Three Past Chairs Discuss PDA Careers

In August, three past leaders met at PDA’s Bethesda, Md. headquarters to discuss their time as PDA volunteers, culminating with serving as the PDA Chair (video below).

Maik Jornitz, President and CEO, G-Con Manufacturing, Inc., participated in task forces, interest groups and committees for conferences and publications, has been an event speaker and moderator, and an award-winning author and editor of several PDA-DHI books. He first became a PDA director on the all-volunteer board in 2005. He was elected to the Executive Committee as Treasurer in 2006. He entered the six-year Chair cycle as Chair-Elect in 2008, Chair in 2010, and completed his service as Immediate Past Chair in 2013. Maik remains active on PDA’s task force for Annex 1 and was a lead researcher on filter-masking conducted at the PDA Training and Research Institute in 2019.

Hal Baseman, COO, ValSource, LLC, has participated in PDA interest groups, task forces, and committees for conferences and publications. He served on the Science Advisory Board (SAB)as a regular member and as a co-chair for many years. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2008, to the Executive Committee as Treasurer in 2010 and entered the six-year Chair cycle as Chair-Elect in 2012, Chair in 2014, and completed his service as Immediate Past Chair in 2017. Hal remains very active with PDA, serving on the current task force on Annex 1 revision. Hal also has been a key faculty member of PDA’s long-running and industry-leading Aseptic Processing Training Course.

Martin Van Trieste, CEO, Civica, was co-chair and then sole chair of the SAB for several years. He was a participant in PDA’s activities to comment on the FDA guidance on GMPs for aseptic processing and subsequent training workshops. He joined the Board of Directors in 2007 and joined the Executive Committee as Chair-Elect in 2014, ending the six-year cycle as Immediate Past Chair in 2019. Martin was instrumental in planning PDA’s workshops on supply chain security. He continues to contribute to PDA as an author. He holds the unique distinction of being the only speaker at a PDA event to wield a sledgehammer as part of his presentation.

During their chat at PDA’s headquarters, the three credited PDA as a great “place to speak and listen” to others. PDA events provide “a safe space for debates,” which are common during workshops and conferences. As an interface among the parties creating and subject to regulations, PDA “has changed the industry.”

On a professional and personal level, each of the three past leaders agree that PDA “is a place to have fun” too. Even their spouses have traveled to meetings and formed friendships.

As leaders within their respective companies, each credited their work on the PDA Board of Directors as a preparatory and key activity along the way. While they probably enjoy the extra free time since their terms as Chair ended, they miss serving on the board, as it allowed them a chance to “work with best and brightest in the industry.”

You can watch the entire discussion here: