Joan Izzo, a long-time nonwovens industry marketing expert, has stepped into the role of director of marketing at INDA. Her past roles included stints at Tredegar Films, Performance Fibers and Virginia Commonwealth University. She has been active within INDA serving on a number of committees including the Vision Conference Planning committee for several years.

Izzo assumed the role, which was vacated in fall 2013, in January and is spending her first weeks assessing INDA’s role and how best to serve the needs of both the organization and its members.

“There are many opportunities to enhance the presentation of INDA’s values to its members and the industry,” she says. “For now I am identifying pressing needs and then I will be discussing priorities within the INDA organization.”

While Izzo has spent a lot of time working with INDA during her various marketing roles within the nonwovens industry, her latest role will require her to take a different view of the global nonwovens industry, a market she has viewed from a distance during the last three years while she was marketing engineering academia at VCU.

“I need to reacquaint myself with the nonwovens industry from a more intimate perspective. Representing an entire industry is a lot different from focusing on the needs of the engineering education community. The view is significantly broader,” Izzo says.

Her initial thoughts on her goals include attracting new members through a clearer and more compelling presentation of INDA benefits, honing social media and the organization’s website, developing a cohesive identity for each of INDA’s events and figuring out the most valuable ways to support members and help them succeed.

“We want to make sure the marketing approaches echo the needs of the members and the attendees to provide the most value,” Izzo explains.

Dave Rousse, INDA president, said Izzo’s experience with integrating marketing and communications campaigns made her the top choice for the position.

“INDA’s director of marketing is a critical function for developing and enhancing INDA’s brand among our membership and the nonwovens/engineered fabrics industry,” Rousse says. “We look forward to having Joan on board to lead, direct and refine the strategic marketing direction and competency within INDA. Joan has an outstanding record in marketing communications and has the entrepreneurial spirit to lead INDA to the next level. We are truly excited that she will be joining us.”