PIA to Present 2009 Converge Conference in Partnership with DMA and IPA
SEWICKLEY, PA—June 8, 2009—Printing Industries of America today announces that IPA, the Association of Graphic Solutions Providers, and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) will join it as association partners for the 2009 Converge Conference—the program focused on the next generation of print and communication services. The event will be held November 7-10, 2009, at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek in Orlando, FL.
The Converge Conference will present the strategies, tactics, and tools necessary for a new breed of company that is integrating the components of conventional and personalized print, Web technology, mailing services, personalized cross-media campaigns, and more.
"IPA, DMA, and Printing Industries of America have a shared vision of what is required of member companies to be successful in the years ahead," says Jim Workman, vice president, training for Printing Industries of America. "The partnership will result in a value-laden event, unlike any currently available."
Steve Bonoff, president of IPA, sees the conference as relevant for IPA members who specialize in operating powerful digital workflows to create, image, and deliver graphics files across multiple media. "IPA supports industry efforts like the Converge Conference that help today's service providers push their capabilities beyond traditional print boundaries," Bonoff said.
George Markham, director of education services for the Direct Marketing Association, emphasized that direct marketers are seeking suppliers who can organize sophisticated marketing campaigns incorporating both print and digital communications. According to Markham, "Potential vendors need to understand client goals and then offer cross-media technology solutions that generate results."
The DMA will also offer a one-day version of its well-known Direct Marketing Institute at the conference for print professionals who need a broad-based understanding of direct marketing. The course will cover key principles, offers, creative, list/database and targeting, and research/testing, with an emphasis on mail and the Internet.
The Converge Conference is the successor to Printing Industries of America's former Variable Data and Personalization and Workflow Conferences. For more information about the 2009 Converge Conference, contact Jeanette Tuttle-Hamer at 412-259-1712 or jtuttle-hamer@printing.org.
About Printing Industries of America:
Printing Association of America is the world's largest graphic arts trade association, representing an industry with approximately one million employees. It serves the interests of more than 10,000 member companies. Together with its nationwide affiliate network, Printing Industries delivers products and services that enhance the growth, efficiency, and profitability of its members and the graphic communications industry through advocacy, education, research, and technical information.
About IPA, the Association of Graphic Solutions Providers:
IPA is an international association representingcreative, premedia, and print service providers who specialize in operating powerful workflows to create, image, and deliver graphics files across multiple media. The association has been a trusted resource for business intelligence, networking opportunities, in-depth research and special reports, noteworthy publications, and valuable conferences since 1897.IPA provides a forum for graphic communications professionals seeking the right people, technologies, and processes to build effective cross-media workflows while growing sales and profitability.
About Direct Marketing Association:
The Direct Marketing Association is the leading global trade association of business and nonprofit organizations using and supporting multichannel direct marketing tools and techniques. DMA advocates standards for responsible marketing, promotes relevance as the key to reaching consumers with desirable offers, and provides cutting-edge research, education, and networking opportunities to improve results throughout the end-to-end direct marketing process. Founded in 1917, DMA today represents more than 3,400 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the U.S. and 48 other nations, including half of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.
