Do It Yourself Packaging Workbook will save you time and money with step by step solutions. My consulting clients pay thousands of dollars to work with me one on one. If you hired me to work with you individually for the same hours of instruction time using the workbook, it would cost you over $5,000.00. But I'm committed to helping small businesses harness the "power of packaging" as a sales tool, and I wanted to develop a program that was affordable and accessible to businesses of any size. The result is the Do It Yourself Packaging Workbook. With this unique new product you get the benefit of 30 years experience and solutions for YOUR business, without the big price tag!

This workbook tells it all. It will save you lots of time and money (headaches too). The Do It Yourself Packaging Workbook was created by the most successful consumer product packaging expert (me) who has done it over and over and over with thousands of businesses just like yours...and I'll show you how to do it, step-by-step.

Packaging is a complex equation. It IS the sales person. It IS your brand. It IS your company and if you haven't given it the consideration it deserves it will fail or most certainly not live up to its expectations.

Best of all the 'work' is done for you all you have to do is follow the instructions. As you have probably already experienced how overwhelming packaging your product can be. I have given expert guidance, tips, and proven strategies to bring your product to market without all the hassles or the failures.

So why wait? Visit http://doityourselfpackaging/ and learn how to package your product to SELL.

You have 2.6 seconds to persuade a consumer to pick your product up off the shelf. Thanks to the proliferation of products available at retail, you have to get their attention - and fast. If you want to make money, it's imperative that you fulfill the consumer?s wants and needs. But, you have to get their attention first!

Understanding and cultivating the consumer is an ongoing task. Consumer preferences can change on a whim. When it comes to product packaging, it's important to understand the mindset behind consumers? decisions. Each year new trends move into the foreground. Yet, while some are here to stay others move on as quickly as the came into being. Some trends have great power and become mainstream across industries, ethnicities and generations... but which ones?

I know what the consumer wants. I've done the work for you. I have studied the market and I know what's hot and what's not. This valuable information is not available from anyone else. Join me, The Packaging Diva, for my insightful teleseminar on packaging trends that have the power to increase your sales by making the consumer choose your product. In this 45 minute fact-filled teleseminar you will: Learn how understanding packaging trends can improve your bottom line. Find out why your product packaging needs to be trend savvy. Discover how your product packaging can incorporate packaging trends to improve sales.

If you miss this event, you may be missing your customer too. Don't stand by while your competition gains the inside track to securing the consumer dollar.

Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit http://www.packaginguniversity.com/ to find out about the latest packaging innovations and our upcoming teleclass "Consumer Trends That Can Make Or Break Your Business" or call Danielle for more details at 1-814-288-5451. The seminar will begin promptly at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, February 1, 2007.

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) has published the new ANSI/PMMI B155.1-2006 safety standard for packaging and packaging-related converting machinery. This revised version, approved as an American National Standard, is harmonized with the international (ISO) and European (EN) standards by the introduction of hazard identification and risk assessment as the principal method for analyzing hazards to personnel and achieving acceptable risk.

The requirements of this standard apply to new, modified or rebuilt industrial and commercial machinery that performs packaging functions for primary, secondary and tertiary packaging. The standard describes procedures for identifying hazards, assessing risks, and reducing risks to an acceptable level over the life cycle of the packaging machinery.

This edition of the standard integrates the requirements of ISO 12100 parts 1 and 2, and ISO 14121, as well as U.S. standards. Suppliers meeting the requirements of ANSI/PMMI B155.1-2006 should conform to the requirements of these three ISO standards. This will facilitate meeting the requirements for CE certification. For the past 34 years, PMMI has been recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as an accredited “standards developing organization” (SDO). PMMI’s standards development procedures have been approved by ANSI as meeting ANSI’s “essential requirements” of due process and balance. The first version of the PMMI B155.1 standard was approved as an American National Standard Institute in 1973. The 2006 edition of the standard, also the fifth revision approved by the ANSI Board of Standards Review, underwent the most substantial revisions since its inception. The final version includes the comments from 28 industry professionals from the entire packaging machinery supply chain. The B155.1 standards committee included representatives from machinery builders, safety experts, and users of packaging machinery. Organizations participating on the standard committee included: Raque Food Systems, MGS Machine Corporation, Krones, Packaging Technologies, FKI Logistex, Luciano Packaging Technologies, Rockwell Automation, Chubb Insurance, Keller and Heckman LLC, Design Safety Engineering, Association for Manufacturing Technology, Institute of Packaging Professionals, Robotic Industries Association, National Fluid Power Association, Kraft Foods, Kellogg Company, Johnson & Johnson, Pactiv Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and Sara Lee.

The new ANSI/PMMI B155.1-2006 safety standard for packaging and packaging-related converting machinery is available for $65 on www.pmmi.org (located under "Shop PMMI") or by contacting Fred Hayes at fhayes@pmmi.org or 1-888-ASK-PMMI (275-7664).

Authors these days have all but become traveling salesmen to get word out about their books. The days of swanky publicists shuttling writers about in limos and sticking their pampered selves up in five-star hotels is over for most. Unless we are Dan Brown, Stephen King or J.K. Rowling and one of my all-time favorites, David Sedaris, those with first books or who haven’t made the best-seller lists are still carting books in their trunks and setting up shop hither and yon.

