DeeAnn (“Dee” to all) retired in June 2025 as Senior Innovation Manager with Avgol Nonwovens, located in Mocksville, North Carolina focusing on the needs of the United States, Canada, and the entirety of the Latin America region. She was also part of the Indorama Ventures Limited (IVL) Hygiene Vertical Global Innovation group where her expertise supported various sustainability improvement and product implementation projects. Dee had been a member of the IAB, its Executive Committee and NWI’s Strategic Scientific Advisory Board (SSAB) for many years including serving as the SSAB Chairperson 2022-25. In addition to her activity at NWI, Dee was actively engaged INDA; The Association of the Nonwovens Industry, as well as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Dr. Nelson earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in 1986 and then her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering specializing in Polymer Science and Engineering from The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in 1992. She then launched into a career of expanding her experience and becoming an innovator, an inventor, a developer, a contributor, a presenter, and a mentor starting as a Technical Service / Market Development Engineer for Hoechst Celanese Corp. She would subsequently accept positions of increasing responsibility with Lydall, Inc., Polymer Group, Inc. and finally joining Avgol Nonwovens in 2013. Whether it be her practical knowledge of polyolefins to being able to perform advanced development of polyester polymerizations, staple fiber to spunlaid, thermal bond to advanced three-dimensional imaged composites, hygiene component materials to wipes to PPE to filtration, Dr. Nelson held key roles in identifying opportunities and driving commercialization of new technologies.
I look forward to continuing my support of NWI and mentoring the next generation of innovators….
Dr. Nelson said, “I am deeply honored to be elected as an emeritus member of NWI, and I look forward to continuing my support of NWI and mentoring the next generation of innovators.” Following retirement, Dee’s plans for her next chapter include nurturing her longtime passion for travel, exploring new volunteer opportunities, and staying actively involved in the Nonwovens industry—particularly with NWI and INDA.
NWI’s Emeritus Members provide services and expertise in particular areas of need on a volunteer basis. “Having served the nonwovens industry over the course of their long and accomplished careers, our volunteer team members bring a wealth of knowledge and insight to help advance NWI’s organizational goals,” said NWI Executive Director Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., “We thank them for their faithful support.” https://thenonwovensinstitute.com/about-nwi/nwi-stakeholders/#volunteers
- Categories:
