Saturday, November 15

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8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.               
Executive Committee Meeting

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Registration & Information

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Spouse & Guest Breakfast

Join us for an informal breakfast gathering for early arrivers as you enjoy casual dining with delectable Florida cuisine overlooking a sweeping view of the picturesque Gulf of Mexico.

9:45 a.m. – Noon
Board of Directors Meeting

Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Golf Outing (See “Leisure Activities”)

7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
First Timers’ Reception

Our First Timers will be the guests of honor at this exclusive, yet casual meet n’ greet prelude to a festive evening of dining and entertainment. Together they will chat one-on-one with NPES Board and staff who will be there to ensure that they enjoy and make the most of their time at the meeting.

7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Welcome Reception & Dinner

A magnificent Florida gulf coast sunset will herald the start of this evening filled with the jovial mingling of friends, old and new. The spirit of friendly camaraderie that begins during this festive mix n’ mingle, set to the rhythm of soothing calypso music, will continue throughout a fabulous evening of dining and brilliant entertainment.

 

Sunday, November 16

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7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Spouse & Guest Breakfast

Greet the day among old friends and new at this casual get-acquainted breakfast followed by our always popular book review.

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Welcome & Annual Conference Kick-Off

8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
What Customers Really Want
Scott McKain, Vice Chairman of Obsidian Enterprises/Co-Founder and Principle, Value Added Institute

Based upon Scott’s best selling business book, “What Customers REALLY Want”, this program will address the ‘disconnects’ between what customers crave verses what most organizations offer.  Through ownership of his 19 companies, he discovered extensive gulfs between what the client deserves and the company delivers.  A few of the disconnections Scott addresses are: 1) the customer’s desire for a compelling experience vs. the organization’s customer service offerings; 2) the client’s search for reciprocal loyalty and it’s conflict with the company’s endless prospecting; and, 3) the customer’s personal focus and opposition to the organization’s product focus.

Scott McKain is Vice Chairman of Obsidian Enterprises, a dynamic holding company with interests in widely varied businesses ranging from a finance company to butyl rubber reclamation, and from cosmetic surgery to publishing magazines.  His original insights into business provided the basis for his books and were the foundation for a company that has grown from a small investment to $100 million in annual sales.  McKain is also Co-Founder and Principal of the Value Added Institute, a think-tank that explores the role of the customer experience in creating lifelong client loyalty.  The work of the VAI has been featured in many national publications, particularly in the financial services industry. Capturing the ideas that helped form one of America’s “fastest growing companies”,  McKain authored two bestselling business books, “ALL Business is Show Business”, reaching the #1 spot on Amazon.com’s list of business bestsellers, and his most recent book, “What Customers REALLY Want”, his personal bestselling work which received rave reviews.  Its groundbreaking look at the “Six Major Disconnections between Customers and Organizations” has significantly impacted the manner in which companies that engage his strengths approach their customer and prospect base.

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
The Government Printing Office and Sustainability
Robert C. Tapella, Public Printer of the United States, The Government Printing Office and Sustainability

Bob Tapella was sworn in on October 2007 as the 25th Public Printer in the United States, having previously served as Chief of Staff of the Government Printing Office (GPO).  He is well-qualified to discuss the great strides that the GPO has made in the area of sustainability.  The GPO has responsibility for over $1 billion of printing and is invested in hundreds of millions of dollars in equipment.  Bob has been a good friend to the industry and has made great strides leading the GPO in a direction that makes the printing and printing equipment industry a model within many government organizations.

Bob Tapella brings to the Government Printing Office extensive legislative experience plus an education and practical business background in graphic communications and printing management.  After a two-year stint as a strategic communications consultant in 2002, he returned to government service to serve as GPO’s Deputy Chief of Staff and, in June 2004, assumed the rank of Chief of Staff.  From 1996 to 2000, Tapella served as a professional staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives, supervising the Office of Member Services for the Committee on House Oversight and advising members of Congress on the application of rules and regulations governing the operation of their congressional office; he served as Chief of Staff to a Member; and, developed a strategic plan for the Clerk of the House to re-engineer the information technology infrastructures within the legislative process. From 1986 to 1993, Tapella was the District Representative for Congressman Bill Thomas, for whom he managed the Congressman’s interaction with political and public groups in local and state politics.  Earlier in his career, Tapella managed Kelly Communications.

