Vince Lapinski to Become CEO of MAN Roland’s North American Operations

WESTMONT, IL—MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG has named Vince Lapinski Chief Executive Officer of MAN Roland Inc., effective January 1. Lapinski will succeed Yves Rogivue, who has headed MAN Roland’s North American operations for the past six years.

“Vince has an impressive track record in revitalizing MAN Roland’s newspaper and commercial web businesses,” Rogivue says. “His customer-focused approach has helped MAN Roland become a leader in those segments. And now that we have made our North American sheetfed division profitable, Vince will have a strong and stable platform from which he can continue to grow the company. I am confident I will be leaving MAN Roland Inc. in the best of hands.”

The two executives will spend the remainder of the year making sure the company continues on the fast track. “We’ll have the benefit of a two-and-a half month transition period – which is rare in our fast-moving industry,” says Lapinski. “That will give me the opportunity to work with Yves and benefit from his experience to ensure the changeover is a smooth one for our customers and for our organization.”

Lapinski’s appointment to head the company’s operations in North America was approved by the MAN Roland Executive Board, and in his new role he will report to its Chairman, Gerd Finkbeiner.

“It is well known in the industry that Vince Lapinski brings a wealth of knowledge and many years of record-breaking success to our company’s web business,” Finkbeiner notes. “Vince has strong ties to our company in Germany and his ability to manage people, execute initiatives and deliver results will serve him well in his new role as CEO.”

The MAN Roland Chairman also thanked Rogivue for his contributions to the company’s success in North America: “Yves was assigned to turnaround a sheetfed operation that was not living up to our high expectations. He has accomplished that mission by bringing our sheetfed operation back into the black. It was a difficult job well done.”

Recipient of a Bachelors degree in Print Technology and Print Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Lapinski graduated with high honors and has remained in the printing industry throughout his career.

Lapinski has served in various capacities with MAN Roland for more than 16 years. His career with the company began in newspaper web product management and as a result of his accomplishments, he was given the opportunity to run the company’s Newspaper Sales Group after only two years with the organization.

In the mid 90s, Lapinski was part of the management team that reorganized the operations by consolidating the entire web division and reallocating manufacturing resources to better support the company’s customers. MAN Roland’s share of the double-width newspaper market in North America greatly increased under his management and he made significant in-roads in the single-width market. MAN Roland continues to be the global market leader in the newspaper industry, and holds the top position in North America.

Lapinski was promoted in 2001 to lead the entire Web Operation as Chief Operating Officer and was named a Member of the Board. Taking on the commercial web side of the business in addition to the newspaper operations, he subsequently streamlined and revitalized the Commercial Web Division, gaining market share along the way.

In 2003, Lapinski was given the MAN Roland Quality Award for successful development of the North American newspaper market. He established global alliances with industry vendors and top customers including partnerships with well-known corporate accounts in both newspaper and commercial web markets. Recognized as a manager who leads by example, he built and maintains today a team consisting of managers whose tenure averages more than 10 years with the company.

“I am honored to be named Chief Executive Officer for MAN Roland North America.” Lapinski shares. “In an ever-changing industry, MAN Roland continues to be a leader in the business, with great opportunity to strengthen our position in the market. I look forward to building new relationships with the customers I’ve yet to meet and continuing to strengthen the relationships with the customers I’ve known for many years. Finally, I look forward to working with the dedicated team at MAN Roland as we look at new ways to grow our business and achieve even greater success in the future.”