Andrew Giraldo, ARC Document Solutions: A WFI Rising Star

Andrew Giraldo, regional vice president, ARC Document Solutions

While many think of an industry “rising star” as a young person, or someone at the early stages of their career, that is not an exclusive reality. For Andrew Giraldo, regional vice president at ARC Document Solutions, his star has been on an upward trajectory since he joined his family business, Reliable Graphics (Van Nuys, California), in 1986. “I love coming to work every day. I’m just blessed that way,” he shares.

About Giraldo’s tenure with ARC, President Dilo Wijesuriya says he “has dedicated over 20 years to advancing wide-format printing, consistently shaping how brands use visual graphics to amplify their influence.” He is described as deeply customer-centric, unafraid to explore new territories, and committed to staying ahead by mastering new materials, production techniques, and industry innovations. A rising star indeed.

Giraldo describes himself as an S.O.B. (son of a blueprinter). He started working at his family’s blueprint shop at the age of 16, initially as a delivery driver. From that beginning, his career morphed and evolved along a single path. “I’ve had one job my whole life,” he says.

When that company sold to ARC in 2006, Giraldo became one of its regional executives and worked to promote higher levels of quality. “Early in his career,” Wijesuriya explains, “he championed the introduction of color to our customers, paving the way for vibrant, impactful branding solutions.”

Asked what he’s learned during his tenure that helps make for a great and successful company, Giraldo says it’s to give value to both customers and employees and make the company meaningful for them. Giraldo says the long tenure of many ARC employees – all his co-workers have 20+ years on the books – demonstrates their strong relationship to the company. He says that although he came into the industry through his own family’s business, ARC feels like a family business to him.

And today, working in a “family business” that has more than 140 locations globally, Giraldo is responsible for all the company’s business units in Southern California, Arizona, and Hawaii – 26 locations in total. His day, he says, begins early – 6:00 a.m. – and he spends the majority of his time in client meetings, meeting with reps, discussing strategy with the sales team, and working with the broader team on execution. Not surprisingly, he also pays strong attention to profit and loss statements.

One thing that gives him particular satisfaction, he adds, is hearing back from happy customers: “There’s satisfaction that we helped somebody.”

One specific project, Giraldo says, that he prides himself on is working to launch ARC’s Riot Color brand, which focuses beyond ARC’s core in technical graphics and has moved the company firmly into wide-format graphics for retail, branding, and, increasingly, décor applications. “I was a big part of that,” he shares, and notes that Riot Color currently has more than 30 locations in the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

Looking forward, Giraldo sees continued career growth, despite the length of his tenure. “I’m in no rush to retire,” he says. “I’ve still got some life in me.” For the path ahead, he plans to work on maximizing the level of service and the number of solutions ARC provides for its customers. He wants to help expand the company’s presence in the events and sports spaces and wants to continue to educate the next generation of graphics professionals, citing a desire to ‘hand off the torch’ to them.

One challenge ARC faces, which is not exclusive to ARC, is finding qualified labor. “Print isn’t as sexy as it used to be,” he says. One solution to this challenge, he shares, is culture – strong efforts to create an environment where people feel at home and know they matter. Employees need to be paid well, treated well, and have a great environment. “But it’s tough,” he laments.

Outside of work, he shares that he's a “family guy” – a dad to four children. He enjoys sports, the gym, and staying active. He also admits to a penchant for fantasy football.

To sum up why Giraldo is so valuable to ARC, and why he should be recognized as a WFI rising star, Wijesuriya says the following: “Andrew’s leadership has expanded his influence from Southern California into Arizona and Hawaii, and throughout North America, all while upholding a philosophy of selling value over price, and introducing technology to drive efficiencies. His drive, integrity, and dedication make him not only an invaluable leader within our company but also a true rising star in the wide-format printing industry.”

Summing up his own experience, Giraldo’s response is shorter, but no less meaningful: “I’m blessed that I love what I do.”