From the Sector

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has announced the four distinguished recipients of the 2026 INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Award. Tom Daugherty, Pricie Hanna, Carey Hobbs, and CK Wong are being recognized for their exceptional leadership, innovation, and enduring contributions to advancing the nonwovens industry and strengthening the global community it serves.

The INDA Lifetime Awards honor professionals with distinguished records of service and technical accomplishment whose work has significantly influenced the development and advancement of nonwoven technologies, businesses, and the broader industry.

Award Recipients

• Tom Daugherty and Carey Hobbs will receive their awards at the World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference, June 30th beginning at 4:30 pm
• Pricie Hanna will receive her award at the Hygienix™ Conference, November 17th at 4:30 pm
• Sabrina Wong, President, U.S. Pacific Procurement Company Ltd., will accept the posthumous award on behalf of her husband, CK Wong, at a future INDA event

Tom Daugherty: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
“It has been a great privilege to spend nearly 45 years collaborating with so many talented individuals in this industry to improve the lives of consumers worldwide. I am truly humbled to receive the INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award. My deepest thanks to my colleagues at P&G, partners across the supply sector, The Nonwovens Institute at NC State, the INDA community, and my wife and family for their amazing partnership. Here’s to the next generation of innovation!”

Tom Daugherty’s career spans decades of service to the nonwovens industry, both in industry R&D leadership roles at Procter & Gamble where he first retired in 2016, and also in a unique industry-academic partnership role at The Nonwovens Institute at NC State, where he retired in 2025.

Throughout, he was dedicated to the idea of driving business growth through innovation, and doing this by working to improve consumer’s lives with delightful benefits and winning with consumers vs. the best competition. Other powerful innovation themes included focus on platform technologies that could be leveraged for multi-generational initiatives to meet consumer needs, and to allocate balanced effort across the different innovation types to build, transform, and create markets.

He advanced through R&D positions spanning upstream technology development, business unit product development, and initiative launch. And through his collaboration as a part of multidisciplinary teams representing, in varied capacities, global brands such as Pampers, Luvs, Always, Naturella, Bounty, Swiffer, Mr. Clean, and others, he contributed to product and process technologies that have been used hundreds of billions of times by consumers around the world. 

Nonwoven specific innovations include developing benefits and functions related to comfort, resilience, softness, wettability, fluid handling, apertures, mechanical fastening, carrier for skin care ingredients, barrier for leakage prevention, surface cleaning, personal care skin cleaning, and stretch. And at The Nonwovens Institute, it was an honor to contribute to the delivery of filtration products needed for health care during the COVID pandemic.

Recognizing the importance of contributing to building the business, and to building organizational and industry capability, Tom was also very active in industry service roles. He served on the INDA Board of Directors from 2007 to 2009 and later as a member of the INDA Executive Committee from 2010 to 2016. In addition, he played a significant role at The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), serving on its Executive Committee from 2003 to 2016, including as Chair from 2006 to 2008, and as Chair of the NWI Scientific Advisory Board from 2010 to 2016. And in his second career at The Nonwovens Institute, Daugherty brought enthusiasm and strategic leadership to the organization, helping support its continued growth and success.

Tom commented upon the highlights of his long and multi-faceted career, “The absolute best part of my career was having the opportunity and privilege to collaborate with so many talented people in the nonwovens industry. Collaboration is the most powerful, and fun, way to create and deliver business results.”

Pricie Hanna: INDA Lifetime Service Award
“I have benefited from the services of INDA’s talented staff for the 40 years that I have been in the nonwovens industry.  I am truly humbled and honored to receive the INDA Lifetime Service Award. It has been a blessing to collaborate with this close-knit community of dedicated professionals as the industry has innovated and grown all around the world.”

Pricie Hanna is Managing Partner of Price Hanna Consultants, a firm founded in 2011 with Partner, David Price, which specializes in nonwoven products and technologies. Pricie’s expertise in hygiene absorbent products ranges from tracking market trends to estimating the demand and technical requirements for raw materials – such as resins, fiber, fluff pulp, nonwovens, film, superabsorbents, adhesives and elastics – used to make these products. She is a frequent conference speaker and has authored numerous papers and publications on the global markets for hygiene absorbent products and other nonwovens businesses.

