Outlook Group manager addresses Clemson Graphic Communications graduates

Chip Tonkin, director of Clemson’s Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics said, ‘We invited Danielle to our classroom because of her unique knowledge of label and packaging production environments. Our students need to appreciate the importance of manufacturing experience within their targeted professional roles, whether it be sales, graphic design or marketing.’

Jerschefske served as the North America editor of Labels & Labeling for 10 years prior to joining Outlook Group in 2015. She has interviewed the label industry’s market leaders and change drivers, writing hundreds of articles on their investment strategies and technology implementation, growth plans, mergers and acquisitions.

She currently serves as a business development manager at Outlook Group, one of the largest label converters in North America with printed packaging and contract packaging capabilities, based in Neenah, Wisconsin. With Outlook Group Jerschefske is responsible for managing the progress of key account projects and for developing new labels, folding carton, and flexible packaging business opportunities in the food and beverage sector.

Jerschefske said, ‘I greatly enjoyed discussing my experience with Clemson’s future graphics industry leaders. Labels and packaging are critical communication touch points for growing and established brands, and consumer product development teams appreciate a knowledgeable project manager that’s familiar with manufacturing processes and challenges.'

In 2011, Jerschefske published the title 'Environmental Performance and Sustainable Labeling' together with Labels & Labeling founder, Mike Fairley. The book serves as a guide for label converters and label users to establish an Environmental Management System and abide by supplier scorecard programs through materials selection and usage, production performance, waste management and disposal, and life cycle assessment, concluding with a chapter on retailer and end user considerations.

‘Most businesses we deal with are interested in being more sustainable, in reducing waste within their supply chain,’ Jerschefske said. ‘At Outlook Group we work hard to provide more sustainable options to our customers while insuring their performance objectives are achieved.’

During the speaking engagement, graduating students were curious about the effects of e-commerce on packaging design and graphics, sustainability and the various packaging options in-use by different market sectors such dairy alternative beverages and snack foods. The graduates were eager to understand how manufacturing parameters apply to the creative process, and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to hear candidly from a young packaging industry expert.