Innovation, sustainability, and global issues will be among the focuses of the fourth annual Packaging Summit Expo and Conference.

The Institute of Packaging Professionals is sponsoring the trade show, which will be May 13-15 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL.

Conference hours will be 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 13 and 8 a.m. to noon May 14 and 15.

Innovation and sustainability are the two conference topics on May 13. On the innovation front, Brian Reilly, senior director of the Innovation Institute at Georgia-Pacific, will present "Packaging Systems Strategy...Nine Steps to Profitable Sustainability." A roundtable of panelists will function as a "think tank" on how to execute a packaging-innovation strategy. Panelists include Peter Clarke, president, Product Ventures; Dave Carlstrom, senior director, Global Packaging Design and Innovation, Clorox Co.; Kathleen McKnight, director, Client Innovations, Jones Packaging; and Greg Zimmerman, global design leader, 3M Co.

On the sustainability side, Scott Young, president, Perception Research Services, will discuss "Packaging and the Environment...the Shopper's Perspective Shapes Strategies."

On May 14, presentations will focus on how to think in global terms. Paul Lewellen, senior director supplier development, Wal-Mart International Merchandising, will give an overview of "Wal-Mart's Strategy...on Global Packaging Reduction."

If you work on a team that creates package designs internally, but the packaging production and filling occur outside of your company, you need to know how your designs affect the production line. You'll want to hear how to do it right from Dwight Sevaldson, contract operations manager at General Mills. On May 15, he will present "Five Steps...in Managing Contract Packaging." View the full conference agenda and learn other details about the Packaging Summit.