1997 AFS Chair - Pat Gebes

Pat still keeps an eye on the filtration industry although she hasn’t been actively involved in it for the last three years. She continues to do market development consulting with client companies and now works with a strategic partner, Rita Schwartz, in developing business networking groups under the Network Genie, division of GeniUSA.

She finds it a fascinating opportunity to work with lots of interesting people and to help them grow their business through networking. She also does event planning and develops tradeshows and events under her company, Toolbox Events. She works with client companies to develop their tradeshow presence, to structure their booth, teach them how to effectively manage the show presence and the whole tradeshow experience from show identification to post show evaluation. She has always found tradeshows to be a challenge and a big opportunity. She got hooked on tradeshows while helping to get the AFS shows off the ground in the beginning.

She would love to catch up with colleagues that she worked with in the filtration industry. Give her a call or send an e-mail.

Pat Gebes
Gebes Enterprises
Toolbox Events
Phone: 763-784-6026
E-mail: pat@toolboxevents.com

Why did you join the AFS and filtration industry?

I joined AFS as a charter member at the very first conference in Ocean City Maryland because I saw AFS as an opportunity to reach a lot of customers. At the time I was with Conwed Plastics and then moved to Veratec, bought out by BBA Nonwovens. Each company saw the merits of supporting my active involvement in AFS on various committees and as national chair. Such active involvement gave me access to a lot of people who were good partners for our company. The filtration industry is constantly developing new technologies some of which have the potential to make dramatic impact on the world in one area or another. I always enjoyed being involved with companies who were on the leading edge of the next technologies.

What changes (technology, economic, governmental, environmental etc) have had the most impact on the filtration industry?

Technology has had dramatic impact on the industry but I can’t point to one single area except perhaps nanotechnology. Governmental regulations and concern for the environment have also played a major role in furthering some of the areas of filtration. Imagine a conversation between Wells Shoemaker, grand old man of the industry, and a young engineer just entering the filtration industry. It would be fascinating to listen to that type of conversation, what we used to do, how we can do things now and the promise of the future.

Where do you see the filtration industry in 5-10 years?

Nanotechnology will continue to fuel new developments. Software innovations and improvements will also assist in moving the industry ahead. The average person doesn’t even realize how many times filtration or products made with or that utilize filtration touch their lives each day. The plight of the world environment will continue to have an increasing impact on the industry as people demand better water, air, materials. Economics will also continue to spur innovation as companies need to find ways to do things faster, better and cheaper. The filtration industry has a huge opportunity to meet these challenges.