For twenty-three years before that, Pricie was Vice President of John R. Starr, Inc., and led the firm’s consulting practice in hygiene absorbent products and nonwoven wipes. Pricie managed numerous client engagements involving market and technology feasibility, supply/demand outlook, strategy development, new product opportunity evaluation, competitor assessments, value chain analyses, and financial valuations.

Prior to joining John R. Starr, Inc., Pricie was Vice President – Finance, Planning and Administration for the Scott Nonwovens Division of Scott Paper Company. During sixteen years with Scott Paper, Pricie held various corporate positions including Vice President – Corporate Planning; Vice President – Corporate Financial Services and Assistant Treasurer. Before joining Scott Paper, Pricie was a corporate lending officer at Citibank in New York City. She received an A.B. degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed the Executive Education Program in Corporate Financial Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Business. She and her husband Colin live in West Chester, Pennsylvania. They have two adult children and two avid soccer-playing grandsons.

Carey Hobbs: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
“I was shocked to learn that I’m receiving this Lifetime Achievement Award. I have devoted my professional career to making cars quieter, making jackets warmer, defending our country, and helping families enjoy quilting. This honor humbles me and lets me know that my career has positively impacted people’s lives.”

Carey Hobbs joined Hobbs Bonded Fibers (formerly known as Clark Brothers Felt Company) in 1963 and grew the company into a leader in the nonwoven industry, with applications across government, military, medical, automotive, industrial, and crafts until he sold in 2015.

He loved providing jobs that his employees could depend on, and his team members became integral leaders in their community.

The company was only the seventh bonded polyester plant in the world. Carey was renowned for creating the Heirloom and Tuscany Collections, which became two of the most in-demand quilt batting labels in the industry.

While he produced his own brands that ranked #2 in the industry, he also manufactured the #1 and #3 brands for other companies. As a result, he produced 90% of the quilt batting sold in America.

“I saw quilting as the ideal arena because it is so personal. Quilt patterns and techniques have been passed down from generation to generation. We still have quilts made by our own parents and grandparents.”

Carey adds, “I figured that if I couldn’t sell all the quilt batting in the nation, at least I could manufacture most of it. If I were going to lose a sale to someone, I could lose it to myself under a different label. I was fortunate to lead a team of innovators who elevated an entire industry.”

Carey was the second-largest producer of fiber fill for ski jackets and leaned into the automotive sector, supplying components for 12 of the 15 top-selling vehicles in the United States. A constant innovator, he owns or has owned all or parts of at least four patents, some of which remain classified as projects involving the joint Armed Forces.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) named Carey the “Small Businessperson of the Year” for the Dallas District. He was also appointed by the George H.W. Bush administration to serve on the U.S. Department of Commerce Industry Sector Advisory Committee for Trade Policy Matters for Textiles and Apparel.

He celebrated his 90th birthday in December and published his memoir, Piloting Life, which includes 60 years of stories and advancements in the nonwoven industry, along with his passion for family and flying. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Carey served our nation in the U.S. Marine Corps as a jet fighter pilot and a test pilot. In our industry, he served two terms on INDA’s board of directors. Today, he focuses on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and serves on the boards of various charitable organizations. He and his late wife, Brenda, helped start the Texas Tech University Center for Collegiate Recovery Communities, which became the model adopted by more than 200 universities.

CK Wong: INDA Lifetime Service Award
“It is with profound gratitude that I accept this Lifetime Service Award in honor of my late husband, C.K. Wong. His dedication to nonwovens industry was not just a career, but a calling. He gave his time, his wisdom, and his heart to advancing the work and uplifting those around him. This recognition is a testament to the values he lived by—integrity, perseverance, and service. Though he is no longer with us, his legacy continues to guide and inspire, and I am deeply moved that his contributions are remembered in this way.” – Sabrina Wong, President, U.S. Pacific Procurement Company Limited

C.K. Wong, Chairman and CEO of U.S. Pacific Nonwovens Industry Limited, built a distinguished career at the forefront of the global nonwovens sector. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he became a U.S. citizen in his twenties after earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in New York City.

