Top Industry Groups Announce New Leadership Conference

The National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL); NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies (NPES); and, Printing Industries of America have joined forces to create a dynamic new leadership conference for graphic communications executives—the Vision 3 Summit—slated for March 13 – 16, 2011 at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, CA. This high-level program will blend the unique strengths of each of the three organizations to provide a single, authoritative conference that addresses the variety of needs of company owners and executives. Open to both graphic communications service providers and vendors, the two-and-a-half day conference will provide the latest business intelligence covering all aspects of running a graphic communications business. The Vision 3 Summit takes a broad and distinctly management-level approach, providing up-to-the-moment industry trends, technology updates and market research from the standpoint of what matters most to a person in charge of running a company. “From making the most judicious financial decisions in this economic environment to overcoming staffing challenges and assessing the most effective strategies for growing your business, management-level staff face challenges that differ significantly from the work issues of other employees,” observes Joseph P. Truncale, NAPL president and CEO. “Often these needs aren’t effectively met in other educational venues, which try to offer a little something for everyone. With the Vision 3 Summit, we are specifically addressing the variety of issues that graphic communications business leaders face, be they an owner of a 20-employee print shop, an executive of a multimillion-dollar multimedia service provider, or upper management at an equipment vendor.”

An educational mix

The conference will offer a mix of subject-matter experts, panel discussions with real-life business examples, and inspiring keynote addresses from both professional and industry-specific leaders. In addition to the management-level viewpoint, emphasis will also be on tactical how-to advice and strategy. “Particularly in this environment—where the economic future remains ambiguous, profitability is tied closely to productivity. As business moves at lightning speed, executives are seeking a comprehensive approach to managing their businesses,” explains Ralph Nappi, NPES president. “Service providers and vendors want market information at the bird’s-eye view, but they are also looking for real ‘in the trenches’ advice on how to apply this knowledge for immediate impact. The Vision 3 Summit will provide not just industry research and trends, but also translate what it all means for their businesses and how they can take advantage of these developments to maximize their success.” Though specific educational programming is still being finalized, the unique strengths of each organization will make for a particularly comprehensive, in-depth conference. Specifically, NAPL will bring a business-management focus with its research and expertise on such areas as organizational development and performance measurement. Through its sister organization, NAPL will also provide expertise on the challenges facing small business owners and quick printers. NPES, meanwhile, will offer a vendor-specific perspective on the graphic communications industry, providing an invaluable “other” viewpoint of the printer–vendor relationship. Additionally, it will supply high-end, data-driven market research on the latest trends and challenges faced by the industry, through its Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization (PRIMIR) arm. Finally, Printing Industries of America will provide specialized knowledge of complex areas vital to the graphic communications business, such as updates on government legislation, and environment and safety issues. Additionally, it will contribute knowledge of the challenges faced by midsize to larger graphic communications service providers.