Ben Mead serves as the Managing Director of Hohenstein Institute America. In this role, he is the company’s liaison with industry collaborations, government agencies and trade associations, while leading a team spread over North and Latin America. He also oversees OEKO-TEX® responsibilities for the U.S. field of R&D in textile auxiliaries, Dr. Duschek has played a pivotal role in propelling innovation within the textile industry. He holds a diploma in chemistry and a doctorate in natural sciences,
having completed his studies at the University of Ulm and his doctoral research on fluorocarbons at Clariant, Basel.
Category: Speaker Bios
Dr. Gunther Duschek
Dr. Gunther Duschek is the Managing Director as the CTOO of RUDOLF, which has a global workforce of 2,000 employees across 50 locations. With over 25 years of experience in the
field of R&D in textile auxiliaries, Dr. Duschek has played a pivotal role in propelling innovation within the textile industry. He holds a diploma in chemistry and a doctorate in natural sciences,
having completed his studies at the University of Ulm and his doctoral research on fluorocarbons at Clariant, Basel.
Thomas Braun
Overseeing and running Swisstex California as Dyehouse manager and then as Technical Director gave me for 25 years an unparallel volume of experience in efficient and sustainable textile manufacturing, digital color management and the development of advanced dyeing processes.
Stephen Aber
Stephen Aber is the Marketing and Communications Manager at the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), one of the largest sources of private research funding in North America for sustainable materials management. He plays a key role in disseminating EREF’s research and facilitating dialogue within the industry.
Michele Wallace
For twenty-two years, Michele Wallace conducted textile chemistry research in the Product Development and Implementation division at Cotton Incorporated and participated in standards development to support the company’s research. During this time, Michele led the Analytical Services Lab and was the Chemical Safety Officer. She became engaged with life cycle assessment (LCA) in 2010 when Cotton Incorporated carried out the first global LCA of cotton fiber and fabric.
Matthew Farrell
Matthew Farrell, Ph.D., manager of textile chemistry research at Cotton Incorporated has over a decade of experience in cotton and textile chemistry and sustainable processes. Matt conducts and manages both internal and external research projects. He holds a master’s degree in textile chemistry and a doctorate in fiber and polymer science from North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles.
Bob Carswell
Bob Carswell is a founding member and the R&D Director at Material Return, a pioneering company dedicated to building a sustainable and socially responsible economy. Material Return focuses on custom circularity solutions for textile brands and manufacturers, leveraging worker-owned models and cutting-edge technology. Bob leads the development of custom circular yarns and products, working with his team to close the loop on textile waste in the U.S. while ensuring that workers play a central role in this emerging circular economy.
Amy Bircher Bruyn
Amy Bircher Bruyn is the CEO and Founder of MMI Textiles, Inc., a global industrial and custom textile supplier she established in 1997. With over 40 years of experience in the U.S. textile industry, Amy has driven innovation, expanded U.S. manufacturing, and strengthened domestic supply chains. She has successfully acquired three textile businesses, including her family’s company, NDW Textiles (formerly National Dye Works, Inc.), with her latest acquisition of Jason Mills LLC closing in December 2024.
Jeffrey (Jeff) L. Neuville
Jeff Neuville joined the Manufacturing Solutions Center in June 2022 as Director, where he oversees a staff of 26 people dedicated to supporting US manufacturing and creating and retaining US jobs. The Manufacturing Solutions Center assists US manufacturers with product development and prototyping services, hosts an on-site business incubator, and has an ISO accredited testing […]
Ahmed El-Shafei, Ph.D.
El-Shafei is a professor and the Program Director of Polymer and Color Chemistry at Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University. He is a world renowned expert in dye chemistry and sustainable dyeing and finishing with more than 255 scholarly articles including 144 peer-review papers, 34 referred conference proceedings, two book chapters, one book, three patents, […]