Recognizing the potential of the emerging nonwovens industry in the early 1970s, CK began his career in the export and import of nonwoven products. In 1988, he returned to Hong Kong as a marketing consultant, and the following year established his corporate headquarters there to oversee manufacturing operations in China. His company specialized in converting nonwoven roll goods into disposable products for industrial and medical protection, addressing the critical challenge of cross-contamination. Over time, the business expanded into household, sports, and other value-added applications. Among his notable achievements was the invention of a patented patient mobility product, which generated significant global business through collaboration and partnerships.

Under CK’s leadership, U.S. Pacific Nonwovens Industry Limited experienced substantial growth. Beginning in 2000, he emphasized the importance of environmental sustainability, investing heavily in a spunbonding production line dedicated exclusively to PLA (polylactic acid), a biodegradable material.

Beyond his business accomplishments, CK was a respected industry leader and advocate for the advancement of nonwovens worldwide. He served as Vice Chairman, Vice Chairman-Finance, and later as an Executive Committee Appointee of INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, where he was credited with helping to open the doors to China for the association. In China, he held prominent leadership roles, including Honorable Chairman of the Guangdong Nonwovens Association (GDNA) and Chairman of the Spunbonded Division of the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA).

Through his vision, leadership, and commitment to innovation, CK Wong made lasting contributions to the growth and globalization of the nonwovens industry. His legacy continues today, inspiring entrepreneurship, sustainability, and international collaboration.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54 – a.k.a. RBG – was an influencer before it was even a profession, advocating for women’s equality. Her personal style, and the substance behind it, will be on display in the Human Ecology Building in an exhibit, “Fashioning Justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54 and the Power of Presence.”

One theme of the exhibit will be “The Politics of Lace,” and its ascension from accessory to a feature often worn by Ginsburg.

The exhibit – a collaboration between the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and the College of Human Ecology – will run March 16 to May 1, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, in the Rachel Hope Doran ’19 and Terrace Level Display Cases in the Human Ecology Building. A celebration event on April 14 will feature remarks by Ginsburg’s granddaughter, Clara Spera, an attorney at Hecker Fink LLP who has worked on her grandmother’s defining issue, reproductive rights, with the National Women’s Law Center.

The exhibit will feature accessories, on loan from family members, from Ginsburg’s personal wardrobe, including her signature lacy judicial collars (among them her distinctive “Dissent” collars) along with gloves, COVID masks, handbags, jewelry and scarves. Cornellian yearbooks and a Class of 1954 Freshman Desk Book, from Cornell University Library, will also be displayed.

Pieces from the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection (CF+TC) expand the narrative, with examples of fashion and justice influenced by Ginsburg’s legal legacy.

“This is a really exciting opportunity to talk about the intersections of fashion, law, freedom of expression, and clothing as symbolic speech” said exhibit curator Denise Green, Lau Family Associate Professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Human Centered Design, in the College of Human Ecology (CHE).

Denise Green shows students around the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection and highlights artifacts on loan from the family of Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54. “Women have used fashion, historically and in the present day, as both voice and strategy to seek justice, navigate inequalities, and challenge some of the assumptions about how authority is defined and regulated through appearance,” said Green, director of the CF+TC.

Ginsburg, a College of Arts and Sciences alumna who died at age 87 in 2020, popularized lacy judicial collars alongside Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court justice. Over time, Ginsburg’s collars developed more precise meanings and could signal whether she had written a majority opinion or, more famously, when she was dissenting.

“The judicial robe is itself a symbolic garment intended to convey authority, impartiality and uniformity,” Green said. “But because the judicial robe was designed for a man’s body, it left space at the neckline for a collar and tie, allowing for individual expression to peek through.”

The court’s only two female justices seized the opportunity.
“There was something both witty and bold in the way that they exaggerated this already-obvious difference with lace and other materials associated with femininity,” Green said.

