 Print Excellence - Denver Style!
Following in the footsteps of the uber-successful awards night held at Rustler's Rooste in Phoenix on April 23rd, the Denver program was held last week at the downtown Embassy Suites Hotel.The elegant affair recognized the Colorado winners in the first ever regional competition where printers from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming were all encouraged to participate. Multiple award winners included Henry Wurst, Publication Printers, Vision Graphics and C & D Printing, which took home both the Best of Show and People's Choice Awards. Special thanks once again to all of the event sponsors (see below) and the amazing team at ASU, including Cathy Skoglund, Amy Flores, Stetson Fitch and Ashley Yost for all of their work on the event. The complete list of winners can be viewed on the WSPA Website. A printed showcase piece featuring all of the winners will be sent to all members next week. It's never too early to start putting aside your best pieces of 2015 for next year's competition!
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New Member Visits
While in Denver for the Print Excellence Awards, WSPA CEO Michael Makin visited the association's two newest members - SpeedPro Imaging and Sticker Giant.SpeedPro is a full service wide format printer which produces stunning display pieces for trade shows and exhibits as well as vehicle wraps. The growing company will be moving to a new location in the coming weeks, shared CEO Darin Schneider, pictured below left. To learn more about SpeedPro click here.   Sticker Giant is located in Longmont, Colorado, about 45 minutes from Denver. The 29 person-company produces every conceivable sticker and is known for its quality color and legendary customer service. General Manager Amy Altenborg shared that the company has hired five people in the last year and continues to see profitable growth. Pictured above right is Sticker Giant production manager Rob Deeter. To take a virtual tour of Sticker Giant, click here. |
Phoenix Golf Tournament
It's back! After a year's absence the ever-popular WSPA Phoenix Golf Tournament will return with a vengeance on Saturday, September 19, 2015 at the stunning Arizona Grand Golf Resort.
Join colleagues and friendly competitors from the industry for a day of fun on the links followed by the Par-Tee on the Green, where bragging rights will be on display and awards presented.
Tickets are only $99 and include greens fee, golf cart, lunch and two drink tickets. Foursomes and individual tickets will sell out fast so be sure to register as soon as possible!
REGISTER HERE
Sponsorship OpportunitiesInterested in sponsoring the tournament? There are numerous opportunities still available including individual hole sponsorships - many helping to support future GCEF Scholarships. For details contact tournament chairman Gary Matchinsky at 480-829-8890 or garym@bctarizona.com
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 Denver Golf Tournament
Don't despair Denver because your golf tournament is returning as well! We are working on the details but the event will be held either the l ast week of August or first week of September. Special thanks go out to Shane Johnson ( Spicers), Dean Hruby ( Henry Wurst) and Sandi Neuman ( Vision Graphics) for helping to bring back this popular association event to Colorado.
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Benchmark Your Company's Financial Performance with PIA Ratios
For most of us, ratios are not something we think of every day, at least not until springtime and the onset of baseball season. If you want to compare two Major League hitters, you are likely to compare their batting averages. If one is hitting .389 and the other's average is .236, you immediately know which is doing better, even if you don't know precisely how a batting average is calculated.
When applied to business, think of ratios as "batting averages for business". In baseball or in business most ratios measure some form of productivity. They generally give an indication of how one result varied in relation to another. Ratios are a tool to make it easier to do an "apples to apples" comparison.
New this year: All WSPA members that participate in the Ratios Survey receive TWO FREE Reports.
- First; a free copy of Management's Guide to the Ratios so you can learn how to compare your company's batting average to the industry leaders.
- Next you choose an additional free volume specific to your printing process or market segment.
Complete one survey by May 15th and get two free reports. That's a real home-run deal!
To participate go to www.printing.org/ratios or contact Ed Gleeson at 1-800-910-4283 (ext. 756) or egleeson@printing.org.
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 Calling All Light Tables Have a spare light table lying around? The Graphic Design Program at Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale is in need of light tables for its students. If you can help, please contact Bernie Fritts at 480-484-7000 ext. 6207 or bfritts@susd.org.Those attending the Awards event at Rustler's Rooste will remember that Bernie won a bronze, silver and gold in the student division of the Print Excellence Awards! |
 Uber Good For Print! Uber, the $41 billion ride hailing company, is launching a quarterly print magazine for its 150,000 drivers. The publication, called Momentum, is launching in six markets: Boston, New York , Chicago, Ohio, Oklahoma and San Francisco . Uber says it wants to connect with its drivers and what better way than through print! Momentum's launch issue includes stories about to get exercise behind the wheel, the best places to go eat on the go, and where to find restrooms when you're on the clock.
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 Last chance to register for PLS! The 2015 Print Leadership Summit (PLS), is scheduled for May 18-19 at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center in Minneapolis, MN. Whether you consider your company a marketing service provider, a packaging solutions firm, a display graphics enterprise, or a supply chain management company, if you PRINT, the Print Leadership Summit is for you! "The attendee response to the first Print Leadership Summit was so enthusiastic that we knew we had hit the target with this program," says Julie Shaffer, Vice President, Digital Strategies. " Print is still a huge industry, and we built a conference devoted to addressing the issues that matter to print business leaders with a focus on successful business transformation stories and detailed 'how-to' discussions." The keynotes and breakout sessions focus on transformative stories, with leaders of companies in a diverse range of sizes sharing stories of how they've adapted and are thriving in this post-recession business environment. The agenda highlights everything from sales growth, marketing strategy, pricing, operational issues, mergers and acquisitions, digital media integration, and much more. The conference keynote speakers are all entrepreneurs sharing business transformation success stories. Member price: Only $595 REGISTER HERENon-member price: $895
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WSPA Referral Program
WSPA is only as strong as its membership base and wants to continually grow to service its members. You can help by being an ambassador like Steve Larson (C & D Printing) or Gary Bennett (D & K Printing) by referring potential members our way!
What's in it for you for spreading the word? If you refer a member and they sign up, we will send you a $50 gift card. The more you refer, the greater the increment of the gift card. Steve and Marcia Larson are pictured left with WSPA CEO Michael Makin in Denver receiving their $50 referral certificate.
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Weekly Photo Feature:
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Each week E-Connects will share incredible photos on just how lax companies can be when it comes to safety.
The goal - to keep a safe work environment front and center on the minds of all of your employees.
Very dangerous and potentially "pane" ful.
If you come across a funny safety pic you think should be featured, email Michael Makin at mmakin@wsprint.org.
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Thank You Print Excellence Award Sponsors
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Quote For The Week
"Influence is like a savings account. the less you use it, the more you've got.'
Andrew Young
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