LOUPE Americas 2026 appoints ambassadors for key sectors 

LOUPE Americas 2026 – formerly Labelexpo Americas – has appointed industry experts as ambassadors from across the label and package printing community. Carefully selected for their expertise and thought leadership, the ambassadors will serve as trusted industry voices across LOUPE Global (formerly Labelexpo Global Series) platforms and at the event itself, which is set to return to the Chicago area, September 15-17 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, USA.  

The partnership between LOUPE Americas 2026 and the ambassadors is designed to bring focused expertise and technical insight covering mid-web flexible packaging, inline carton converting, sustainability, label market intelligence, and the next generation of industry leaders.  

Show organizers say the ambassadors reflect the strength of the wider LOUPE Global community while helping to shape conversations around the future of the label and package printing industry. Through educational sessions and industry engagement, the ambassadors will provide attendees with practical insight into the trends, challenges and opportunities influencing the sector’s future. 

Among the 2026 ambassadors, the portfolio welcomes back Corey Reardon, President & CEO, AWA Alexander Watson Associates as Label market intelligence Ambassador following his debut at Labelexpo Europe 2025 covering materials. 

Meet the LOUPE Americas 2026 ambassadors:  

Folding carton Ambassador: Steven Haedrich, President, New York Label & Box Works 

Sustainability Ambassador: Tyler Matusevich, Sustainability Director, Brook + Whittle 

Future leaders Ambassador: Katie Harrington, Senior Marketing Manager, Winpak 

Label market intelligence Ambassador: Corey Reardon, President & CEO, AWA Alexander Watson Associates  

Flexible packaging Ambassador: David Totten, Director of Innovation, Nosco   

Each ambassador will play an important role throughout LOUPE Americas 2026. Some of the highlights include:  

New market opportunities: In-line folding carton session 

On 15 September, Steven Haedrich, President of New York Label & Box Works, will present a session on in-line folding carton converting and the diversification opportunities it offers for label converters. Attendees will gain valuable insight into the key differences between converting labels and folding cartons, along with the strategic, operational, and market considerations converters should evaluate before expanding into carton production.  

Future Leaders Meet Up  

Katie Harrington, Senior Marketing Manager, Winpak, along with leading associations in the label and package printing industry will host a Future Leaders Meet Up at the Spotlight Stage on 16 September.  

Ambassador Forum 

On 16 September, the Ambassador Forum takes place, sharing expert perspectives on key trends shaping the industry, from emerging technologies and evolving market demands to new opportunities for converters.  

Keynote Session: Labels and Package Printing Industry – State of the Union 

Also on 16 September, Corey Reardon, President & CEO, AWA Alexander Watson Associates 

will participate in a keynote session: Today’s Manufacturing Reality.  This session is a deep dive into the current state of the label manufacturing industry, drawing upon the latest market statistics to offer a clear view of the key trends shaping the year ahead.  

Tasha Ventimiglia, Americas group director at LOUPE Global, says, “We’re delighted to welcome on board these key industry voices as ambassadors for LOUPE Americas 2026. Between them, the ambassadors bring focused expert knowledge and guidance across sustainability, folding carton, label market intelligence, flexible packaging and the next generation of future leaders.”     

Commenting on the partnership, Jade Grace, managing director at LOUPE Global, comments, “For over 45 years, we have partnered with the most forward-thinking minds in our industry, and LOUPE Americas 2026 ambassadors i