamericanos
and Textile World Asia as well as corresponding websites and e-newsletters. Borneman’s team also produces custom media products, such as custom publications and email
campaigns, for textile and non-textile clients. After graduating as a Textile Engineer from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (Now Philadelphia University),
Jim worked for Burlington Industries in the product development area of Klopman Fabrics Division. Jim has held several technical and managerial roles in the textile
industry and is past Editor in Chief of ATI magazine. Later studies include an MBA and MA in Economics.
US Textiles - An Industry in Transition
Tushar K. Ghosh
Professor, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University
Tushar K. Ghosh, Professor, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, holds a doctorate degree in Fiber and Polymer Science. He has been named Outstanding
Teacher of the Year and selected for the Circle of Excellence by the National Textile Center. In 2007, he was the recipient of the Fiber Society’s Founder’s Award for
outstanding contributions to the science and technology of fibrous materials. His research activities are devoted to the design and development of functional fibers and
fiber-based structures for adaptive and responsive textiles. His current interests include the fabrication of sensors and actuators involving polymer nanocomposites,
electroactive polymers, artificial muscle and biomimetic systems. He has published and presented more than one hundred scientific and technical papers in peer reviewed
journals and conferences.
Emerging Technology and Research in Smart Textiles
Rory A. Holmes
President, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA)
Rory A. Holmes is President of INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry. INDA members represent the entire value chain of the Nonwovens Industry. INDA’s main
activities concentrate on Conferences, Expositions, Training Courses, Industry Statistics and Government Outreach.
Mr. Holmes pursued a 25-year career with Johnson & Johnson, where he had a series of increasing responsibilities in Operations, Research and Sales & Marketing. Mr. Holmes
received the Hoffmann Award for R & D and the Johnson Medal for development and commercialization of the J&J line of Operating Room Gown & Drape fabrics. After leaving J&J in
1995 Mr. Holmes led the Sales & Marketing efforts for Chicopee (Polymer Group Inc). At Chicopee/PGI, Mr. Holmes had direct responsibility for the Medical, Industrial and APEX
businesses. In 2002 after a successful industrial career, Mr. Holmes joined the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center at NCSU as the Associate Director for Technology
Transfer.
Nonwovens Markets and Opportunities
Behnam Pourdeyhimi
Professor, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University
Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi is The William A. Klopman Distinguished Chaired Professor of Materials in the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. He holds a
joint appointment in Textiles and Chemical Engineering. He is currently the Associate Dean for Industry Research and Extension and is also the Director of The Nonwovens
Institute and NCRC. Prior to joining NC State, he was a professor at the School of Textiles and Fiber Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also served for
eleven years on the faculty in Textiles and Materials & Nuclear Engineering at the University of Maryland. He spent two years at Cornell as a research scientist studying
medical textiles. He is the recipient of the 1994-1995 Distinguished Achievement Award by the Fiber Society and also served as President of the Fiber Society. In 2009 he
was awarded the INDA Award for Lifetime Technical Achievement.
Emerging Technology and Research in Nonwovens
ELENA RUFFINO
ACIMIT Consultant for Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Sector
Elena Ruffino is a textile expert with 15 years of experience in supporting textile manufacturers both in technical and commercial realms. Her experience includes technical
projects, market research, products analysis and quality control. She has a strong background in the technical textiles market: working in the fibers market, developing
new products, organization of meetings for Italian and foreign companies and conducting vocational training. She has experience in international projects and for this
reason she is in contact with textile associations, textile research centers and companies in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Elena Ruffino is also a member of the National Board of Directors of The Italian Association for Textile Chemists and Colorists, (AICTC).
Italian Technologies for Technical Textiles and Nonwovens
Stephen M. Warner
CEO and President, Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI)
Stephen M. Warner is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). He has been active in the industry since 1976 and became president of IFAI in 1986.
Warner is a past member of the board of directors of the International Geosynthetics Society, a current member of the Advisory Board of the Department of Design, Housing and Apparel at the University of Minnesota, and is a past US representative of the ISO textile flammability working group and various textile standard writing organizations. Warner is also currently the president of the Industrial Fabrics Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to engage in research and education within the industrial fabrics industry.
Warner and his wife, Anita, live in Arden Hills, Minn., and have three sons.
The US Outlook for Technical Textiles
