Columns/Opinions

Brianna Long has been managing and directing the marketing department at Thomas Printworks for more than 20 years.  As Marketing Director, she coordinates advertising campaigns, customer promotions and store remodels. Brianna plays an instrumental role in the branding of the largest family-owned reprographics company in the nation.

Emily Fonnesbeck has been writing for more than ten years and enjoys her current position as a content writer for Ferrari Color. She lives in Idaho with her husband and children and loves doughnuts and a good book. 

Denise Gustavson is the Editorial Director for the Alliance Media Brands — which includes Printing Impressions, Packaging Impressions, In-plant Impressions, Wide-Format Impressions, Apparelist, NonProfitPRO, and the PRINTING United Journal — PRINTING United Alliance.

Dan Marx, Content Director for Wide-Format Impressions, holds extensive knowledge of the graphic communications industry, resulting from his more than three decades working closely with business owners, equipment and materials developers, and thought leaders.

Jon Davis is in the marketing department at Cushing, a commercial printer and environmental branding firm in Chicago. Recently he has contributed to articles to Self Employment in the Arts, the Business Marketing Association, and Work Design Magazine. From marketing strategy to office branding and customer case studies, he writes on a variety of topics.

Ray assists association members with information on digital printing as well as digital equipment, materials, and vendor referrals. He oversees training and certification workshops at PRINTING United Alliance. Ray is project manager for both the PDAA Certification program and the PRINTING United Alliance Digital Color Professional Certification program and is an instructor for the Color Management Boot Camps as well as a G7 expert. Ray regularly contributes to the Association's Journal and won the 2016 Swormstedt Award for Best in Class writing in the Digital Printing category. Ray was inducted into the Academy of Screen and Digital Printing Technologies (ASDPT) in 2020. He also works with SkillsUSA to conduct the National Competition for Graphics Imaging Sublimation. Outside of work, Ray enjoys biking, international cuisine and spending time with his three fantastic grandkids.

Ford Bowers is the CEO of PRINTING United Alliance.

Dr. Harvey R. Levenson is Professor Emeritus and former Department Head of Graphic Communication at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. His research and teaching specialties are communication, intellectual property, media, printing, and technology. He is often called upon as an Expert Witness in these areas. Contact him at hlevenso@calpoly.edu

Gerry Nathe is a retired chairman and board member of Baldwin Technology. He is the current chair of the Ben Franklin Honor Society, and a member of the board of the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF).

Michael Makin was appointed President and CEO of Printing Industries of America on August 1, 2002. Born and raised in Montreal, Makin attended Carleton University in Ottawa where graduated with honors with a degree in Journalism in 1986. He also holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix. After a brief stint as a reporter and public affairs officer with the Canadian government, he began his career in association management 20 years ago. Prior to joining Printing Industries of America, Makin was President of the Canadian Printing Industries Association and for almost 10 years served as an executive with the Canadian Construction Association.

Catie Duffy is in the marketing department at Cushing, a commercial printer and environmental branding firm in Chicago. With a background in corporate communication and customer service, she’s written blogs, case studies and other website content on a number of topics. Follow Cushing on social media to see how she puts these ideas into action!

Raymond J. Prince has served the industry for 60 years as a printer, student, association executive, and now as an industry advisor and consultant. Ray can be reached at: raymondjprince@aol.com

Bobby Fosson is Channel Sales Manager for North America, SAi.

Jerry Hill is the Vice President; New Business Development at Drytac.

In 2001, Roger Gimbel founded Gimbel & Associates, an international consulting firm providing business and market development services, skills training, and expert public speaking in the graphic communications and digital solutions industry. The mission of Gimbel & Associates is to help clients identify new business opportunities and implement leading-edge solutions using expertise in organizational development, technology selection, implementation, and work processes.

Roger oversees a team of Consultants with expertise in sales training, workflow analysis, MicroModeling, multichannel marketing, marketing plans, transactional printing, trans-promotional applications and creative strategies for mergers and acquisitions, business development workshops and seminars.

Ed Levy has more than 25 years of apparel-decorating experience. Levy, who’s director of software technologies for Hirsch Solutions, is an in-demand speaker at trade show and regular contributor to industry magazines.

