Make a Difference: Do Well by Doing Good in the Graphic Arts Industry -Carl Gerhardt

By Carl Gerhardt

I have had the pleasure of serving on the board of directors of an organization that I would like everyone to know more about. This nonprofit organization is the Electronic Document Scholarship Foundation (EDSF). http://www.edsf.org EDSF provides college scholarships to students who are interested in entering the expanding world of graphic arts. Principal support for EDSF comes from companies that make up a “who’s who” in graphic arts worldwide.

Recently, EDSF developed a program—called The Legacy Scholarship Program—that provides a great opportunity for businesses of any size, and even individuals, to establish scholarships to a college or university of their choosing. By providing these scholarships, you can help worthy students build a career in our industry—the “doing good” part. It also provides an opportunity for donors to give back to their local areas and raise visibility as a positive contributor to their community; a public relations benefit that has its roots in the “doing well” part.

I urge you to consider making a difference for a graphic arts student and create a great legacy for your company or yourself. The Legacy Scholarship Program is flexible enough that you can name a scholarship for a long-term or retired employee or even a customer. You pick the school and provide the funding of at least $1,000 annually. EDSF administers the scholarship for you with 100 percent of your donation going to the student.

It’s a great opportunity for you to contribute to the future of our industry and establish a tradition of doing good by doing well.

Learn more about EDSF and how you can join in on this opportunity, or contact Brenda Kai at brenda.kai@edsf.org; (817) 849-1145.

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Carl Gerhardt Author's page Carl Gerhardt is the chairman of Alliance Franchise Brands LLC, the parent company of Allegra Network LLC and Sign & Graphics Operations LCC, and a world leader in marketing, visual and graphics communications, linking more than 600 locations in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. The company’s Marketing & Print Division, headquartered in Plymouth, MI, is comprised of Allegra, American Speedy Printing, Insty-Prints, Speedy Printing and Zippy Print brands of marketing, printing, mailing and Web services providers. Its Sign & Graphics Division, headquartered in Columbia, MD, is comprised of Image360, Signs By Tomorrow and Signs Now brands of sign and graphics communications providers.

Carl and his wife, Judy, owned and operated their own successful Allegra franchise for nearly 20 years before selling the $2.3 million operation in 2003. He is a PrintImage International/NAQP Honorary Lifetime Member and was inducted into NAPL’s prestigious Soderstrom Society in 2010 in recognition of his contribution to the industry.