Polyurethane Foam Association Spring Meeting Attracts Record
Attendance, Tackles Key Industry Issues
Mattress Recycling Council Wins Dr. Herman T. Stone Technical Excellence Award; Friedman
Inducted Into Hall of Fame; Skorpenske Recognized With Lifetime Achievement Award
PITTSBURGH (June 1, 2026)—Members and guests of The Polyurethane Foam Association had
plenty to discuss at the group’s annual Spring meeting, as the flexible foam industry faces supply
chain challenges, new potential regulation, and the promise of new technologies.
More than 170 industry professionals (a modern-era record attendance), including C-suite
executives, researchers, EHS specialists, marketers, and technologists came to the Omni William
Penn in late May for networking and presentations on foam sustainability, market trends, and the
regulatory environment.
“PFA was created 46 years ago to help
the industry address challenges that
threatened the existence of the flexible
polyurethane foam industry,” said Cam
McLaughlin of Elite Comfort Solutions
and current PFA President. “Today, we
still confront serious and changing
threats. This Association provides its
members with a platform to educate
themselves and take sensible action.”
During the conference’s Industry Issues Session, speakers covered current supply chain issues
created by the Strait of Hormuz blockade and chemical plant shutdowns. Representatives from foam
end-user industries, including automotive, business furniture, and bedding discussed conditions in
those market segments. Other speakers provided updates on isocyanate regulations and research,
plus reports on sustainability advances.
The Thursday afternoon Technical Program included presentations on AI-enabled R&D, foam
laydown technologies, mattress recycling byproducts, and bringing scientific rigor to mattress
comfort.
Michael Gallagher (second from left) and Karl Heider (second from
right) of the Mattress Recycling Council were winners of the Dr.
Herman Stone Technical Excellence Award at PFA’s conference in
Pittsburgh. Also pictured are Russ Batson, Executive Director of PFA
(left), and Cam McLaughlin of Elite Comfort Solutions, current PFA
President (right).
Following PFA’s Technical Program, Michael Gallagher and Karl Heider of the Mattress Recycling
Council were named winners of the Dr. Herman Stone Technical Excellence Award. The award is
voted on by attendees present for the Technical Program. The award is named for Dr. Herman T.
Stone, who served as PFA’s first Technical Director. In 2007, Dr. Stone was inducted into the
Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame. It was the second time Gallagher was honored with the
award.
Industry Veterans Honored With Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award
Other foam professionals were also recognized for their contributions to
the industry. Sol Friedman of Future Foam, Inc. was inducted into the
Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame. Friedman was one of the
founding executives of Future Foam during the late 1950s, and was
instrumental in helping flexible polyurethane foam get accepted by
customers to replace existing cushioning materials. He also helped
oversee Future Foam’s growth into one of the nation’s largest foam
producers.
Friedman died in late April. His son, Steve, spoke on his behalf in
Pittsburgh, recalling how his father had been a minor league baseball
player (once pitching against the legendary Bob Gibson) before finishing
college and entering the foam industry.
In addition, Richard Skorpenske, recently retired from Covestro, was
recognized with PFA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Skorpenske has a
four-decade long career in the foam industry as a researcher and
specialist in sustainability. He is a contributor to a still-used textbook on
flexible foam, developed numerous patented technologies, and has long contributed time to
committees within PFA, the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry of the American Chemistry
Council, the International Sleep Products Association, and Cribs for
Kids, an organization that provides infant beds to underserved families.
“A key purpose of the Hall of Fame is to archive the stories of industry
founders, so that future generations can understand and learn from
them,” said McLaughlin. “Sol Friedman was a true pioneer.”
“And Richard Skorpenske’s insights and guidance for flexible
polyurethane foam has been invaluable for years, and will still be shaping
our business for decades to come.”
The Polyurethane Foam Association is a trade association founded in 1980 to
help educate regulators, users, allied industries, and others about flexible
polyurethane foam. PFA provides facts on environmental, health and safety
issues and technical information on the performance of flexible polyurethane
foam (FPF) in consumer and industrial products. FPF is used as a key
comfort component in most upholstered furniture and mattress products, along with automotive seating,
carpet cushion, packaging, and numerous other applications.