Michelle Johnson, Director of Worldwide Marketing at SAi can be reached at michellej@thinksai.com

Bob Honn is the Senior Director, Marketing Support, at Canon Solutions America.

Ira Somers is an experienced content writer and social media manager with a background in advertising. He writes the blog for Massivit 3D, and co-authored the "Pocket Guide for Young Men Without Fathers." 

Dennis Leblanc is the Territory Sales Manager for the Greater Toronto Area at Drytac.

As Cushing’s Executive Vice President, Joe Cushing oversees the management team and leads the overall direction of the organization. He has served as ReproMAX Chairman of the Board, supports numerous charities, and serves as the head of City of Hope’s Construction & Real Estate council (and received City of Hope Spirit of Life Award in 2017.)

Toren Prawdzik is president of Photo Evo.

Charlie Rueb is the display division manager a Rainier Industries.

Lon Winters is president of Graphic Elephants.

Ken Burns is the President/CEO of Axis Graphic Installations Inc. He is a native of Boston, MA and studied Business Management in the mid 90’s. He has consulted, developed and managed multiple Fortune 500 companies. In 2006, he approached his friend (who was a 10-year veteran graphic installer at the time) and asked him to teach him the art of installing vehicle wraps. Ken saw the value in this niche industry and had the idea of bringing his knowledge of large corporate structure to a newer industry that was mostly comprised of independent subcontractors. He started his first Axis team in South Florida in 2009 and has since developed teams in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Beyond vehicle wraps, Ken and his teams have become proficient in all types of sign and graphic installations.

Rick Mandel is president of Mandel Graphic Solutions and member of the SGIA Digital Textile and Décor Committee.

Mark Michelson now serves as Editor Emeritus of Printing Impressions. Named Editor-in-Chief in 1985, he is an award-winning journalist and member of several industry honor societies. Reader feedback is always encouraged. Email mmichelson@napco.com

Ron Gilboa is a director of InfoTrends’ Functional Printing and Packaging, and is responsible for conducting graphic communications market research, market forecasting, custom consulting projects, strategy and planning engagements, and creating editorial content for product and market analysis reports. Gilboa has been involved in the graphic arts and publishing industries since 1980. He rejoined InfoTrends in 2013 after the better part of a decade with Eastman Kodak, where he served in executive marketing roles in the Commercial Imaging group. Gilboa's roles at Kodak included vice president of marketing at Kodak’s Production Inkjet group, director of worldwide current marketing and operation, and director of worldwide communications. In these roles Gilboa managed a cross functional team responsible for overall go-to-market including strategy development, marketing operations, and in market execution across the individual regional strategic product groups. Prior to Kodak, he held senior positions as director of the Print On Demand and Publishing Service at InfoTrends (formerly CAP Ventures) and product management at Scitex Corp. Gilboa brings skills and experience in key print industries such as commercial, publishing, packaging, transaction, enterprise, as well as direct customer knowledge in vertical markets. Contact him at (781) 616-2108.

Lisa Cross is the principal analyst of NAPCO Research (a unit of NAPCO Media) where she conducts market research and analysis on emerging trends and changing dynamics in the commercial, in-plant and packaging industries, and the market forces that are driving those changes. With decades of experience covering the graphic arts and marketing industries, Cross has authored thousands of articles on a variety of topics, including technology trends,  business strategy, sales, marketing and legislation.

Jim Raffel is a color management consultant who also serves as CEO of ColorCasters, LLC and ColorMetrix Technologies LLC. As a veteran of the printing industry and a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology’s acclaimed printing management program, in 1995 he formed ColorMetrix to bring an idea he had to make color measurement and evaluation easier by creating easy-to-use software solutions. Today as a certified G7 expert and color management professional, his consulting practice focuses on dye sublimation and flat-bed UV inkjet printing. This work keeps him on the road many weeks each year working with end users and manufacturers to improve their color management processes. He has also been authorized by SGIA to conduct their color management boot camps; in both open venues for anyone to attend and in closed venues for clients and their staff.

Brent Thomson is CEO and co-founder of Blip Billboards.

