PRINTING United Alliance, the most comprehensive member-based printing and graphic arts association in the U.S., announces the appointment of its 2021-22 Suppliers and Manufacturers Council (SMC). Appointed annually, this exemplary group of industry leaders advises the association on issues and trends related to the future success of the printing industry at large and represents a cross-section of all market segments.
The 2021-22 SMC is led by chairperson Carleen Gray, CEO, Stahls’, and vice chair Michael Brice, VP, sales & business development, INX International Ink Co.. Andrew Oransky, president and CEO, Roland DGA, assumes the role of past chairman.
“The SMC is a group of industry leaders which represent the diverse segments in the printing industry with a shared mission of sharing business challenges and suggestions for improvement, growth expectations, and moving the industry forward,” says Gray. “Given the financial impact the current global supply chain and logistics constraints are having on all of us, communication and data are critical for making good business decisions. I find the opinions and experiences shared in the SMC meetings, combined with the economic and industry data provided by PRINTING United Alliance are helpful insights for our own business planning at Stahls’.”
“The supplier community is a vital part of the printing industry,” says Oransky. “Over the last two years, the SMC has endeavored to make sure that PRINTING United Alliance offers a platform for suppliers to communicate with and provide value to member organizations throughout the year. We’ve tackled topics ranging from workforce development and training, to segmentation, and how the printing industry can present a unified face to the public.
“Of course, the impact of the COVID pandemic on printers has been a constant threat over the past eighteen months. I’ve been honored to lead the committee and look forward to its continued contributions to PRINTING United Alliance’s mission.”
The complete roster of PRINTING United Alliance SMC members for 2021-22 is as follows:
- Carleen Gray, Stahls’ – Chair
- Michael Brice, INX International Ink Co. – Vice Chair
- Andrew Oransky, Roland DGA – Past Chair
- Kimberly Daugherty, Advanced Color Solutions
- Eric Crocker, Delta Apparel
- Larry Moore, Esko
- Scott Fisher, Fisher Textiles
- Felix Mueller, Heidelberg
- Kay Fernandez, Konica Minolta
- Ken Keyte, MBO America
- Ken VanHorn, Mimaki
- Roger Serrette, Ricoh USA
- Mark Bailey, SanMar Corporation
- Ken Ingram, SCREEN Americas
- Eric Tischer, Serge Ferrari
- Donna Covannon, Xeikon
Leadership Looking Ahead
The SMC provides PRINTING United Alliance supplier and manufacturer members an opportunity for focused peer-to-peer interaction and a chance to participate in selected areas, including event participation, industry research, training, and industry legislation.
With this mission, SMC members are weighing in with their enthusiasm on the year ahead.
Brice says, “Being in the printing industry for over thirty-six years and having served on multiple boards, I am greatly looking forward to the opportunities and work ahead with this diverse and accomplished group of professionals. We are collectively committed to keeping the industry strong and healthy, as printing is a vital industry in our country. It is imperative that we work together as convergence and diversification flourishes. I am honored to serve on the board and jointly driving the organization’s and industry’s needs and plans for growth and making that a sustainable effort.”
“The SMC is the most prestigious supplier group in the printing industry, and I feel privileged and honored to have been selected to serve alongside this talented group of industry professionals and represent all that MBO and Komori have to offer,” adds Keyte. “We have grown immensely as a company these past couple of years, so I am eager to bring my perspective to the board and get started on planning new ideas for the year ahead.”
Bailey shares, “As decoration becomes the new form of personalized expression in the trending digital age, it is more important than ever that Apparel Manufacturers, Decorators, Equipment and consumable suppliers come together. My hope is that my team, experience, network, SanMar and our approach to the marketplace can help bring us all closer together. Every decision we make has cause and effect on customers that we all share. My hope is together we make it the best possible experience for them and their end users.”
“I am proud to represent Xeikon and our diverse market segments in this important industry advisory group. I look forward to bringing my extensive knowledge as well as our customer input, feedback and trends, to this highly intuitive group,” says Covannon. “Collectively, we will best identify areas of opportunity for today and for the future longevity of our industry.”
—Press Release
