2027 SPE Executive Committee Roles & Responsibilities
Role & Responsibilities of a Member of the Society of Plastics Engineers’ (SPE) Executive Committee
SPE Executive Committee (EC) Members make up the governing body of SPE @ PLASTICS, with a responsibility to support the Executive Committee Chair, the Chief Staff Executive, the Society, and the initiatives described by the Strategic Plan. SPE EC Members are either elected or appointed. Your nomination submission is an opportunity to be considered for election for the 2027 term.
- Elected EC Members serve 3-year terms, unless elected to fill a vacancy.
- Appointed EC Members serve a term of 1 year.
Click here to nominate yourself.
General Expectations
Members of the SPE EC provide strategic, financial, and organizational leadership to advance the mission and long-term vitality of the Society. Members serve as fiduciaries, ambassadors, and active representatives of SPE’s global community, helping professionals succeed through technical knowledge, education, networking, career development, and industry collaboration. SPE is an integral Division of PLASTICS, and EC Members are charged with supporting and advancing our common mission – To Promote, Protect, Educate and Grow the industries we serve.
EC Members are expected to actively listen to members, anticipate changes affecting our industry, contribute relevant professional expertise, and convert strategic priorities into measurable member and industry value.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide inspirational and strategic leadership. Articulate a compelling vision for SPE’s future and help the EC establish clear priorities, performance measures, and resource commitments.
- Exercise fiduciary and financial stewardship. Understand SPE’s business and membership models; review financial statements, budgets, investments, risks, and major commitments; and ensure that resources are aligned with strategy and long-term organizational sustainability.
- Strengthen SPE’s business and marketing strategy. Contribute practical business acumen in areas such as membership growth, conferences, technical education, publications, digital engagement, partnerships, sponsorships, and non-dues revenue. Serve as an informed and credible ambassador for SPE.
- Represent the voice of the customer and member. Apply a market and sales-oriented perspective to understand the needs of individual members, students, universities, employers, sponsors, technical communities, and other industry stakeholders. Use stakeholder feedback, engagement data, and market intelligence to improve SPE’s value proposition.
- Cultivate diverse perspectives and inclusive participation. Encourage representation across geography, career stage, technical discipline, organization type, professional background, and lived experience. Promote an executive leadership culture in which differing perspectives are considered respectfully and used to improve decisions.
- Support the next generation of industry leaders. Promote mentorship, professional development, networking, leadership opportunities, and meaningful participation by emerging professionals. Develop synergistic strategic initiatives between SPE and PLASTICS to drive professional and leadership development.
Essential Leadership Characteristics
Successful candidates should demonstrate a strong combination of:
- Inspirational leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Voice-of-customer and sales perception
- Financial acumen
- Strategy and marketing expertise
- Interpersonal and effective communication
- Professional & Leadership Development capability
- Cultural / Geographical diversity perspective
- Business acumen
- University / Academic perspective
No single candidate is expected to possess equal depth in every area. Collectively, the EC should maintain a balanced portfolio of these capabilities.
2027 Special Considerations
Every year poses new opportunities and challenges, and it is critical to ensure the Executive Committee is well-positioned to address the global dynamics facing our industry while maintaining a good balance of essential skills on the EC. As such, SPE is seeking candidates in 2027 particularly with the following strengths:
- Strategy and marketing expertise
- Professional & Leadership Development capability
- Financial acumen
Commitment and Expectations
Directors are expected to attend and prepare for all scheduled EC meetings; serve actively on assigned strategic initiatives; engage regularly with members and SPE communities; support leadership succession; and represent SPE professionally at relevant events. In this role, EC members must always act in the best interests of SPE rather than primarily representing an employer, geography, chapter, technical division, or other constituency.
Executive Committee service requires sufficient availability for meetings, preparation, member outreach, and project work throughout the elected term. It is expected that candidates will consider the time commitment required and inform appropriate parties of your intended service to SPE.
Required for Eligibility
A candidate must be an SPE member in good standing to be eligible.
The ideal candidate for Director should have:
- a professional degree related to, or be employed within, the plastics industry,
- at least five (5) years of professional experience within the plastics industry,
- currently have at least three (3) years of continuous SPE membership in good standing, and;
- have served as a member of an SPE Committee or SPE Chapter Board for at least three (3) full years.