Gary A. Jones is the Vice President of Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Affairs at PRINTING United Alliance. His primary responsibility is to monitor and analyze EHS and sustainability related legislative and regulatory activities at the federal and state levels, including some international actions. He provides representation on behalf of the printing, packaging, and graphic arts industry. Mr. Jones works closely with the federal and state-level Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and other agencies. He also provides membership assistance on EHS compliance and sustainability programs through a variety of approaches including responding to inquiries, presentations, writing, and consulting services.

Mr. Jones is also supporting PRINTING United Alliance’s efforts for the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP). SGP is dedicated to assisting printing operations respond to customer demands for sustainable printing.

He holds a BS in biology from LaRoche College and an MS in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.

Régis Thienard is an inkjet expert.

Shelby Sapusek is a color management consultant who also serves as CMO of ColorCasters LLC. She grew up in the newspaper industry; working primarily in graphic design and prepress. In her editor capacity, she was responsible for the print and color quality of several newspapers around the country. In 2011, after 17 years in the newspaper industry, she joined fellow instructor Jim Raffel in his company ColorMetrix, and later co-founded ColorCasters. Today, she works with graphic designers, end users, and manufacturers in the print industry to improve their color management skills.

Mike Ruff has more than 40 years of experience in the graphic arts industry and is currently the owner of Mike Ruff Consulting. He is a certified G7 expert instructor and a certified G7 process control and conformance expert. Contact him at mruff@mikeruffconsulting.com

A.J. Titus is President of Signarama, a member of United Franchise Group (UFG), comprised of nine brands and 1,600 franchise owners in 80 countries. He sits on multiple boards, including the Rinker School of Business and the Titus Center for Franchising. He was also recognized in South Florida Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2018.

Kerri's goal is to help people connect deeper with themselves, their community, other individuals, and the world around them. As a transformational coach, she works with companies to create cultures of human greatness and connectivity. She works with individuals who are looking to play a bigger game, and supports her community by offering various workshops and programs.

Kerri launched The Red Baron Group in 2018 and has spent the past year enrolled in an ICF accredited transformational coaching program, Coachville. She is an affiliated partner with Everything DiSC® and The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team® as well as a Higher Ground Leadership® partner. The 35 years she spent in business management and operations as well as her own transformational journey gives her a unique perspective and many personal experiences to draw from. She is a firm believer that strategy, leadership, culture, processes and people must be in careful balance in order for change to be sustainable.

Heather Nortz is the Sustainability Programs Coordinator for PRINTING United Alliance. Her primary responsibilities consist of running both the Sustainable Business Recognition and Safety Recognition Award Programs. She also contributes to industry specific research on matters of sustainability trends and environmental safety and health regulations. She regularly publishes articles and blog posts on these topics and consistently updates the PRINTING United Alliance website with advocacy related content. Nortz recently graduated from George Mason University with her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a concentration in Human and Ecosystems Response to Climate Change.

Brad Haupt is the Regional Sales Manager for Drytac.

Johnny Shell is the Vice President of Print Technology & Training for SGIA. In this role, he is responsible for developing educational opportunities and industry-focused products and services for the advancement of the printing industry. Johnny is a printing professional and recognized industry expert with 30+ years’ of experience in apparel, graphics, commercial, and industrial printing applications. Shell conducts numerous workshops annually and his articles appear regularly in top industry publications.

Rum Ekhtiar, founder of Rum and Co, is focused on brand strategies that work, ideas that are creative, new businesses pitches that win, and teams who work toward a common goal. With over 20 years of experience, he's worked with companies like Novartis, Citi, MetLife, and others, helping them transform their business, their story, and their engagement model. In this blog, he'll advise marketers on ways to break through creative and strategic blocks, methods to navigate client relationships, and how to ultimately realize the full potential of their capabilities. Reach him at rum@rumandco.nyc and connect with him on LinkedIn.

