Executive Biographies

<< Back   Arthur Gustafson, Founder/President Arthur Gustafson is widely considered to be the leading pioneer of today's automatic heat seal and thermoforming industry and, indeed, the father of the rotary automatic heat seal machine. He joined Plastofilm Industries ( Wheaton , Ill. ) in 1954, starting in the die shop and subsequently moving up the engineering and management ladder. In 1961, because he wanted to run his own business and develop his own equipment line to fill what he saw as gaps in the industry, he founded Alloyd Company. Gustafson designed, tooled, fabricated and then introduced his six-station rotary machine, the Alloyd Model 6SCBE in 1966. It became the standard of the industry and is still in use all over the world.   In 1989, after building Alloyd to a 320-employee company, Gustafson sold the company, (Alloyd now operates as a division of Tegrant) and re-entered the industry he had so influenced by forming Algus Packaging, Inc., in 1995 with new concepts for packaging equipment he wanted to build and bring to market. Today, Gustafson relies on his strategic management team to handle the day-to-day administration of his company. This frees up time for him to devote his expertise and insights to the benefit of Algus customers.   Pat Stoner , Vice President, Contract Packaging/ Business Operations Pat Stoner began her Algus career in 1995, though her experience in the packaging and manufacturing industry spans 25 years. Pat was instrumental in the start-up, growth and development of Algus Packaging. And now, as Vice President of Contract Packaging and Business Operations is a key member of the Algus Strategic Advisory Board and oversees several departments of the company. She has also been very instrumental in the development of the newest division of Algus, the contract packaging division.   Larry Aska, Vice President, Engineering/ Manufacturing Larry Aska has worked for and with Arthur Gustafson for most of his career. Beginning as a draftsman at Alloyd, and later, re-joining forces with Arthur at Algus in 1995. A skilled craftsman and engineer, he has made a significant contribution to the packaging industry with his work on new heat seal and thermoforming machinery, as well as enhancements to existing equipment to further increase output and ergonomically improve ease of operation. Larry now serves Algus as Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing and serves as a key member of the Algus Strategic Advisory Board.