“We are pleased to welcome this talented group of industry experts who will add to the strength of our board, “said Debangana Mukherjee, Chair, AIM North America Board of Directors and Business Development Director, CISC Semiconductor. “They bring decades of leadership in key areas, such as strategy implementation, technology development, and market growth.”
 
As the unbiased resource for networking, education, advocacy, and standards, AIM North America members grow their business by fostering the effective use and adoption of Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) solutions in all vertical markets.

The current board also includes executives from Aware Innovations, CDO Technologies, Danzz Consulting, and Technologies ROI. 
 
For more information including bios or headshots, contact AIM North America. 

​The FDA has released the long awaited strategic blueprint for the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Initiative, an initiative designed to promote industry collaboration and adoption of technology and other modern tools to create a digital, traceable and smarter food system by 2021. The FDA strategic initiative was launched in 2019 and focuses on four major pillars:

• Tech-Enabled Traceability and Foodborne Outbreak Response
• Smarter Tools and Approaches for Prevention
• Adapting to New Business Models and Retail Food Safety Modernization
• Food Safety Culture

 
The new blueprint elaborates on the four core elements that will be driving the initiative, in addition to stating the values and principles the FDA aims to advance through their work. Building on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which focuses on preventing food-borne illnesses rather than purely responding by tracing back from foodborne outbreaks.  In the months since the launch of this new initiative, there has been a public meeting, as well as an opportunity for public comment on the FDA’s design and approach.
 
AIM North America supports these efforts to create a safer, digital, and traceable food supply chain. The use of asset tracking technologies such as barcodes, RFID, RTLS, and IoT, enable traceability systems to identify contaminated foods, trace them to their origin, and to implement a strategic recall both addressing the issue and minimizing the supply chain impact.  Enabling the digital food supply chain will both boost the confidence of the consumer while reducing supply chain costs.
 
“Implementation of asset tracking technologies can harmonize the food supply chain visibility from farm to table,” stated Mary Lou Bosco, COO AIM North America. “The retail industry has been utilizing these technologies for decades to reduce waste, provide accurate inventory management, and maximize efficiencies.”
 
AIM North America also submitted comments to the FDA General Principles for Food Standards Modernization which would establish a set of general principles for food standards for FDA to use when considering whether to establish, revise, or eliminate a food standard. Read AIM NA’s submitted comments here.
 
For more information on how you can get involved, fill out our form or email AIM NA. 

AIM North America submitted comments to the FDA General Principles for Food Standards Modernization which would establish a set of general principals for food standards for FDA to use when considering whether to establish, revise, or eliminate a food standard. Read AIM NA’s submitted comments here. 

For more information on how you can get involved, fill out our form or email AIM NA. 

AIM North America has introduced a new model of work groups and those specific vertical-based chairmen have been announced in the process.
 
July 9, 2020 – Pittsburgh, PA - AIM North America has made the decision to regroup their Subject Matter Experts to head up more niche vertical industry work groups. The object of these factions will be to advance and grow the use of AIDC technologies and standards within the following areas: Food Supply Chain, Cannabis, Pharmaceutical, and UDI in Healthcare. Within all of these verticals, there will be FDA regulation components to better plan and develop relationships and partnerships. The following SMEs have been recognized as chairs for their appropriate channel:
 
Patricia Blessing is the Vice President of Business Development at the CAVU Group, based out of Dayton, Ohio. Ms. Blessing works closely with customers in the Life Sciences, Healthcare, Medical Devices, and Diagnostics realms to solve today’s rapidly changing thermal management and monitoring needs, using advanced sensor technologies, including thermo-chromatic inks, RFID, PCM-based electronics, loggers, specialty packaging, and more. Her primary focus is the enablement of business process improvement to protect high-value assets in the supply chain. She currently sits on the AIM’s Board and chairs the AIM NA UDI Work Group.

• UDI Work Group – The AIM NA UDI Workgroup continues to be proactive in providing guidance, support, and resources to assure that UDI is understood by both the manufacturing and user community. ‘Track and Trace’ has profound implications for the patient and as a supplier to the medical device industry, the standards are critical in AIM’s industry.

 
Elizabeth Sinclair is the Director of Marketing for BarTender® software. She works with end users and partners to enable consumer confidence, supply chain efficiencies, and regulatory compliance through the deployment of AIDC in industries including aerospace, food, pharma, medical devices, and chemical manufacturing.

• Cannabis Work Group – The Cannabis industry is establishing protocols and processes in response to a rapidly shifting global regulatory and consumer landscape. The new workgroup will leverage the experience gained working with established regulated industries in meeting seed-to-sale traceability and labeling requirements for growers, processors and retailers in Cannabis and CBD processing.

 
 Lori Bitar joins us from Massachusetts where she operates as a Market Development Manager at FLEXcon. Lori’s work essentially focuses on the growth of PSA materials used in the medical device and pharmaceutical markets, both in domestic and global environments. She also has acquired an extended background in Plastics, Polymer and Adhesives as well.

• Pharma Work Group – The Pharmaceutical industry touches upon all of us to some extent. Lori’s infectious quest for acquiring deeper insight and channel-related news into the emerging technological advances impacting the healthcare field will be brought into fruition throughout the duration of this group’s existence. She challenges users to learn more about AIDC and how it can advance the lives of those around us.

 
Jeanne Duckett leads traceability initiatives for Avery Dennison Printer Systems from source to consumer, touching on Blockchain, Edge and Fog Processing, trigger development including 2D Systems, RFID, NFC, and Bluetooth. Jeanne is an industry recognized expert in all things traceability, holding multiple patents in imaging, RFID Handling, and Food Systems Design. She is a lifetime member of the AIDC 100 and she has provided expert testimony to the FDA, AIM Inc., and GS1 inter-industry organizations, while still sitting upon the AIM NA Board of Directors. Jeanne is a frequent speaker at industry-related events including Pack Expo, GS1, RFID Journal Live, Summer Institute on AIDC, and various restaurant shows. Most recently she spearheaded the widely recognized Era of Smarter Food Safety webinar series, linking the technology world with food safety specialists.