Jeanette McMurtry is a psychology-based marketing expert providing strategy, campaign development, and sales and marketing training to brands in all industries on how to achieve psychological relevance for all aspects of a customer's experience. She is the author of the recently released edition of “Marketing for Dummies” (Fifth Edition, Wiley) and “Big Business Marketing for Small Business Budgets” (McGraw Hill). She is a popular and engaging keynote speaker and workshop instructor on marketing psychology worldwide. Her blog will share insights and tactics for engaging B2B and B2C purchasers' unconscious minds which drive 90 percent of our thoughts, attitudes and behavior, and provide actionable and affordable tips for upping sales and ROI through emotional selling propositions. Her blog will share insights and tactics for engaging consumers' unconscious minds, which drive 90 percent of our thoughts and purchasing attitudes and behavior. She'll explore how color, images and social influences like scarcity, peer pressure and even religion affect consumers' interest in engaging with your brand, your message and buying from you. Reach her at Jeanette@e4marketingco.com.

Joey Heiob is a Technical Specialist at Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions.

Joseph P. Truncale, Ph.D., CAE, is the Founder and Principal of Alexander Joseph Associates, a privately held consultancy specializing in executive business advisory services with clients throughout the graphic communications industry.

Joe spent 30 years with NAPL, including 11 years as President and CEO. He is an adjunct professor at NYU teaching graduate courses in Executive Leadership; Financial Management and Analysis; Finance for Marketing Decisions; and Leadership: The C Suite Perspective. He may be reached at Joe@ajstrategy.com. Phone or text: (201) 394-8160.

Dan Reid is part of the first group of experts to teach and qualify shops for the G7 Master Printer Program. Dan has helped numerous grand format shops achieve the benefits of the G7 calibration process since being certified as a G7 Certified Expert in 2006. Dan provides SGIA Digital Color Professional classes nationally.

Ben Starr is a Color Management and Workflow Expert, with a BS in Printing Management from Western Michigan University. For over 10 years he has provided color and workflow installation and training services for many leading creative agencies, pre-media, and print production facilities. Ben has also had several opportunities to work in color management research and development, and some of the findings from this research has been published in various industry publications. Additionally, Ben's research has yielded new efficiencies at the companies he's worked for. Ben has also spent several years leading pre-media departments for traditional and digital print.

Ronen Samuel has held the position of CEO at Kornit since August 2018. Prior to joining Kornit, Ronen held several leadership positions at HP over 18 years, including VP and General Manager of the HP Indigo and WebWide presses business across EMEA. He holds a BA Business Administration, LL.B. Law and an MBA from Northwestern University / Kellogg School of Management. Prior to his professional business career Ronen served as a pilot in the Israel Air Force.

David Wilaj reports on economic and industry trends which aim to help printers navigate an ever-changing business environment

He joins the Printing United Alliance research team after beginning his career at Printing Industries of America where he analyzed, reported and spoke on key trends in commercial print and aided in the revitalization of the historic Performance Ratios program.

Robert Zoch is the Global Content Manager at Kornit Digital.

Andrew D. Paparozzi joined PRINTING United Alliance as Chief Economist in 2018. He analyzes and reports on economic, technological, social and demographic trends that will define the printing industry’s future. His most important responsibility, however, is being an observer of the industry by listening to the issues and concerns of company owners, executives and managers. Previously, he worked 31 years at the National Association for Printing Leadership. He has also taught mathematics, statistics and economics at various colleges. Andrew holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Boston College and a Master’s degree in economics — with concentrations in econometrics and public finance — from Columbia University.

Summer Gould is Account Executive at Neyenesch Printers. Summer has spent her 31 year career helping clients achieve better marketing results. She has served as a panel speaker for the Association of Marketing Service Providers conferences. She is active in several industry organizations and she is a board member for Printing Industries Association San Diego, as well as the industry chair for San Diego Postal Customer Council. You can find her at Neyenesch’s website: neyenesch.com, email: summer@neyenesch.com, on LinkedIn, or on Twitter @sumgould.

Silas Amos is the founder of Silas Amos Ltd. Design Thought.

Pat McGrew, M-EDP, CMP is the Director and Evangelist for the Production Workflow Service at InfoTrends. As an analyst and industry educator, McGrew works with InfoTrends customers and its clients to promote workflow effectiveness. She also has a background in data-driven customer communication, and production printing with offset, inkjet, and toner. Co-author of eight industry books, editor of "A Guide to the Electronic Document Body of Knowledge," and regular writer in the industry trade press, McGrew won the 2014 #GirlsWhoPrint Girlie Award for her dedication to education and communication in the industry, and the 2016 Brian Platte Lifetime Achievement Award from Xplor International. Find Pat on Twitter as @PatMcGrew and LinkedIn.

