Welcome to a thrilling lineup of outstanding technical presentations!

The program will kick off with the Opening Address by the ALCA President, John Rodden, at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13th. Following this, the 64th John Arthur Wilson Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Marc Smit, CEO of Royal Smit & Zoon. Attendees can look forward to two full days of insightful technical presentations, concluding on Thursday afternoon, May 15th.

We are excited to host a diverse group of presenters who will share their expertise and innovative ideas. Stay tuned to this section of our website for updates on the schedule of the technical program presenters. 

Note:  Oral Presentations are subject to change

Opening Address – John Rodden    

John A. Wilson Award presentation – Marc Smit, CEO of Royal Smit & Zoon – Honoring Our Legacy. Building Our Future: An Urgent Call for Collaboration.

Olga Ballus, Research & Development – Cromogenia – Life Cycle Assessment of Post-Tanning Chemicals for a More Sustainable Leather Production

Valentina Beghetto, Crossing S.r.l. – The Leather Industry: Future Limitations and Prospects 

Micheal Costello, Group Director of ESG – Stahl – The ESG Pushback – How the Industry Is Adjusting 

Joseph Green – Special Council – Kelley Drye, & Warren LLP – Updates on Prop 65 and PFAS

Myron Hooks – Senior TS&D Specialist – Dow – Anti-soiling 

Katie Kutskill – President – Is It Leather? Campaign – The Truth Alone Isn’t Enough: Reframing Leather’s Future

Kevin Latner – LHCA – Carbon Matters: Industry Reporting and the Life Cycle Assessment

Simon Niefer – Head of Sales & Application Leather – Pulcra Chemicals – Breaking the Bubble: How Social Media Can Bring Leather into the 21st Century

Marc Oomens – Director of Sales – IM Innovating 

Nigel Payne – Director – NTE – The Origins and Manufacture of Mimosa Extract – Including Stats on Historical and Present Mimosa 

Dr. Pete Speth – Certified Forensic Pathologist & Karl Flowers – Technical Director – Authenticae – Unraveling a Mystery: Leather Science and the Lindbergh Kidnapping Case

David Wright – V.P. Advanced Technological Developments – Tapestry – New Learnings and Managing Supply Chain Traceability in the Leather Sector 

TBD – TFL – Polymer Leather Auxiliaries Made from Lignocellulose