Two key US printing associations merge

Two of America’s most significant and long-running printing industry bodies, the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) and Printing Industries of America (PIA), have merged to strengthen their power to better deal with the changes impacting the industry.

The new merged entity will be known as PRINTING United Alliance.

Ford Bowers who was the president and chief executive officer of the SGIA has been elevated to the role of president and chief executive officer of the new entity.

Michael Makin, the president and CEO of Printing Industries of America, is the executive vice president of the unified body.

“PRINTING United Alliance is a reflection of the invaluable partnerships and industry convergence that has evolved over time,” Bowers said.

“The organisation name seemed an obvious choice to many as our North Star points to the industry continuing to come together and strengthening to ensure future growth and longevity.”

PRINTING United Alliance says the united entity will be able to better serve all communities within the printing industry.

“In this time of consolidation, printer members and the supplier community at large are looking for a unified solution to the challenges they face in this era of rapid change,” chairman of the PRINTING United Alliance board Scott Crosby said.

“The new Association will become the place to find answers for everything related to printing. It is a great honour and privilege for me to serve the industry as we look forward to a new beginning.”

The organisation said the new PRINTING United Alliance board of directors reflects the combined leadership from the previous SGIA and PIA boards of directors and comprises the following executives:

Chairman of the Board Scott Crosby, Transcontinental Holland & Crosby

First Vice Chair Paul Cousineau, Dow Jones and Company, Inc.

Second Vice Chair Christopher Bernat, Vapor Apparel/Source Substrates LLC

Third Vice Chair Michael Marcian, Corporate Communications Group

Treasurer Dean DeMarco, IDL Worldwide

Secretary Brooke Hamilton, NPI

Immediate Past Chair Thomas Cooper III, WestRock

Chair of Chairmen’s Advisory Council Edward Cook, Jr., ECI Screen Print Inc.

Associate Vice Chair Scott Schinlever, Gerber Technology

Ex Officio Ford Bowers, President and CEO, PRINTING United Alliance.

Directors at large include:

Brian Adam, Olympus Group; Nick Buettner, American Cut and Sew; Roger Chamberlain, The Cincinnati Insurance Company; Kristen Danson, MitoGraphics Inc.; Chris Feryn, Premier Press; Kevin Gazdag, KG Graphics Décor; Bryan Hall, Graphic Visual Solutions; Lane Hickey-Wiggins, Douglass Screen Printers Inc. dba DPRINT; Brian Hite, Image Options; Michael Magerl, Trabon Group; Brent Moncrief, FUJIFILM; Joseph Olivo, Perfect Communications; Edward Pidcock, Chillybears; Heather Poulin, Ricoh USA; Timothy Saur, Durst Imaging Technology US LLC; Elaine Scrima, GSP Companies; Michael Wagner, Butler Technologies Inc.; and Joseph Lyman, President, Great Lakes Graphics Association, serving as Affiliate manager.

“The industry is going through great change right now, so the timing for these two like-minded organisations to come together dovetails nicely,” Paul Cousineau, First Vice Chair, PRINTING United Alliance and Dow Jones and Company Inc. Vice President of Prepress Operations, Continuous Improvement and IT Ops Support said.

“I am honoured to be a part of something so significant and impactful. I’ve enjoyed the process working with the board in getting to this point and look forward to the future.”

For more information about becoming a member of PRINTING United Alliance, visit sgia.org or printing.org.

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