I met a woman at the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Conference in Ohio who called herself a “Recovering Hussy.” Naturally, we bonded like Gorilla Glue and paper. This curly-haired wild woman even rides a unicycle and has a huge love for dancing (clothed) on tables. Cincinatti’s DC Stanfa is author of “The Art of Table Dancing: Escapades of an Irreverent Woman,” which was published by an Ohio house that pretty much requires her to pull her own stunts to hawk the book. It’s a good thing she still has some hussy left in her, even though her beau is a big-time law enforcement dude. DC, a 46-year-old woman with a teenage daughter, is drawing upon her love of beaches and madcap adventures, rekindling that spunk that used to get her in trouble. She’s created a sales gimmick I’d NEVER have the nerve to pull off unless completely drunk, which isn’t proper according to my Mama’s standards. DC says she’ll dance sober or for a margarita or two, it matters not. She doesn’t have to be tanked to step up on a bar or table and groove to surf music or reggae tunes. She’s fun, shameless and while not pitching the media, works a full-time job selling corrugated boxes. I can’t really picture her doing this. In her “spare” time, she travels the country on her own dime and does this beach party/book-signing tour. “I’m a beach fanatic,” she said, adding her book includes more than seven chapters set at various beaches. The antics in her book pale in comparison to the stunts she pulls for publicity, not lewd or lascivious dancing — but in a sundress, leis, big hair and her vivacious ways.

With the summer season getting under way, she is planning to draw crowds as she moseys up and down the country with her sass, sundress, books and outlandish personality. “Next summer, I’m going to get in car and drive up and down different beaches, just anywhere,” she said. “For now, I’m mostly doing restaurants. But I can easily become a traveling beach party.” The book features stories ranging from her run-ins with the nuns at parochial school to driving a car at 13 and sideswiping three others and a truck. It also includes an appearance on the “Jerry Springer Show” and a revenge on a boyfriend one will never forget.

While it may sound as if she’s nothing but a showoff, this is far from the truth. Stanfa is fun-loving, caring and is donating a portion of her book proceeds to Women Writing for a Change Foundation, www.womenwriting.org These days, she tries her best to stay fairly tame, which is a good thing since her boyfriend is the police chief of Covington, Ky. Asked what she’s spent so far on her own publicity, and she breathes deeply and lets out a loud groan. “Around $15,000!” That’s going way over the top. But that’s DC’s way, wide-open and full throttle.

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) predicts a 3% growth in packaging machinery sales in the United States to an estimated $5.854 billion. PMMI's U.S. Purchasing Plans Study represents the collective voice of 446 decision makers responsible for 8,339 packaging lines in 1,123 plants throughout eight key segments of the U.S. market. This will be the fifth consecutive year following the economic downturn experienced in 2001 in which domestic demand will increase.

Much of the continued strength can be attributed to sustained growth of the U.S. economy, strong cash positions held by corporations and improved rates of capacity utilization. Another significant factor for growth is the ongoing effort by manufacturing organizations to reduce costs and improve productivity by expanding packaging line automation and installing the latest in high technology equipment.

Five of the eight market segments defined in the study are expected to increase expenditures for packaging machinery this year. The largest increase in spending is predicted to come from the personal care products segment (10-12%) followed by beverages (6-8%) and converters, printers and all other (6-8%). The other segments looking to increase spending are food (2-3%) and pharmaceutical/medical (1-3%). The study indicates that 62% of the respondents plan to either increase their spending or keep expenditures at their 2005 level.

Every day a new issue related to packaging is in the forefront of the news. The onslaught of information and technological advances present a multitude of questions and issues. To aid in addressing those packaging industry questions, Packaging University has expanded its speakers and consultants bureau and is available 24/7 for answers. Our industry experts are in touch with what business needs to know about packaging. How has Walmart impacted the packaging industry? (We know.) What is the fastest growing consumer segment for product packaging? (We know.) Will new products change the way we shop and eat? (We know.) How can packaging protect us from an act of terrorism? (We know.)

Did you know that packaging is the 3rd largest industry in the US? Did you know that 10% of every dollar spent at retail is directly attributed to packaging costs? Did you know that more than one million people are employed by the packaging industry? Did you know that Packaging "touches" you every day of your life? Did you know that without a package you can't have a product? If you need a speaker to answer these questions and other issues related to the packaging industry, email us the question or the issue you want to be addressed. Contact us for an expert speaker for your next conference too.

Contact jrhines@packaginguniversity.com for details on utilizing one of our speakers or experts. Find out how to sign up for the packaging speakers or experts bureau by clicking here http://www.packaginguniversity.com/pkgspeakersexpertscon.htm

Leading industry manufacturers have signed on as exhibitors at DistriPakUSA to be held on October 4-7, 2006. Bollore Inc., Consolidated Distributors Inc. (CDI), Intertape Polymer Group, Network Services, Pregis Corp. Pactiv Corp., Shurtape, tesa tape, inc., and THE UNITED GROUP® (TUG) are amongst the first companies to recognize the value in showcasing their products at this inaugural trade show.

