VMA Connected Q2 2017

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

SPRING 2017

THE CONTENTS

04 Design Conference Features Outstanding Speakers

09 Feature: Now What?

Post Election and Print Market Outlook

11

12

Expert Column: Strategic Sales

Expert Column: Human Resources

Understanding Your Customer

Take Care with I9s & Stress

02 06 07 13 14

Showcase Awards and Luncheon 02

New Year Starts with Good Times VMA Events Member News New Members Find-An-Employee

o

04 11

VMA Events Find-An-Employee

BOARD ROSTER:

TIMES WITH VMA

CHAIRMAN

Ian Flynn, Direct Response Imaging

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN

John Crammer, Best Label Company

Never Miss A Chance To Dance

BOARD MEMBERS:

Heidelberg’s John Dowey and spouse enjoyed the energetic dance music that has become tradition at the CrabFest.

Gil Caravantes Commerce Printing Services John Crammer Best Label Chris Cullen API Group Ian Flynn Direct Repsonse Imaging Dava Guthmiller Noise 13 Jeff Jarvis Spicers Frank Parks The Parks Group Chris Shadix Dome Print and Marketing Solutions San Francisco Division Cindy Sonnenberg K/P Corporation Stephen Sprinkel Sprinkel Media Network

STAFF ROSTER: PRESIDENT

Dan Nelson

DIRECTOR MEMBER SERVICES Jim Frey

DIRECTOR MEMBER PROGRAMS Laura Vargas

DIRECTOR EDUCATION

Good Food...

Good Mood!

DESIGN MANAGER

Spicers Paper filled a table with eager eaters!

Barbara Silverman Todd Donahue

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR Gabrielle Disario

MEMBERSHIP SALES Shannon Wolford

FINANCIAL MANAGER Emily Gotladera

ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST Maria Salita

VICE PRESIDENT INSURANCE SERVICES David Katz

INSURANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS

Renee Prescott, Crystal Carlson, Lena Nelson, Sue Benavente, Jessica Clark, Diedra Lovan, Jimmie Thompson

DIRECTOR SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS Greg Golin

DIRECTOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Gerry Bonetto

HUMAN RESOURCE SPECIALIST Cheryl Chong

EDITOR

Noel Jeffrey

ON THE COVER:

VMA’s annual Design Conference is a scheduled event for the Bay Area Design Week this year. As shown in this collage, the area is a hotbed of creativity that remains on the leading edge of design.

CrabFest Guests Pose During The Party.

Live Music

T he fabulo us Ticket to Ride kept the ev ening lively .

E! CRUNCH TIM b Delicious Cra bFest.

Ser ved At Cra

Stepping Up

Carol Squicc i, formerly a Graphic Ar ts teacher at Peralta Comm unity Colle

ge.

President’s Conference Michael Makin, PIA President and CEO Ian Flynn, Direct Response Imaging, VMA Chairman Cur t Kreisler, Gold Star Printers, PIA Chairman.

Eat, Drink, Enjoy :)

A guest prepared for enjoying the crab meat unscathed.

Fantastic Four

ne Julie Connery of Wells Fargo, Hélè d Côté, Lauren Elliot of Wicked Goo of im McK th Judi and n Print Productio ano Watermark Press at the Frank Rom Dinner meeting.

Cheers!

John Dowey, Heidelberg and Christopher Hogge, Harris & Bruno share stories at the Frank Romano Dinner Meeting.

Seize T he Mom ent

Peter & Karen Sm yth, Allegro Copy & Print fla nk Professor Frank Romano at the recent Dinner Meeting.

...

Drum Roll ers Paper picks a prize.

Jeff Jarvis of

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VMA Design Conference Features

OUTSTANDING SPEAKERS Speakers set for the VMA Design Conference on June 14 are at home in the world of design. All experts in their various fields, they offer conference participants a unique opportunity to gain insight into a wide range of key topics critical to success as a designer today. Following are brief descriptions of just a few of the presenters and programs to look forward to.

