The Future: People Convergence!

We all get caught up in technology. Technology is a great motivator and an even greater avenue to spend money. Believe me, I don’t have any problems with technology; I love it and am normally one of the first to engage the latest gadgets.

The ultimate gadget is not that new, but greatly improved, will last more the 18 months before it is out of date and favor and is perfectly linked to graphics, printing and media convergence. The true next big thing is...people convergence.

We may gain productivity improvements when we adopt new technology, but, to be honest, we now need to start to understand that our true future lies in the technology of people—our workers, the staff we will all hire to manage, operate and develop the latest in technology. You will see the benefit of the greater sum of productivity and creativity when people are in involved in the process.

I am a trustee of the Graphic Communications Scholarship Foundation (GCSF). We trustees strive to keep the talent, new and improved, flowing to the graphic, creative and print verticals.

Each year, our ALL-volunteer organization provides grants to local students who are entering college. We review each candidate’s portfolio and make sure that the best of the best are selected, but not based only on their talents—each applicant needs to provide letters of reference and a brief, but telling ,self-appraisal.

We host a first-class awards event via ongoing support from Hearst Magazines, which provides its state-of-the-art New York City theater for our annual event (this year to held on June 20, 2012). GCSF has also linked up with the IDEAlliance to sponsor a “holiday” event, generating additional funding.

GCSF partners with many other like-minded groups that support the ultimate in technology and our future students. Any donation provided by any source is 100 percent used to fund scholarships. Yes, that is correct—100 percent. No one is paid a salary; when needed, we trustees share in the cost of operation, our supporters assist with nearly all our needs and those costs that we can’t “get covered,” well the trustees cover the need.