DistriPakUSA will take place at Chicago's McCormick Place in the South Hall on October 4-7, 2006 (Exhibit Days: October 5-7). This first annual event is co-located with ISSA/INTERCLEAN® USA. DistriPakUSA is the only trade show dedicated to the industrial and food packaging distribution channel.

Adding to the impressive roster of participating companies and organizations are the endorsements DistriPakUSA has received from all of the leading distribution marketing groups: AFFLINK, Consolidated Distributors, Inc. (CDI), Network Services, and THE UNITED GROUP® (TUG). These groups are promoting DistriPakUSA to their preferred vendors and members, rallying the industrial and food packaging industry to the determined effort DistriPakUSA has made for the distribution channel.

On the distribution side of the industry, many leaders are also very excited about DistriPakUSA and what it can do for their business. Eric Bloom, CEO and President of Kent H. Landsberg Co., Buena Park, CA adds that "I am very excited to be a part of a new, exciting concept in trade shows. Pointed directly at an increasingly important part of the supply chain, DistriPakUSA will focus on putting the best distributors in the industry in front of a collection of world-class suppliers. Nothing like this has been done before, and we are looking forward to a very productive and effective show." Additional testimonials are available on our web site at www.distripakusa.com.

Thousands of distributors representing such leading companies as Bunzl Distribution USA, Fulton Paper Co., Kent H. Landsberg Co., Unisource Worldwide and xpedx are expected. For more information, visit www.distripakusa.com or contact Larry Drago, Show Manager, at 800-355-6782 ext. 14 or e-mail at larry@distripakusa.com.

JoAnn R. Hines, packaging diva, will share her expertise and knowledge on packaging to increase sales at the Supply Side® exposition in conjunction with the national stationery show at Jacob K Javits Convention Center in New York City on May 23. Hines? presentation, Packaging for Profit: Attracting the Baby Boomers, will educate listeners on the importance of packaging a product to sell. 70% of all purchase decisions are made in the store and each product only has about 2.6 seconds to compel customers to pick it up. Is your packaging good enough to capture the attention of the fastest growing and most affluent group of consumers in today?s market, the Baby Boomers?

The Supply Side® is an annual exposition featuring suppliers to the social stationery, giftware and graphic arts industries will showcase advanced resources for publishers, manufacturers and designers. The show attracts reps from department, chain and specialty stores, boutiques, stationery, card and gift shops, import/export firms, distributors, bookstores, bridal shops, hospital gift shops, religious goods stores, garden centers, party stores, mail order catalogs, on-line retailers, premium buyers, general gift retailers and mass merchandisers.

For more information on JoAnn Hines and her programs, please email packagingdiva@aol.com.

JoAnn Hines, the Packaging Diva, recently joined the renowned Popcorn BrainReserve as a TalentExpert for the packaging industry and related fields. In addition to the BrainReserve, Ms. Hines shares insights and trends gleaned from her 30 years in the packaging industry with numerous other think tanks and ideation companies. Her most recent project was "Packaging Products for Boomers."

Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve is the world's first and leading trend-based, future-focused, industry-agnostic marketing consultancy. Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve helps clients surpass their business goals through strategic positioning, Trend-based consumer insight, innovation leadership and brand/marketing strategy.

Contact JoAnn Hines, the Packaging Diva, if you need to package your products and drive consumers to buy them.

Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Generates Over $11,000 More than $11,000 in fundraising support was collected as a result of the Packaging Hall of Fame™ awards ceremonies, held September 26, 2005 at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel in conjunction with PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Proceeds from the event will be used for the design and construction of a permanent Packaging Hall of Fame memorial, to be housed at Michigan State University’s School of Packaging.

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) announced that PACK EXPO will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2006. Originating in October 1956, PACK EXPO has evolved into the preeminent industry event drawing an international audience of 50,000 packaging professionals to review a diverse range of advanced, high performance materials and equipment.

"The 50th anniversary of PACK EXPO is a great milestone," says Charles D. Yuska, president of PMMI, sponsor and producer of the PACK EXPO shows. "The show's longevity can be attributed to its consistent future focus. The industry knows PACK EXPO is a show that highlights innovation across all aspects of packaging. The fifty years of service to the industry is but a prologue to its future."

First held in October 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, the inaugural PACK EXPO featured 136 exhibitors occupying 43,116 square feet of floor space. Five thousand visitors attended the event. In contrast, PACK EXPO International 2006, being held October 29 – November 2 at Chicago's McCormick Place, will feature more than 1,600 exhibitors and cover over 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space. More than 50,000 attendees are expected, including over 6,000 international visitors from more than 75 countries.

"When PACK EXPO first opened its doors in 1956, glass was still the dominant primary container packaging material for food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and toiletries and household chemicals," says Ben Miyares, vice president of Industry Relations for PMMI. "Beer and soft drinks were packed in three-piece tinplate cans and packaging machinery was largely dedicated to running (coding, filling, labeling, capping, case packing) containers that were produced at distant locations. The easy-opening can had not yet been invented and the concept of forming, filling and sealing packages in house was still a pretty novel idea."

