Offset and Beyond Conference a Success
PITTSBURGH—May 10, 2007—The Offset and Beyond 2007 Management and Technical Conference for the Web and Sheetfed Offset Communities was very excited to have the Right Honorable Brian Mulroney open the conference on Monday, April 30, 2007 in Toronto, Canada. Inlaid with humor, Mulroney spoke on a wide range of topics including free trade, health care, the role of government, leadership, the current global political condition, and his time as the prime minister of Canada.
The 675 attendees also saluted Remi Marcoux, executive chairman of the board with Transcontinental Inc. as the recipient of the Harry V. Quadracci VISION Award. The founder of Transcontinental, Mr. Marcoux is one of the most important Canadian entrepreneurs of his generation. The little printing shop with about 30 employees and annual sales of $3 million, which he purchased in 1976, has become a North American powerhouse. It currently has more than 14,000 employees in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and sales of C$2.2 billion (US $1.9 billion). Mr. Marcoux thanked the crowd and shared his thoughts on the industry.
Later that morning Luc Desjardins, president and CEO of Transcontinental Inc., addressed the group. Mr. Desjardins has had a long career as a senior executive in Canada and the United States. Mr. Desjardins joined Transcontinental in 2000 as president and chief operating officer and has been the corporation’s president and CEO since March 2004. Mr. Desjardins was selected by the prestigious Canadian magazine, Canadian Business, as one of the 12 top managers in Canada for, among other things, his role in Transcontinental’s expansion in the U.S. direct marketing business.
The second day of the conference opened as exciting as the first with general session speaker Tony Gagliano, chairman and CEO, at St. Joseph Communications. Mr. Gagliano shared the story of his fathers dream and vision: to build a print and communications company unlike any other. Under Tony’s guidance and leadership, St. Joseph Communications has emerged as a tour de force within the industry, offering its clients the most comprehensive suite of integrated solutions in content, print, documents, and media.
Back for a second year, Robert Danzig, former CEO of Hearst Newspapers, inspired the crowd by incorporating leadership observations into his heart-felt presentation. Talking directly to the crowd by addressing attendees by name and shaking their hands, Mr. Danzig used his own life stories to inspire everyone in the room. To him it’s not about managing people to perform, it’s about inspiring people to be more than they thought they could be. It is this kind of leadership philosophy that enabled him to make Hearst Newspapers one of the top publishing firms in the country.
In addition to these nationally recognized speakers, industry experts, and practitioners, the conference addressed multi-channel competition, globalization, new business opportunities, integration of the digital technologies, and streamlining workflow. There were also many opportunities for attendees and sponsors to network.
Ed Majerczak, Berlin Industries, Inc., remarked that “I learned great best practices and solutions at this conference. Between the general session speakers, concurrent sessions, and opportunities to network, I am taking away a wealth of information. This was a great conference, best yet!”
Many conference attendees are excited to learn about next year’s conference at the Renaissance Hotel, Schaumburg, IL, April 27–30, 2008. “This truly was the ‘passport’ to continued printing success. We will continue to bring forward the best in the industry and disseminate that information to you next year,” said Ralph Pontillo chairman, WOA Board of Directors and vice president, Transcontinental Printing Inc.
For more information regarding our next conference, the print competition, or to sign up for the WOA newsletter, please contact Teresa Rees at 412-259-1804 or email trees@piagatf.org.
About PIA/GATF
PIA/GATF is the world’s largest graphic arts trade association representing an industry with more than 1.2 million employees. It serves the interests of more than 12,000 member companies. PIA/GATF, along with its affiliates, delivers products and services that enhance the growth, efficiency, and profitability of its members and the industry through advocacy, education, research, and technical information.
