ORLANDO, FL—Steve Forbes, president and CEO of Forbes Inc., presented the keynote address at the 54th annual Web Offset Association conference held here May 21-24. Another highlight was the presentation of the 2006 Harry V. Quadracci VISION Award to Tom Quadracci, chairman and co-founder of Quad/Graphics, who plans to retire at year-end after 35 years…
SEATTLE—Eight North American entries were dubbed 2006 North American Printers of the Year gold award winners by Sappi Fine Paper during its gala awards ceremony held here last Saturday at historic Union Station. The eight gold winners will compete for the Sappi International Printer of the Year title, which will be announced in Budapest, Hungary, in October. The winners and categories were: Color Graphics, Los Angeles, annual reports; Graphic Arts Center Publishing, Portland, OR/Haagen Printing, Santa Barbara, CA, books; Cenveo Anderson Lithograph, Los Angeles, brochures; Allied Printing Services, Manchester, CT, calendars; Nahan Printing, St. Cloud, MN, catalogs; Meridian Printing, East Greenwich, RI, general print; Nahan
PHILADELPHIA—The City of Brotherly Love’s two-year run in hosting the AIIM and ON DEMAND expos came to an end yesterday with the conclusion of the technologies show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The event will move to the Boston Convention & Exposition Center next spring, April 17-19, 2007. The show’s producer, Questex Media Group, is based in Newton, MA. As for the ON DEMAND Conference and Expo, it handed down Best of Show awards in six general categories. Standard Finishing Systems won in the bindery and finishing equipment category for its Standard Horizon BQ-470 perfect binder. Océ North America pulled down top honors in the
IT WOULD be foolish to overlook how valuable an experienced, committed and skilled set of employees is to a company. This is especially true in an industry such as the graphic arts, with its strong focus on technology, trends toward computer-based processes and a continued shortage of qualified labor. The latter is an ongoing problem for Suttle-Straus in Waunakee, WI, admits President John Berthelsen, who adds that the lack of skilled workers in the industry has limited the company’s ability to grow and expand as rapidly as he would like. “We have now geared ourselves much more towards identifying and hiring bright, motivated entry-level people and
WORLD AND industry viewpoints alike are set to come together at the upcoming 2006 Web Offset Association (WOA) Management and Technical Conference. But what sets this meeting apart in our conference-heavy industry? According to the WOA’s executive director, the combination of heavy-hitter speakers and relevant industry information will keep those attending the event wanting more. “We want attendees to be able to customize the experience for their individual needs,” reports Mary Garnett, PIA/GATF vice president and WOA executive director. Titled “Decision Points 2006,” the 54th annual conference will take place at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, FL, on May 21-24. Designed for executives
This year’s recipient of the Web Offset Association’s Harry V. Quadracci VISION Award might seem like an obvious choice, due to some family connections. Yet, it’s been hard work, determination and technological innovation that propelled Thomas A. Quadracci to the top of America’s largest privately held printer, not his last name. Quadracci will be presented with the eighth annual VISION Award on May 22 during the WOA conference. The honor was named after Quad/Graphics’ late founder and Thomas’ older brother, Harry Quadracci, who was the inaugural recipient in 1999. The timing of the award also couldn’t be better. Currently, chairman and CEO of Quad/Graphics, Tom
NOT MANY Americans made the trip to the largest English-speaking trade show in the world in 2006. In Europe, virtually everyone carries a passport for identification, but here in the U.S. a driver’s license is the norm. Because our country is so large and self-sufficient, Americans are generally loathe to travel internationally. So Americans are not expected at IPEX, the once-every-four-years trade show held in Birmingham, UK. But, in many respects, it is our loss. Those who made the trip for the eight-day show saw the latest in printing technology across a wide spectrum of processes and business applications. Although the number of
OAHU, HI—Finding future revenue streams for continued growth was the leading theme of the PIA/GATF Executive Leadership Conference, held here at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina from March 12-16. The conference, titled “Profitable Growth—2006 and Beyond,” was set against the backdrop of the lush, tropical paradise of this breathtaking Hawaiian island, which put conference goers in a positive frame of mind to address a challenging future that looms for the printing industry. Kicking things off was keynote speaker and author/consultant Steve Little, who borrowed from his experiences as president of three high-growth companies to identify best practices and seven “Irrefutable
STEVE FORBES has been described as a media mogul, a Web-savvy ideologue, a simplified tax advocate, a publisher and, more relevant here, the keynote presenter at next month’s Web Offset Association (WOA) meeting in Orlando, FL. Not only does Steve Forbes know our business, he lives it. Forbes Inc. is an 88-year-old publishing company riding the cusp of the Internet and new media challenges. Having invested tens of millions into the Internet, the president and CEO of Forbes Inc. and editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine continues to be very optimistic about the power of print. In addition to his intimate dealings with the printing industry
ORLANDO, FL—Industry change brought about by the growth of the Internet, consolidation, global competition and outsourcing were key discussion points at the NAPL Top Management Conference and NAQP Annual Conference held last month at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes Hotel. And even the event itself exemplified change—marking the first time the two industry conferences were conducted as one overall meeting with several combined breakout sessions, keynote addresses and social activities. Andy Paparozzi, NAPL vice president and chief economist, kicked off the NAPL portion of the meeting with highlights from the 2006 “NAPL State of the Industry Report.” Always a crowd pleaser with his keen insight