Kevin Roland is InkSoft’s Education Manager.

Sarit Tichon is the Senior VP, Worldwide Sales for SAi.

Hadar Peled Vaissman is an independent international Art Director who helps brands to improve their communication mainly through customization, personalization and individualization. She believes that these will elevate a company’s relevance in a digital world.

Gilbert Espinosa is the Territory Manager for the West Coast Region at Drytac.

Stephen Buchanan is a Business Development Manager at Kao Collins.

Adrian Cook is the Marketing Manager for 3M.

Barry Polan is the Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Image Options.

Nathan Safran is Vice President, Research for NAPCO Media. Nathan is a former Forrester Research Analyst with deep experience designing custom research solutions that solve client business problems. Nathan works with the subject matter experts across NAPCO’s brands to design research solutions that leverage NAPCO’s engage audiences and provides deep insight. Nathan is a frequent speaker at industry events and his research has been cited in the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Fortune Magazine.

Adriane Harrison is Vice President, Human Relations Consulting at PRINTING United Alliance. Adriane assists members with a wide variety of HR matters involving statutes, regulations, policies, procedures, culture, and staffing, as well as the gamut of day-to-day HR issues.  In addition, she supports professional development by conducting webinars, participating in panel discussions, and speaking at industry events on human resources issues. Currently, Adriane is the Chairperson of the Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition, a member of the Women in Print Alliance, and a founder of the Women’s Print Mentoring Network.

Adriane received a journalism degree from the University of Illinois and a law degree from DePaul University in Chicago. As an attorney, Adriane practiced in both the public and private sectors. Her work was in the areas of Constitutional, commercial, securities, and criminal law. Adriane and her family live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

George Sotter is the President of Safety Direct America.

Lisbeth Lyons is Vice President, Government & Political Affairs, PRINTING United Alliance, the largest, most comprehensive graphic arts trade association in the country. With more than 20 years of experience representing the voice of business on Capitol Hill, Lisbeth advocates for public policies that protect and advance the economic future of the printing and packaging industry. She oversees PRINTING United Alliance’s legislative, political, and grassroots advocacy initiatives, and has served in executive leadership of multiple successful advocacy campaigns, such as Coalition for Paper Options, Coalition for a 21^st Century Postal Service, and Stop Tariffs on Printers & Publishers Coalition.

Prior to representing PRINTING United Alliance, Lisbeth served in similar roles at Printing Industries of America, US Telecom, and the National Federation of Independent Business. She also spent three years as a K-12 teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system, where she was on the forefront of urban education reform in the mid-1990s.

Lisbeth is Midwestern born and bred, having grown up in the St. Louis metropolitan area and attended college at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, before starting her career in Washington, DC. She holds a B.A. in English/Sociology and a professional graduate certificate from The George Washington University School of Political Management. She lives in the historic Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC.

An avid leader and learner in professional development, Lisbeth was a founding member of the Government Relations Leadership Forum, and is an active participant in organizations such as Council of Manufacturing Associations, Women in Government Relations, and National Association of Business PACs, among others. Lisbeth is often a featured speaker at premier industry conferences; she has spoken to Boards of Directors, corporate executive management teams, and state and regional trade associations across the country from coast to coast.

James Andres is the Content Manager for S&S Activewear. Contact: jandres@ssactivewear.com.

Fabián Ruiz is a Chemical Engineer with a Master´s Degree in Printing Technology from RIT. He has been involved in teaching and education for the printing trade for more than 30 years, through GATF, PIA, and recently with PRINTING United Alliance. His activities also brought him to the Presidency of the Colombian Printing Association (Andigraf) in 2015.

Hsing Wei is the Director, Product UX & Design at Intersection.

Mike Philie leverages his 28 years of direct industry experience in sales, sales management and executive leadership to share what’s working for companies today and how to safely transform your business. Since 2007, he has been providing consulting services to privately held printing and mailing companies across North America.