One theme of the exhibit will be “The Politics of Lace,” and its ascension from accessory to a feature, Green said, with “symbolic meaning. It has often been dismissed as a delicate, decorative, frilly add-on, but lace represents labor, skill accumulated over generations, and economies made possible by women’s work.”
Other themes include “Carrying Rights: Handbags, Pockets, and Professional Dress”; “Campus Constraints: Fashion and Life at Cornell, 1950-1954”; “Clothing as Care: Connecting Family, Community, and Nation”; and “Signaling Dissent.”

Students in this semester’s Learning Where You Live (LWYL) course, “Fashioning Justice: RBG and the Arts,” taught in Ginsburg Hall, are each researching and writing a label for an artifact being displayed at the exhibition. The students will also create an original artwork relating to the intersection of fashion and justice and RBG’s legacy, which will be displayed in the nearby Jill Stuart Gallery as a companion show.

“Beyond learning about her landmark cases, the course also explores how fashion and law are more connected than most people realize,” said Samantha Alberts, M.A. ’24, a doctoral student in fiber science and apparel design. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg showed up every day to a room full of men who did not always agree with her, and she made her presence known through what she wore. Her collars, her gloves, her purses were never just accessories. They were statements.”

“The students all do recognize RBG, not only for her judicial work but also as an icon of social justice and civil rights,” said Kristen Underhill, professor at Cornell Law School and faculty-in-residence at Ginsburg Hall. Underhill and Green are co-teaching the LWYL course.

In addition to remarks from Spera, the April 14 event will feature a screening of the 15-minute short film, “Making the Case: A Supreme Court Justice and Her Bags,” with filmmaker Jennifer Callahan. The event will take place from 5-7 p.m. in Room G155 of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall; those wishing to attend can RSVP here.
Both the exhibit and the event were made possible by a gift to the Brooks School from Jeff ’79 and Christie Weiss P’11 and ’14.

The Supervisory Board of adidas AG resolved on several matters regarding the Executive and Supervisory Board that ensure leadership continuity and underpin the company’s successful trajectory of strong and profitable growth.

Executive Board
The Supervisory Board of adidas AG has extended Bjørn Gulden’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer until December 31, 2030. Bjørn Gulden has been a member of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of adidas AG since January 1, 2023.

“With his long-standing experience, his deep understanding of our industry, his strong leadership, and his clear focus on quality growth, Bjørn Gulden drove the successful turnaround of adidas during the past three years”, says Thomas Rabe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. “Under his leadership, adidas has made tremendous operational and financial progress in a challenging environment, laying a strong foundation for further sustainable top- and bottom-line growth in the future. The extension of his contract is a clear commitment to continuity, stability, and a continued trustful collaboration between the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board. We are convinced that, together with his Executive Board team, Bjørn Gulden will continue to make adidas successful in the long run.”

Moreover, the Supervisory Board of adidas AG has also extended the appointment of Michelle Robertson, responsible for Global Human Resources, People and Culture, until December 31, 2031.

“I am delighted to announce that we have also extended Michelle Robertson’s appointment. During the past two years, she has successfully driven the development and direction of the global HR organization and our corporate culture. She accelerated key initiatives in the areas of people & culture, talent development, and modern working environments, thus further improving the company’s performance and adidas’ position as an attractive employer brand“, says Thomas Rabe.

Supervisory Board
In view of the Annual General Meeting on May 7, 2026, the Supervisory Board of adidas AG has furthermore agreed to propose the re-election of Nassef Sawiris to the Supervisory Board for a further three-year term of office. Following the Annual General Meeting, the Supervisory Board intends to elect Nassef Sawiris as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. He is to succeed Thomas Rabe as Chairman, whose term of office will end as planned at the close of the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

Nassef Sawiris (65) has been a member of the Supervisory Board since June 2016, and has been Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board since 2025.