For more information about PACK EXPO International 2006, visit www.packexpo.com. You can also contact PMMI's Show Department at (703) 243-8555; fax (703) 243-8556; or e-mail expo@pmmi.org.

For the first time since its creation in 1933, Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) is expanding its membership with a new category: supplier members.

The 514 members of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) members recently voted to broaden its scope with the addition of “supplier members” to the Institute. The vote, 3 to 1 in favor of adding supplier members, was held during October by mail ballot and was announced at PMMI’s Annual Meeting held in Washington, DC.

To be eligible to join PMMI as supplier members, companies will have to meet new criteria for this membership category. Supplier members have been identified as original manufacturers of commercially available packaging machinery components, who are not engaged in manufacturing packaging machinery and packaging-related converting machinery as defined by PMMI’s Bylaws.

To become a supplier member, the company must submit the online membership application and be approved by the PMMI Board of Directors. Similar to general membership, the PMMI Board of Directors will vote new supplier members in twice a year at the spring and fall board meetings. Companies can apply online at www.pmmi.org. Applications will be accepted after January 1, 2006.

Every day a new issue related to packaging is in the forefront of the news. The onslaught of information and technological advances present a multitude of questions and issues. To aid in addressing those packaging industry questions, Women in Packaging, Inc. has created a new speakers bureau.

Our experts are in touch with what business needs to know about packaging. How has Wal-Mart impacted the packaging industry? (We know.) What is the fastest growing consumer segment for product packaging? (We know.) Will new products change the way we shop and eat? (We know.) How can packaging protect us from an act of terrorism? (We know.)

Did you know that packaging is the 3rd largest industry in the US? Did you know that 10% of every dollar spent at retail is directly attributed to packaging costs? Did you know that more than one million people are employed by the packaging industry? Did you know that Packaging "touches" you every day of your life? Did you know that without a package you can't have a product?

If you need an expert to answer these questions and other issues related to the packaging industry, email us the question or the issue you want to be addressed. Contact us for an expert speaker for your next conference too. Recent topics include: Design your Package for the Ultimate Target Audience: Boomers
If You Package It Will She Buy?
Is Your Packaging Female-Friendly
Think Like a Customer Not a Package Designer
Selling With Confidence
Trends in Flexible Packaging
Women in Engineering

Contact jrhines@womeninpackaging.org for details on utilizing one of our experts or how to sign up for the packaging speakers bureau.

The Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) today announced the winners of the 2005 Paperboard Packaging Alliance Student Design Challenge. The winning design team from Rochester Institute of Technology received $1,500 and their academic program received an award of $2,500. California Polytechnic Institute design teams secured the second and third-place awards.

In total, 36 entries were received from six participating university programs: California Polytechnic University, Clemson University, Indiana State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Cincinnati and University of Wisconsin-Stout. Winning entries were selected by a team of paperboard packaging industry professionals that judged submissions based on ability to respond to the competition scenario, innovative structural and graphic design, functionality, and quality of the finished product.

The Global Packaging Alliance (GPA) announced that they have added a new partner in India by signing an agreement with Kumar Printers Pvt. Ltd, located in Gurgaon. Kumar Printers is one of the premier folding carton manufacturers in India, producing high-end packaging for the pharmaceutical, healthcare and personal care markets. GPA members visited several potential partners in India to assess which best complement the GPA's current network in terms of management philosophy, technical capabilities and markets served, with the goal of extending the alliance's global reach and service to its customers. India represents a unique opportunity, with a growing economy and changing consumer habits expected to spur the growth of packaging products.

Kumar Printers offers a full range of services and is geared to meet all functional, marketing, and promotional requirements of packaging. Their extensive capabilities include in-house structural design, offset printing with inline UV coating, foil stamping, embossing, die cutting, windowing, gluing, and converting microflute cartons and point-of-sale displays. They also print on non-absorbent substrates such as metallized board and plastic foil, and can apply specialized coatings incorporating metallic, pearlescent and Iriodin® pigments. "Kumar Printers is a natural fit," said Harry Voss, Chairman of Diamond Packaging. "Their strength in successfully combining the latest technology with innovation to maintain a strategic advantage for our customers embodies all that GPA has to offer."

Almost every consumer product is packaged in some way. So much so that we as consumers sometimes take it for granted, and have come to expect it to maintain freshness; to protect the contents, the customer and even the environment. It must let you know what it is and what's in it. It must be convenient yet sturdy, must travel well yet be functional and innovative. It must adapt to the needs of the consumer and it must adapt right now. The package and design executive is not only faced with the expectations of the demanding consumer but the expectations of their respective companies. Corporations are demanding increased time-to-market, new and improved less costly materials, an answer or update on where they stand with RFID/EPC, all the while keeping branding in mind. Noted packaging expert, JoAnn Hines, will shed light on her research pertaining to packaging for the ultimate consumer: Baby Boomers. She will participate in The Packaging & Design Summit which will take place June 27-29 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, will provide the middle and senior level package, design and marketing executive with the strategies needed to satisfy both the consumer and the company.