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Networking Break

Whether you enjoy casual peer conversations or focused one-to-one business discussions, the world-class level of networking that takes place at NPES Annual Conferences is widely recognized by our members as a key program benefit.

10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
A Peek into the Next 75 years
Dr. Jack Bacon, Ph.D., Systems Integration Engineer, NASA Johnson Space Center

Dr. Jack Bacon has often been called “A New Carl Sagan”.  He is an internationally known speaker, lecturer for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts (AIAA), and one of the most respected speakers in the world on topics concerning technology and factors that shape human society.  A noted futurist and technological historian, he has written three popular books entitled, “My Grandfather’s Clock”, “My Step Daughter’s Watch” and “The Parallel Bay”.  His lectures have captivated thousands of all ages in over 32 countries and six continents, and he has appeared on numerous radio and television broadcasts.  In his daily work he is on the management team that oversees the construction and operation of the most complicated technical product in history—the International Space Station.

Dr. Bacon received his BS degree from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and his MS and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Rochester, where he worked on laser-fusion power reactors, fusion propulsion systems, and on microgravity fluid surfaces.  Prior to joining NASA in 1990, he worked for Xerox Corporation on several advanced technology and systems integration assignments including pioneering work in Globalization, factory automation, CAD/CAM, office automation, and artificial intelligence. Dr. Bacon was the United States’ lead systems integrator for Zarya—the jointly-built spacecraft that forms the central bridge and adapter between all U.S. and Russian technologies on the International Space Station.  He is a founding member of the Science National Honor Society board of directors, and his numerous awards include NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal, the Director’s Special Commendation, and the coveted Silver Snoopy award—the only award to fly in space.

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Leading “Safe & Lean” with Passion
Michael Taubitz, Principal, Lean Journey LLC

Industry expert in Safety, Lean and Standards, Michael Taubitz will share his observations on how industrial manufacturing organizations in the printing industry can utilize the benefits of Lean and Safety from a 30,000 foot perspective. Formally a Mechanical Engineer, Mr. Taubitz began his career in manufacturing in the 1960s as a Plant Safety Supervisor. Recently he established GM’s new activity to provide technical liaison in emerging global health and safety issues. Currently he is the principal consultant in Lean Journey LLC, a company created to guide good companies to excellence.

Mike Taubitz is a mechanical engineer whose career began in manufacturing during the 1960s. Along with a number of engineering and human resource positions, he has served as a Plant Safety Supervisor, Division and Group Safety Manager, General Motors Corporate Safety Director and Co-Director of the UAW-GM Center for Health and Safety. In the mid 90s he moved back to engineering to establish a new Design-In Safety Center.

11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Chairman’s Address
Henry “Hank” A. Brandtjen, III, President, Brandtjen & Kluge, Inc.

Hank Brandtjen graduated from Whitman College in 1981 with a double major in Economics and English.  He began his career in the print industry in 1982 at Brandtjen & Kluge, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of high-quality finishing equipment.  Later, in 1984, he earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota.  Brandtjen & Kluge, Inc., a family-based business formed in 1919, has spanned four generations during which numerous developments have evolved keeping, and setting the pace, with the ever-changing print finishing industry.  As his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather did years before him, in 1998, Henry “Hank” A. Brandtjen III assumed the role as president of the family-owned company.  Since 1992, Hank has provided his leadership to NPES serving on a variety of committees, and in 2002 began his service on the Association’s Board of Directors.  From 1992-2000 he also served on the Board of Directors for the Foil Stamping and Embossing Association.

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Great Gatsby Night

Join us as together we hearken back to those bygone days of opulence and glamour for a truly magical evening of dining and musical entertainment as we celebrate the presentation of the Harold W. Gegenheimer Awards for Industry Service.

 

Monday, November 17

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7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
NPES Business Session and General Membership Meeting

How successful has your association been at navigating the challenges and opportunities of the past year?  This executive summary “annual report” will deliver a concise and informative progress report.