“With Nassef Sawiris, the Supervisory Board will win an experienced entrepreneur and investor as Supervisory Board Chairman. Nassef has already accompanied adidas for many years as a Supervisory Board member and has contributed significantly to the strategic development of the company. His significant shareholding in adidas through NNS underscores his strong and long-term commitment to the company and alignment with shareholder interests. In addition, his international perspective and entrepreneurial vision will strengthen adidas further in a dynamic market environment. As Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Nassef Sawiris will be a driving force in the continued successful collaboration with the Executive Board and will represent the interests of our shareholders in a responsible manner. I would like to wish him and the entire Supervisory Board every success for the future”, says Thomas Rabe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of adidas AG.

Thomas Rabe (60) has been a member of the Supervisory Board since 2019 and Chairman since August 2020. Thomas Rabe’s term as Chairman was a period of change and stabilization, marking a strategic restart for adidas AG.

Nassef Sawiris says: “I am delighted about my nomination for the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of adidas AG. In a time when there are still huge opportunities for our company in a very attractive industry, it is particularly important to me to take an active part in shaping the future of adidas together with my Supervisory Board colleagues and the Executive Board. I greatly appreciate the achievements of Bjørn and his team so far, and I am looking forward to continuing our close collaboration as we jointly guide adidas into its next chapter. Already today, I would like to thank Thomas Rabe on behalf of all Supervisory Board members for his long-standing leadership, the trustful collaboration, and his achievements for the company.”

Besides Nassef Sawiris, the Supervisory Board will also propose to the Annual General Meeting in May 2026 that Ian Gallienne (55), Chairman of the Board of Directors, Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, be re-elected for a term of three years.

As a new member of the Supervisory Board, Mathias Döpfner, Chief Executive Officer of Axel Springer SE, will be proposed for election to the shareholders. Mathias Döpfner (63) has been Chief Executive Officer of Axel Springer SE since 2002, transforming the company from a traditional publishing house into a digital media group during this time. Thomas Rabe says: “Mathias Döpfner will complement the Supervisory Board perfectly with his strong executive leadership experience and his deep expertise in brand building, digital transformation, and corporate governance. He brings valuable strategic insight into global markets, consumer engagement, and commercial growth, making him a highly qualified candidate for our Supervisory Board.”

The Annual General Meeting of adidas AG will take place in the Stadthalle Fürth, Germany, on May 7, 2026.

DyStar, a leading specialty chemical company with a heritage of more than a century in product development and innovation, announced the appointment of Ruan Cunfan to its Board of Directors, effective 20 February 2026. His appointment and the conclusion of Yao Jianfang’s tenure mark a seamless transition, reinforcing stability while opening doors to new opportunities.

Ruan Cunfan graduated from Claremont McKenna College in the United States, holding dual bachelor’s degrees in Economics & Accounting and Chemistry. He currently serves as a Director and Assistant to the Chairman of Zhejiang Longsheng Group Co., Ltd., and as Assistant to Chairman of Longsheng Group Holdings (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. He brings extensive experiences, having built a distinguished career overseeing its Group real estate investment strategy, operations, and management. His appointment reflects the company’s commitment to strengthening governance and driving long-term strategic growth globally. At the same time, Yao Jianfang will be stepping down from the Board. 

“The appointment of Ruan Cunfan marks an important step in strengthening our Board for the future,” said Ruan WeiXiang, Chairman, Board of Directors, DyStar Group. “His visionary expertise and innovative leadership will be instrumental as we continue to advance DyStar’s internationalization process. This transition reflects our commitment to leadership continuity, while also embracing new opportunities aligned with our long-term vision for responsible and resilient development.” 

“We are delighted to welcome Ruan Cunfan to the Board at this pivotal moment in the Group’s journey,” said Xu Yalin, Managing Director, President and CEO of DyStar Group. “His fresh perspective and outstanding innovative capabilities will help us further expand our impact, while embedding sustainability deeply into every facet of our strategy. At the same time, we pay tribute to Yao Jianfang, thanking him for his past contributions to the Board, and we look forward to his continued insights and guidance at the shareholder level in support of DyStar’s growth.”

DyStar Group remains committed as it embarks on its next phase of growth. The Group looks forward to building stronger partnerships, advancing sustainability initiatives, and delivering enhanced value across its global operations.