Mike provides strategy and insight to owners and CEOs in the graphic communications industry by providing direct and realistic assessments, not being afraid to voice the unpopular opinion, and helping leaders navigate change through a common sense and practical approach.

Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.

Philip Beyer, founder/president of Ebiz Products LLC and founder of Beyer Printing Inc. in Nashville Tenn., is a chronic entrepreneur, business systems analyst and consultant. Author of "System Busters: How to Stop Them in Your Business" and recipient of an InterTech Technology Award for the design and development of System100 business process management software. Beyer speaks to business owners across the country on how to bring lean, sustainable order to their businesses. Contact him at (615) 425-2652.

Jay Roberts is a product manager at Roland DGA.

John Freismuth is a leader in the print industry. As the president of Empire Screen Printing, John was recognized by Wisconsin Family Business of the Year with the “I Am Not Afraid” award. John has a passion for innovation which leads to technology and process improvements that continuously redefine the screen-print industry.

Matt Swain is a recognized Customer Communications industry thought leader.  From delivering keynotes around the world to defining best practices, hundreds of well-known companies have relied on Matt’s expertise and research for their current and future omni-channel communication initiatives.

As Managing Director and Practice Lead for Broadridge Communications Consulting, Matt brings invaluable market research and consulting expertise to clients relative to benchmarking, customer experience optimization, and digital transformation.

Prior to joining Broadridge, Matt spent more than a decade at Keypoint Intelligence – InfoTrends where he was a member of the senior management team with global responsibility for Business Development and Customer Communications advisory services. Matt is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology and holds a Master’s degree in Print Media.

Mark Hinder is responsible for Business Development EMEA in the Graphic Communications Group at Ricoh Europe.

Gareth Newman, Academy Manager, Drytac, has more than six years’ experience in the industry. He is an experienced sign-maker, having worked in the sign industry since he was a teenager.

Aimee DiCicco is the SVP of Commercial Business Development at FedEx Office.

Eric Lazar is an owner and partner of SpeedPro Chicago Loop, a larger format printing company in downtown Chicago. Eric is a former Sergeant and United States Marine Corps veteran serving as an Intelligence Analyst from 1986-1994.

Toni McQuilken is the senior editor for the printing and packaging group.

Piet De Pauw is the Head of Marketing at Enfocus.

Sander Sondaal, Director, Commercial Print Sales, Graphic Communications Group Ricoh Europe

Mark Jenkins, managing director of Pioneer Balloon Co., has been involved in the promotional products industry for more than three decades. He has led the national sales and marketing efforts of three different suppliers. Jenkins is a road warrior, traveling nationally an average of 36 weeks per year, visiting distributors and participating in trade shows, sales meetings and industry events. A former PPAI board member and chair, he has been active in volunteering, bringing his industry knowledge, perspective and leadership to the table. Visit his website here.

Many printing companies are frustrated how hard it is to engage buyers in today’s world. That’s where Matthew Parker can help. He is a gamekeeper turned poacher. Parker has bought print for more than 20 years and received over 1,400 print sales pitches. He now uses his buyer’s point of view to give practical advice to printers. He helps them engage with prospects and customers to create profitable relationships.

Download his free e-book, "Ten Common Print Selling Errors And What To Do About Them" and check out his recently launched book, "How To Succeed At Print Sales: Setting targets, planning the right activities and making sure goals are met." 

Kristen Dettoni is the founder and CEO of Design Pool LLC, the only pattern library created exclusively for interior designers. Since 1996, Kristen has worked for mills throughout North America, designing fabrics for automobiles, furniture, and home furnishings. She developed the first sustainable upholstery fabric for office interiors, the first sustainable upholstery fabric for automotive interiors, and was awarded a patent for automotive suspension seating. Kristen believes strongly in the power of good design to transform our environments and experiences.

Tim Greene is a Research Director within IDC's Hardcopy Solutions group. Greene is responsible for coverage of the large format printing, 3D printing, and digital signage markets. 

Jeff Snyder is the founder and chief inspiration officer at Inspira Marketing Group, an experiential marketing agency headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., with offices in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Sabine Slaughter is a renowned international editor, consultant, and journalist who for decades has monitored the transformation in the printing industry. She works in close relationship with printer manufacturers, brand owners, and PSPs and has written thousands of articles, stories, related analyses in various trade magazines inspiring the entire industry.