• Food Supply Chain Work Group – Smarter Food Safety is more than just technology-based; leadership and creativity are introduced as well. Smarter Food Safety is people-led, FSMA-based, and technology-enabled. The goal is to bring ubiquitous food transparency to every part of the food chain, from producer to consumer. Providing insights into product’s fit for purpose reasons, individual health needs, and provenance, so you’ll never need to wonder if a product is organic or not. 

 
“I’m grateful to these four individuals for stepping up to lead these important Work Groups,” said AIM North America Board Chair Debangana Mukherjee. “The timing couldn’t be better. We’re at a unique moment for the automatic data capture industry where the demand for digitization of supply chains is accelerating. These Work Groups will help shape that connected future.”

​June 23, 2020 – Pittsburgh, PA – The COVID-19 Pandemic had a detrimental impact on both Healthcare Organizations and individual persons in our backyard and around the world. According to the CDC, the number of cases continues to increase, and the future of this virus remains uncertain.  In this time, many non-traditional companies from outside industries have stepped up to manufacture medical devices for hospital groups, employees working under new safety guidelines, and patients. AIM North America (NA) has announced that they will be providing their expertise in advising organizations on the accurate way to ensure traceability for their own lines of devices.
 
Devices including respirators, face masks, and other essential medical equipment are required by the FDA to be uniquely identified, tracked, and traced to ensure the safety of both the patient and the supply chain. The Unique Device Identifier (UDI), seeks to improve patient safety, modernize device post-market surveillance, and facilitate medical device innovation. Product data can be uploaded to the AccessGUDID database which is made available to patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, hospitals, and other industry professionals providing transparency and traceability. UDI markings can be found on device labels, the device’s package, and even directly on the device.
 
“As a manufacturer of medical devices, we understand the need for traceability for patient safety and brand integrity.  The UDI standard is critical to visibility of our product and working with AIM NA and its members has provided us with a wealth of knowledge and guidance,” stated Patti Blessing, Chair, AIM NA UDI Work Group and Vice President of Business Development, CAVU Group.
 
“COVID-19 Pandemic has pushed many more players to enter the medical equipment manufacturing market to meet the rising demands. We see a trend of faster product release without following the correct guidelines. Guidelines are in place to offer both visibility and safety; therefore, education and implementation of these guidelines are critical,” stated Debangana Mukherjee, Chair, AIM NA and Director of Business Development + Sales, CISC Semiconductor.
 
Before this pandemic took place, the manufacturing workflow was substantial in nature. With new manufacturers in the market, the need for these standard processes becomes more critical. Companies, small and large, have banded together to support demands of the industry. AIM NA has guaranteed their assistance in educating how to accurately follow the FDA/UDI regulated guidelines.

For more information on how you can start the conversation today, be sure to fill out our form and read through the AIM NA Digital Supply Chain Whitepaper.  

AIM North America releases Digital Supply Chain Whitepaper to assist organizations in understanding how AIDC technologies and standards are being used to ensure traceability for all lines of devices. 

This new webinar series focuses on the importance of UDI compliance during this era of COVID-19. All webinars are free and will be posted on the AIM NA YouTube Channel. 

The AIM NA Work Groups met on April 21. The Food Supply Chain WG continues with their webinar series and will respond the FDA’s latest request for comments.  The Cannabis WG, the newest of the work groups, was introduced and a state of the industry was presented. The group will meet with the GS1 US Cannabis team to identify ways to collaborate. UDI for Medical Devices WG will launch a webinar series and distribute a press release message that AIM NA is a resource for inventory tracking and supply chain management during this unprecedented time. The Pharma WG will develop an educational program and submit a response to the latest FDA request for comments.  

Debangana “Debs” Mukherjee today assumed the role of chairperson of AIM North America. She succeeds Dan Kimball, who has retired after serving as chair since 2019 and will remain on the board as an emeritus member.
​
Mukherjee will further advance the association’s strategic, member-driven roadmap and provide oversight to AIM NA on business policy. Prior to stepping into her role as chair, Mukherjee served as vice chair helping execute member engagement and marketing initiatives. She also leads the Aviation group in the RAIN RFID Alliance.  For the last seven years, Mukherjee has been employed as the Business Development Director at CISC Semicondutor where her work focuses on the development RAIN technology with special focus on testing and verification of RAIN hardware and application set-up.
 
“Thank you and my sincerest thanks and appreciation to my fellow members of the Board. I'm humbled and honored you have entrusted me with this responsibility. Taking the reins at this time is made easier by the groundwork laid by Dan over the last few years”, says Debs. “I look forward to continuing work on AIM NA mission to support the development and adoption of automated data capture technologies  In North America in the upcoming years.”
 
Mary Lou Bosco, COO, AIM NA added, “We look forward to working with Debs in this new role. Her extensive industry and business development experience make her the ideal candidate to lead our association into the future. Debs has already been an integral part of our strategic planning team and is poised to bring new ideas forward to address the important issues of our industry.”
 
Mukherjee officially assumed their positions for AIM North America on February 1, 2020. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) is announcing a public meeting focused on possible Agency level approaches to data quality, data stewardship, data exchange, and data analytics.  The meeting will take place on March 27 in Silver Spring, MD. For complete details including how to submit comments and registration (in person and virtually), visit:  ​https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-meetings-conferences-and-workshops/modernizing-fdas-data-strategy-03272020-03272020#event-information