Hines' unique presentation will focus on the power of Baby Boomers in today's economy. With 76 million U.S. boomers born between 1946 and 1964, the potential for profit and growth when marketing to this group is enormous. In fact, this market is the largest, best-educated and wealthiest generation in U.S. history. Every seven seconds, someone is turning 50 years old. And Boomers are in their peak earning years. By 2010, 47% of Boomer households will have incomes above $50,000 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Baby Boomers will push the number of 50-and-over adults to more than 108 million by 2015. These statistics greatly impact the packaging industry and consumer markets. Soon this swelling customer base will no longer be a niche - it will be the single largest market segment of American consumers. 50+ customers possess a huge amount of disposable income that they're ready and willing to spend. In her presentation, Hines will guide industry leaders to harnessing this powerful market segment.

Hines is a packaging diva. She has nearly 30 years of experience in the industry including her work as the packaging expert to the U.S. Small Business Administration and traveling to China to lead a packaging delegation. Recognizing her expertise NBC TV featured her on their consumer segment, Can you open it? Her advice and articles appear in virtually every US packaging industry publication, numerous business and international publications, and website portals including "PackExpo.com", "PackagingUniversity", "Packaging Business", "Packaging Network", "Packaging Horizons Magazine," "Packaging World," "Packaging Digest," "Shipping and Distribution Magazine," "Warehouse Management," "Traffic World". As a featured keynote speaker at trade shows and conferences, she educates thousands of people around the world about intricacies of packaging.

The Packaging and Design Summit (www.packaginganddesignsummit.com) is co-located with the BrandSLAM Summit, and attendees can participate in sessions from either conference program. The summit is produced by marcus evans, a leading business intelligence company. marcus evans, one of the world's leading business information companies, is dedicated to the provision of global business intelligence and information to assist in strategic and effective decision-making. Established in 1983, the company's international network of offices creates major sector-focused events for business learning and networking opportunities across a variety of industries and professions.

Packaging Machinery Technology (PMT) magazine received the 2004 Pearl Awards for "Best New Launch" and "Best Achievement of Corporate Objectives" in the business-to-business (B2B), Excellence in Strategy categories.

Published by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), PMT is the only publication dedicated exclusively to the packaging machinery industry. In September 2003, PMMI launched this quarterly journal with the help of Washington D.C.- based custom publisher, The Magazine Group. PMT, now a bi-monthly publication, highlights the innovations taking place in the packaging machinery industry.

This year marks the first event for this annual ceremony, and the awards were presented in gold, silver and bronze. PMT magazine received the gold medal designation for "Best New Launch," and the bronze for "Best Achievement of Corporate Objectives."

"PMT's goal has been to enhance the role of packaging machinery manufacturers in the overall manufacturing process," stated Charles D. Yuska, president, PMMI. "The magazine has quickly become the leading resource for the entire industry, and we're proud of these recognitions. I would like to thank all of PMT's readers, our advertisers and our publishing partner, The Magazine Group, for supporting this endeavor."

Overall, 68 winners were selected from 340 entries. The first annual Pearl Awards reception took place November 19, 2004 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. To learn more about Packaging Machinery Technology, visit http://www.pmtdirect.com/. For more information about the Pearl Awards, visit http://www.custompublishingcouncil.com/.

Do you still have gifts to purchase? Not sure what works in a business environment? Give quality at an affordable price. For a nominal investment you can give the gift of a personalized coach.

The Packaging Coach gets paid a lot of money for her expertise. However to make her expertise available to every one, she has created affordable tutorials and workbooks. Her easy to use materials have been condensed into several CDs that are specific to her most widely read topics of interest. Articles are designed to show you the ropes. Her insight is from real life experiences. Trust me, using one of many tips can dramatically improve any situation or keep an associate from making a serious mistake.

Order a single CD to start the wealth of information flowing your way. Start with "Managing Your Career." Where else will you get the skinny on what to do if you are fired, laid-off or about to lose your job, or how to negotiate what you deserve?

Each CD contains 12 articles of how to on the subject. CD titles include: "Market Yourself or Your Business"-Its not who you know but who knows you. Want more money in 05? This is the CD for you.

"Packaging Yourself"-What does your brand say about you? Are you having difficulty being recognized in your field? Want more business to come your way? Learns how in 12 easy to implement steps.

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Not sure you need help? Nor sure I am the right one to help? Think again. Remember, I transformed my career from anonymity to world-recognized authority. My articles are syndicated in numerous publications and I have thousands of e-zine subscribers.

You can use my articles and tips to start your transformation. Happy Holidays! This may be the best gift/investment you will ever make.

Still not sure? We offer a money back guarantee. If you can't implement a single step we will return your money. No questions asked. Why wait? Nothing ventured, nothing gained! For more information contact jrhines@womeninpackaging.org.

The Foundation of the International Association of Food Industry Suppliers selected the 2004 recipients of its two $2,500 Food Engineering Scholarships: Purdue University senior Julia Hoover and Jennifer Miner, a senior at the University of Guelph.