Glen is the Technical Sales Manager of Industrial for Drytac North America. He holds over 20 years exceeding sales quotas, training, and supporting teams, driving growth and profitability for organizations specializing in the value-added, non-commodity type of sales applications. 

Michael Morano is the North American Sales Support Specialist at Drytac. 

Karen Maher works for UnifiedAR, a provider of white label WebAR solutions specific to the print and direct mail industry. She has been involved in the print and graphics art industry for more than forty years, and represents UnifiedAR as a Partner Channel Success Manager for North America.

Luis Arana is an account executive for B-Flex America, an Italian heat transfer vinyl manufacturer. A creative at heart, Arana strives to inform his clients and readers about best practices in the garment decoration industry through his LinkedIn account and collaborations with industry platforms.

Marty Davis, president of Alder Color Solutions, has an extensive career in the printing and graphics, starting in production at a silk screener/dye sublimation house in the 1980’s. He has run two different training departments specializing in prepress and production, and was the senior workflow specialist for xpedx National Technology center before moving to Florida to take the position of graphic sales specialist, and later Capital Equipment Sales for the southeast US, and he later served as the director of Wide Format and Graphics for Mac Papers.

Phil Webster is the head of Industrial Sales, EMEA at Drytac. 

Dan Gillespie began his professional career in the newspaper industry, where he honed his skills and became proficient in desktop publishing, scanning, and color separation/reproduction for cold-set web printing.  He then went to work for a national graphic arts reseller, GE Richards Graphic Supplies, as an application specialist - training clients in graphics related software. In 1999 he started ColorGeek Inc., solving color workflow problems for photographers, printers, publishers, and converters. In 2010 I went to work for Color Management Distribution where he was the Director of Technical Services until November, 2018 when he became the Director of Technical Services for Alder Technology.

Arthur Stephens lives to write about all types of commercial graphics printing, from traditional store signage and neon to modern LED technology and vehicle wraps. He has been awarded numerous grants to study the emergence of the modern consumer marketing model from the perspective of local and regional business advertising. 

Linda Bishop is the founder and president of Thought Transformation, a national sales and marketing consulting group helping printers and other companies achieve top-line growth through a combination of strategies, tools, training and tactics.

Her expertise includes all aspects of outbound selling and account acquisition, account retention and development, solution selling, marketing, and aligning sales processes with marketing strategies. Most recently, she published The ChatGPT Sales Playbook: Revolutionizing Sales with AI and believes AI will offer sales pros new tools for achieving revenue goals.

Before starting Thought Transformation in 2004, Linda sold commercial printing for seventeen years, working as a commission salesperson for the Atlanta division of RR Donnelley Company. She was one of the top performers in the Atlanta marketplace and had annual sales exceeding $9 million.

Linda has a BS degree in accounting from Purdue University and an MBA in marketing from Georgia State. She has written several books on sales topics, speaks nationally on sales and marketing, and has published many articles.

Dan Gershenson is Chief Marketing Officer with ER2 Image Group. 

For more than 30 years, Chicagoland-based ER2 Image Group has been producing captivating wide-format graphics in extraordinary environments to transform Fortune 500 brands across the nation. The company’s groundbreaking work frequently finds a home in iconic buildings, stadiums, corporate headquarters and virtually any place that demands people experience design at a much larger level. To view ER2’s most powerful finished projects, head to ER2Image.com.

Trevor Hansen is an accomplished business executive and the current Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of Thomas Printworks, a leading printing and digital services company in the United States. With over 25 years of experience in print industry, Hansen is responsible for leading the company's revenue generation efforts, including sales, marketing, and customer success.

Hansen joined Thomas Printworks in 2009, and since then, he has been instrumental in expanding the company's footprint in new markets, diversifying its service offerings, and enhancing the customer experience. Before joining Thomas Printworks, Hansen held various roles at Océ, now Canon Solutions America, PRI Graphics and Danka Office Imaging.