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Keynote Presentation: Why the American Economy is Alive and Well and What That Means to Your Wallet
Jeff Thredgold, CSP, Economic Futurist, Thredgold Economic Associates

Understanding today’s economic environment is more important than ever before.  Jeff Thredgold will guide us through the tangled maze of the U.S. and global economy financial markets — and then help make sense of it all.  Based upon his latest book, “EconAmerica”, Jeff will cut through the media hype and reveal the four key factors that will combine to create a strong American economy in the coming years.

Jeff Thredgold is President of Thredgold Economic Associates, a professional economic consulting company.  His career includes 23 years with KeyCorp, one of the nation’s largest financial services companies, stretching from Maine to Alaska with assets of more than $100 billion, where he served as Senior VP and Chief Economist. Currently Thredgold serves as an economic consultant to the $50 billion Zions Bancorporation, with banks in ten states and numerous clients in a variety of industries.  He is frequently quoted in the nation’s business press including The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, Investor’s Business Daily and Business Week, and is also a monthly contributor to the national publication Blue Chip Financial Forecasts. Thredgold is a former member of the Economic Policy Committees of both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Bankers Association.

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Networking Break

Whether you enjoy casual peer conversations or focused one-to-one business discussions, the world-class level of networking that takes place at NPES Annual Conferences is widely recognized by our members as a key program benefit.

10:45 a.m. – Noon
Future of the North American Newspaper Industry
Jim Chisholm, Principal, iMedia Advisory Group

North American newspaper circulation and advertising is in decline but it’s not all doom and gloom!  Newspaper publishers are redefining themselves to stave off competition from the Internet in general and specific classified ad sites such as Craigslist.com or Monster.com.  Mr. Chisolm will present the results of the recent PRIMIR study that investigated both newspaper publishers and commercial printers who print newspapers.  His presentation will provide a qualitative and quantitative assessment of newspapers including paid dailies, free dailies, inserts, online advertising and newspaper online editorial, non-dailies including ethnic, weeklies and shoppers, and e-paper over the period from 2007–2012.

Jim Chisholm is an internationally recognized advisor, researcher, writer and presenter. A joint principal of the world’s leading newspaper consulting practice, he advises media organizations around the world on how to develop their business in both product and practice.  He has produced over 30 different studies covering strategic issues facing the newspaper industry world wide with his work presented in over 25 countries and translated into seven languages, and his monthly magazine column is syndicated to industry media worldwide.  He was Strategy Advisor to the World Association of Newspapers for whom he directed the “Shaping the Future of the Newspaper” program.  In addition, he advised the European Commission on newspaper distribution and devised the marketing strategy for the UK Newspaper Society.  Jim began his career as an analyst at The Guardian before moving into general management with Thomson, Mirror Group and Bonnier.  During his career he worked on the launch of a number of daily and Sunday newspapers, as well as magazines, websites and radio stations.

1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Valpak Manufacturing Center Tour

Valpak, North America’s leading direct marketer has built one of the most advanced and automated manufacturing centers in the world.  A landmark visible from Interstate 275, this new state-of-the-art manufacturing center located in St. Petersburg, FL, is a hub of technology with automation and robotics at the core of the operation. The facility was built with the help of job-creation incentives from state and local government and is the largest privately owned industrial building in the county. Occupying nearly 500,000 sq. ft. of space—large enough to house 13 Boeing 747 airliners—this $200+ million building features a global list of suppliers and partners from countries including Italy, Switzerland, Japan and the United States. With $260-million in annual revenue and about 1,200 employees in Pinellas County, Valpak is currently part of Largo-based Cox Target Media.Valpak by the numbers: 20 billion coupon offers will be mailed this year; 521 million envelopes will be sent out; 20 million coupons are viewed at Valpak.com each month; Valpak reaches more than 45 million unique addresses each month in the United States and Canada.  Our “insiders” tour will begin with a welcome and plant overview by Valpak Vice President of Manufacturing David Fox, followed by a walking tour of the facility, and conclude with an interactive Q. & A. session led by Mr. Fox and Valpak vendor partners including Burgess, Goss and Kodak.

6:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Reception & Dine Around

As the perfect ending to this informative and productive meeting, join us as we gather together for one last time to enjoy the perfect blend of friendly camaraderie, liquid refreshment and appetizing hors d’oeuvres, before departing for dinner on your own.