Miner received the Paul Girton Food Engineering Scholarship. She has received a number of other scholarships during her academic career, including the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Scholarship (2002 and 2003). Miner, a Food Science major, has served as president of the University of Guelph Food Science Club and is involved in activities including the student section of IFT and the Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences Students Association. She completed an internship as a research assistant at Campbell Soup Company, where she worked with a team developing a new chili product. Miner also interned with Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, where she was involved in preparing safety and efficacy reviews of natural health products seeking to gain approval for retail sale.

The Foundation's Food Engineering Scholarship Program was established in 1983 as a memorial to food industry leaders Paul K. Girton and Gordon A. Houran. In their lifetimes, Girton and Houran made substantial contributions to developments and applications in the food processing industry.

The punch Chief People Packager JoAnn R. Hines delivers when she speaks at the Emory University Encouraging Young Girls to Dream conference in October will be stronger as a result of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.'s generous donation. Hines will educate students on the intricacies of woman business ownership and the vast opportunities for women in non-traditional fields. After listening to Hines' words of wisdom, the students will leave her address with their heads spinning with the knowledge of the potential for women in non-traditional fields, their spirits lifted by the inspiration Hines imparts on them as to the opportunities available, and their hands full of gifts donated by the country's largest retailer. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. generously contributed a book on Women's Health and a calculator for each participant. Hines, a MeMarketing expert, is a perfect fit for the conference. She will teach the girls how to dream big and empower them to do so.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM'S CLUBS in the United States. Internationally, the company operates in Puerto Rico, Canada, China, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, United Kingdom, Argentina and South Korea. The company's securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. Last year, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. contributed more than $150 million to support communities and local non-profit organizations. Customers and associates raised an additional $70 million at stores and clubs.

JoAnn R. Hines, the renowned Chief People Packager, knows what women business owners need. She knows that to compete in fast-paced, global business, women need to harness the right professional capital and enter into specialized relationships. She also knows that the top sources of professional capital - private equity groups - are driven to invest $400 billion (leveraged) over the next five years - money that will be welcomed by some businesses (or embraced by their competitors').

In an effort to help successful women business owners access their unfair share of this capital, Ms. Hines has formed a unique partnership with Alexander Watson, the founder of Level Next, Inc. Ms. Hines, the most famous woman in packaging, believes the combination of her expertise with women business owners and Mr. Watson's "fit-based" deal making skills will significantly assist women business owners in their efforts to attract the right sources of capital and choose wisely among the alternatives.

"The potential for women business owners is exciting because of Level Next's longstanding expertise in the private equity arena and, particularly, their proprietary approach to deal making which emphasizes high compatibility between business owners and investors," said Ms. Hines. "Teaming with Alex will bring solutions to women business owners who are seeking great fitting transactions and relationships for their companies and not just price-based "auctions."

Mr. Watson responded, "As a CEO, teaming with the right private equity investor requires you to sell and them to buy an equity stake in your company. Like a wedding, your deal is the start of something bigger, not an end. It is your gateway to pursuing worthy business and personal goals. Choose the right investor and everyone comes out a winner. Your business flourishes, your employees are secure and you are delighted. Best of all, you know in your heart you've made your best choice. And that feels great! Level Next brings you the way to make this happen."

Together, this distinctive mix of talent and insight will deliver money into the hands of the fastest growing business segment, woman business owners, and help them achieve heights otherwise beyond reach.

The top retailers in the country came together recently to discuss the state of the industry. One thing they agreed upon is that competition is becoming increasingly complex. This is a direct result of more and more retail outlets venturing into non-traditional markets. One key element outlined during the conference was the purchasing power of women.

JoAnn Hines's presentation, "Is your packaging female friendly?", clearly illustrated that not all companies understand the female mindset. She conducted an intensive survey that demonstrated this fact along with other interesting twists of perception.

Ms. Hines's highlighted the fact that designers of packaging products have different opinions about the package than consumers. That only serves to muddy the water. All of the respondents to her survey agreed that convenience, ease of storage, and female friendly elements such as size of package and handles were important package features. Some surprising results revealed that people are divided on the issue of concern for environmentally friendly materials. Interestingly, cause marketing was not perceived as a strong reason to buy a particular product. The most intriguing survey result was that 89% of women would not be induced into purchase a product because of celebrity endorsement.

Hello, marketers? Does any of this sound like information you need? As an example, with all the big bucks spent on celebrity endorsements coupled with the power of the female consumer Ms. Hines's findings are pivotal to a successful marketing plan.

Sharing her expertise and know-how with enterprising businesswomen has always been a passion of JoAnn R. Hines. Recently, she added to her list of venues by partnering with Wyndham International. Hines will contribute to the Women On Their Way newsletter distributed to its list of executive travelers. Her first article to appear in a soon-to-be released issue will be Is this Email Trash or Treasure?

"I am very excited about this opportunity," enthused Hines. "Women and travel have always been a priority for me, so this is a natural fit. When I started Women in Packaging, Inc. we highlighted business travel and safety issues for businesswomen. Wyndham demonstrates that same commitment through programs and communiqués like this newsletter."