When he's not leading the charge at Thomas Printworks, Hansen is an avid outdoorsman and hobbyist. He enjoys fly fishing, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, and exploring the great outdoors. He also holds a license for amateur radio (W7TJH), which he uses to connect with fellow enthusiasts around the world.

Despite his busy schedule, Hansen is also a passionate reader and makes time to dive into new books on a regular basis. His diverse range of interests keeps him engaged and energized, and he brings that same enthusiasm to his work at Thomas Printworks.

Hansen is recognized for his strategic thinking, customer-centric approach, and innovative solutions. He is a strong advocate of innovation and technology, and under his leadership, Thomas Printworks has embraced several cutting-edge technologies, such as its marketing fulfillment solution, Visualogistix® and its direct response marketing solution, Tactix360™, to better serve its clients.

Gary A. Jones is the Vice President of Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Affairs at PRINTING United Alliance. His primary responsibility is to monitor and analyze EHS and sustainability related legislative and regulatory activities at the federal and state levels, including some international actions. He provides representation on behalf of the printing, packaging, and graphic arts industry. Mr. Jones works closely with the federal and state-level Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and other agencies. He also provides membership assistance on EHS compliance and sustainability programs through a variety of approaches including responding to inquiries, presentations, writing, and consulting services.

Mr. Jones is also supporting PRINTING United Alliance’s efforts for the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP). SGP is dedicated to assisting printing operations respond to customer demands for sustainable printing.

He holds a BS in biology from LaRoche College and an MS in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.

Joe Marin is the Senior VP, Education and Training at PRINTING United Alliance.

Wes Friesen is a proven leader and developer of high performing teams and has extensive experience in both the corporate and non-profit worlds. A former in-plant manager, he is also an award-winning university instructor and speaker, and is the president of Solomon Training and Development, which provides leadership, management and team building training. His book, Your Team Can Soar! contains 42 valuable lessons that will inspire you, and give you practical pointers to help you—and your team—soar to new heights of performance. Your Team Can Soar! can be ordered from Xulonpress.com/bookstore or wesfriesen.com. Wes can be contacted at wesmfriesen@gmail.com.

Daniel Valade is the product manager of digital print for Roland DGA. 

Eileen Fritsch is a Cincinnati-based freelance journalist who has covered the evolution of wide-format digital printing for more than 20 years. Contact her at eileen@eileenfritsch.com.

Bill Gillespie has been in the printing business for 49 years and has been in sales and marketing since 1978. He was formerly the COO of National Color Graphics, an internationally recognized commercial printer and EVP of Brown Industries, an international POP company. Bill has enjoyed business relationships with flagship brands including, but not limited to, Apple, Microsoft, Coca Cola, American Express, Nike, MGM, Home Depot, and Berkshire Hathaway. He is an expert in printing sales, having written more than $100,000,000 in personal business during his career. Currently, Bill consults with printing companies, equipment manufacturers, and software firms. He can be reached by email (bill@bill-gillespie.com) or by phone (770-757-5464).

Tara Seth is a Graphic Media Management student at Ferris State University. She is passionate about the printing industry and wants to share her perspective as well as learn as much as she can about the industry.

Cathy Radoncic is the Northeast Territory Manager for the US at Drytac.

Peter is the territory sales manager, Western Canada for Drytac.

Roger Robinson is the owner of Signarama North Dallas. 

Richard Anderson is the owner of Signarama Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Jason Warren is a business coach and entrepreneur. His website, Business Beginings, outlines the untraditional, the alternative, the up-and-coming ways to do business. It focuses on business tools that work smarter, shortcuts that get you where you need to go faster, and hacks that allow you to work the way you want while you watch your business soar. It provides guidance on how to prioritize the pursuit of work-life balance, break business stereotypes, and fearlessly do things differently to create your very own, “Business Beginings.”

David Campbell is a Chief Underwriting Officer at USI, the Administrator of the PRINTING United Alliance Insurance Program. With more than 40 years of industry experience, David has been involved with many aspects of commercial lines underwriting, state filings, insurance systems, reinsurance, and marketing for both carriers and program administrators. David worked for four major insurers before working with USI on the broker side. He graduated from Florida State University with a major in Risk Management & Insurance.

Kalie VanDewater is associate content and online editor at NAPCO Media.