Wyndham International is committed to providing value to its guests, whether traveling for business or pleasure. The easiest way for women business travelers to get news of interest and special offers from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is to sign up for the Women On Their Way newsletter at http://www.wyndham.com/wotw/main.wnt.

Women in Packaging, Inc. (WMPKG) announced its latest improvement to its suite of membership benefits. The association has teamed up with Wyndham International and is promoting Wyndham hotels as its preferred accommodation provider. Conversely, when WMPKG members book a hotel room through the Wyndham link on the WMPKG site, they receive: the best guaranteed online rate with Wyndham WebRates. If a lower price is discovered anywhere else online, Wyndham will match it and give the guest the first night of their stay free.

Additionally, members who book their Wyndham stays through the WMPKG at http://www.womeninpackaging.org/packaging-events.html will receive a booking bonus; one of three gifts: Free round of golf, complimentary breakfast or earn 250 airline miles.

For a more customized hotel experience, all WMPKG members can sign up for Wyndham's guest recognition program, ByRequest, where members have more than 300 options they can choose from when asked about their room, food, beverage and leisure activity preferences. For example, members can specify a favorite beverage and snack. Upon arrival, your guest room will be customized to your specifications by a dedicated on-property ByRequest Manager. In addition, all ByRequest members receive free, unlimited long distance phone calls, faxes, Internet access and copies. There is no charge or stay requirement to join ByRequest. WMPKG members can join ByRequest by either visiting www.wyndham.com or calling 800-WYNDHAM.

The 80% factor is powerful part of the population that makes 80% of the purchasing decisions at retail. The female buyer! What does the female consumer really think about your packaging? Do you think they think pink? Think again. Pink appeals to girls, not women. The number one package preference color chosen by women is blue. What else should you know about the influences of the package on the female buyer? Are super sized packages still in vogue? Will a coupon influence her to purchase? The variables are endless.

Find out the answers and more when JoAnn R. Hines shares her insight and expertise at the upcoming RETAIL-PACK 2004 conference in Phoenix, Arizona, USA on April 19-20, 2004. For details on Hines's presentation, contact jrhines@womeninpackaging.org. For complete program, hotel and registration information on Retail-Pack 2004 visit www.schotland.com for

The answer may lie in mastering the most powerful demographic. The group that makes 80 percent of buying decisions. The female consumer. The question and its solution are not foreign to JoAnn R. Hines, Chief People Packager. She will share her expertise and knowledge on the topic at the upcoming RETAIL-PACK 2004 conference in Phoenix, Arizona, USA on April 19-20, 2004. Her analysis "Is your Packaging Female-Friendly?" will explore the necessity for brand owners, merchandisers, buyers, packaging designers and suppliers to include the female consumer in the equation. RETAIL-PACK 2004: "Packaging to Drive Retailer Growth" embraces Hines' theory that addressing the power of the consumer will enable retailers to reap profitable volume and grow brand equity for all the value chain stakeholders.

For retailers and brand owners to effectively "connect" with consumers, they must understand their markets' consumption habits, demographics, and functional and emotional needs. Presentations at RETAIL-PACK on the profiles of Hispanic, female, drug store and natural/organic food shoppers and their packaging preferences will facilitate this understanding.

Presentations from PepsiCo, Ocean Spray Cranberries and Eastman Kodak will demonstrate that brand owners who know what retailers and consumers want will be better prepared to harness the untapped equity of their brands. They will show that the effective use of packaging will create special products that attract consumers and make efficient use of retail shelf space.

By attending RETAIL-PACK 2004, retailers, brand owners and packaging suppliers will come away with a better understanding of how packaging can drive retailer growth, and how it can build brand equity. Visit www.schotland.com for complete program, hotel and registration information.

This year's judging panel was composed of eight individuals who traveled to Rochester, New York, in December 2003 to evaluate the entries and cast their votes for gravure's "Best of the Best." They were: Mauro A. Consalvi, Valmet Converting, Inc.; James D. Harris, Max Daetwyler Corporation; Ed Kozlowski, Wrico Packaging, Division of William Wrigley Jr. Company; Kathi A. Booker, Hallmark Cards, Incorporated; Julie Kotnik, Roymal Inc.; Hans H. Wegner, National Geographic Society; Gary Witt, RR Donnelley; and John Melotik, North America Cerutti.

A record 147 entries from around the world were received, cataloged, and displayed for the intensive day and a half of judging and deliberations. The quality of the entries was excellent, making the judging process challenging. At the end, there were 26 winners in 23 categories representing the spectrum of gravure's capabilities.

This free information resource can be utilized to access independent views from experts within the industry regarding current issues and trends. As a partner and exhibitor in the conference WMPKG prepared its digital stand as a platform to fully illustrate the association's growing suite of resources available to the industry.

The conference contains up to 60 white papers from high-level industry experts including Hines discussing the many diverse and important subjects such as Food & Beverage Packaging, Pharmaceutical & Healthcare, Packaging Design, Packaging Containers to name a few.

IDS-Packaging 2004 is designed to be an invaluable information resource, which surmounts the traditional challenges of time, space and expenditure traditionally associated with physical conferences. Go to www.idspackaging.com to learn more.

The following companies joined the team and many other have asked for the results. Astra-Zeneca, Biomeriuex, Carnaud Metalbox/Crown Cork & Seal, Coca-Cola, Contract Market Research, Cordis, CRB LINCS, Creative Retail Packaging, CSG, Design & Source Productions, Dow, J&J, Eastman Kodak, Ford, FutureBrand, Georgia-Pacific, Guidant, Holland & Knight LLP, Inland, Kraft, L Barron & Associates, Inc., MeadWestvaco, Mocon, Netherwood Consulting, Packaging Specialists, PCA, Rock-Tenn, Smurfit-Stone, Sonoco, Stratix, TetraPak, The Packaging Coach, TricorBraun and Universal Folding Box.

The comprehensive paper will be available for purchase also. Anyone interested in more information about the WMPKG Leadership Diversity Best Practices" initiatives should contact jrhines@womeninpackaging.org for details.

Hines is a contributor to the magazine that offers a savvy, sassy mix of information, inspiration and entertainment, blending articles written by experts with first-person stories to help women of all ages save, spend, earn and invest their money wisely. By spring, the magazine expects to be for sale on CD in most major bookstores and other retail outlets.

The magazine was launched on www.Newsstand.com in September 2002. It will continue to be available in downloadable format on www.Newsstand.com and on www.makingbreadmagazine.com. The MAKING BREAD CD can also be purchased on www.makingbreadmagazine.com.

MAKING BREAD is published by Reggai Productions LLC, a new-media company located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and formed by executives with experience at TV GUIDE, READER'S DIGEST and METROPOLITAN LIFE.

For more information about Hines and her areas of expertise, please contact her at jrhines@womeninpackaing.org or to request a review copy of the CD, please contact Editor Gail Harlow at 215-670-2471, gail@makingbreadmagazine.com.

Where were you Saturday, November 15th? While you were Christmas shopping, over sixty professional women were enhancing their career with the help of JoAnn R. Hines at the Emory University's Executive Women on Goizueta Fall Conference Women Empowering Women.

Emory University knows the power of JoAnn R. Hines, Chief People Packager and on November 15th the attendees felt that power as well. Leadership Guru JoAnn R. Hines conducted two power hour sessions for the attendees teaching personal branding techniques. "I get thousands of requests each year for help from women in all stages of their career. It's imperative that we reach out to women and help each other," says JoAnn R. Hines, Chief People Packager and founder of Women in Packaging.

In November 2003 issue of Making Bread Magazine, JoAnn writes about a documented phenomenon called the "drawbridge syndrome" among women who reach the top in corporate America. "It occurs when a women finally reaches the highest rung of the ladder, then refuses to help the women coming along behind her. Unwilling to share her knowledge or resources with them, she "pulls up the drawbridge" behind her." To read the full article, visit www.makingbreadmagazine.com. "JoAnn's session was a integral component of the success of the Executive Women of Goizueta's first annual conference. Her insight and participatory workshop allowed the participants to walk away with valuable information to further their careers. Workshop materials pointed the way to further information and articles that can be used on an as needed basis. Learning to package and sell yourself was an added benefit to this conference." Kate O'Toole, Executive Women of Goizueta Communications Chair.

In addition to managing Women in Packaging, a non-profit organization founded in 1993 providing a forum for packaging education, networking and mentoring for the personal and professional development of women, JoAnn personally shares her knowledge through her coaching practice. For more information on building your personal brand or to get JoAnn's Midas touch visit www.packagingcoach.com.

Women in Packaging's (Kennesaw, GA) Best Practices Committee met its first challenge and recently began to distribute its Company Diversity Best Practices Evaluation forms. The answers to this confidential survey will be used as a benchmark to ascertain today's business philosophy and determine its support of the advancement of women and diversity in the workplace. The team of professionals was assembled by Women in Packaging to urge employers to establish concrete diversity policies. The mission and focus of the committee is to lead packaging employers to better diversity practices that ultimately affect their bottom lines.

Formulating the evaluation was the first step in the committee's work to provide business case materials on all areas of diversity to build diversity. It will share and exchange best practices around all key issues on diversity as a rich interchange to advance each company's or government agency's program. The companies represented by leaders of the include Allied Industries, AstraZeneca Biomeriuex, Inc., Coca-Cola Company, Cordis, a Johnson & Johnson Company, FutureBrand, Creative Retail Packaging, Crown Cork & Seal Specialty Packaging, CSG, Inc., Design & Source Productions Corp., Dow Chemical Company, Eastman Kodak Company, Ford Motor Company, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Guidant Corporation, Holland & Knight LLP, Inland Paperboard and Packaging, Inc., Kraft Foods, L Barron & Associates, Inc., Lock-n Pop, Mead-Westvaco, Mocon, Netherwood Consulting, Packaging Corp of America, PackExpo.com, Resolution Packaging, Riverwood International, Rock-Tenn Company, Riverwood, Smurfit Stone, Sonoco, Stratix Corporation, Tetra Pak Carton Chilled, TricorBraun, Universal Folding Box, and Women in Packaging, Inc.

To participate in this landmark evaluation, please download the form.