Can We Connect ALL the Dots?

DAVID M. HOGUE, PH.D. David M. Hogue, Ph.D. is a UX design leader, strategist and applied psychologist with 20 years’ experience. He combines his UX design, research and psychology skills to bring deeper insight into user behavior, guide product and service strategy and to solve challenging UX problems. He is currently a UX Lead at Google.

According to David, the challenge is that information lives in many forms and in many places, not all of which are readily usable or actionable, so we spend a lot of time re-creating it, searching for it, recording and storing it... but the effort to effectively USE the information is often so great that we give up.

Why do we think it’s OK to put information out into the world in only one format? Why do we think it’s OK to force people (our audience, our users) to work hard to actually use the information we give them? To make them work hard on our behalf just so we can sell them something?

(This is against basic service design principles.)

As designers, printers, product creators, broadcasters, advertisers, etc. what can we do to make information more portable? Easier to find? Easier to move across channels? Easier to act upon?

The Octopus

MICHAEL OSBORNE Michael Osborne, President and Creative Director Michael Osborne Design, established his studio in 1981. The firm’s work in private label and brand package design has garnered awards from all major competitions, and has been recognized by many industry publications. Michael’s work is included in the permanent collections of the SFMOMA, the CooperHewitt National Design Museum, and the Smithsonian 4

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

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National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. For this program, Michael says, “What I’m thinking is to use the fierce, gentle, and strange octopus as a metaphor for the plethora of ways to reach out, and reach in to communicate a message or disperse information.”

e-Commerce and Luxury Packaging: Demise or Resurgence?

na NEAL HAUSSEL erso of P h s m h of hu Neal Haussel is Director of a A D d a touc id to ad ultiple n’t afra with m sonate ign was meb re es so D r ld Strategic Business Development wea Morla ch wou “Why ice, whi the line copy vo fied by e de own?” st typi & Sustainability, Iggesund es wer r your ably be at ea pl w m n te ca they h n you website bulary an 50 ca th vo e r or Paperboard, and is responsible for developingwhesales cessa M colo dn’t ne c and sets di graphi bulary gital as the typo al voca her di su ot vi d strategy and brand owner engagement initiatives in an istent at whe these a cons rtant th . eated so impo “We cr the star was al d to be the Americas for the company. says. It uct ha . od Morla te pr hi dw an , “The p te c is si to web erns esh, cr l conc In his program he will tackle what e-commerce op is fr t actica backdr erent si were pr in diff ts There se means for packaging design. Will the undeniablebeing able to us.eFasor example, alatledphinot ok corpor tent lo consis ly be in logs, th to easi trend toward e-commerce signal the demise of luxury e cata ing them creating th typica ng the When ti packaging, or could it actually create a resurgent norm. Instead ofgscrareae perfect bounes lo ting m m cata demand for packaging design that dazzles? On theGrahaIt’s clear th.eMmararkkeand Graha ence di ma’s hi au no surface, it may seem like a foregone conclusion thatonbranitsds in Williamins-g.So rtis ve ad pride t of as consumers make purchases online without being no prin“There’s a seensrighe t ones,” e th er w early on well.” influenced by a product’s packaging, brand owners will enally phenom begin to scale down the appeal of its packaging. But that would ignore the enormous investment companies JE have made in developing brand identities, and art D what’s at stake if they allow that brand identity to be diluted by e-commerce. Now consider the “unboxing” phenomenon, and the value such an experience has for brands looking to connect with consumers in a more personal way. E-commerce is creating exciting new ways for brands to establish deeper connections with consumers, thereby enhancing loyalty. How are brand owners using smart packaging? What does e-commerce mean for packaging design? Learn how to find brand owners who are dealing with these challenges head-on.

Design for Impact

BY SABINE LENZ BRIAN DOUGHERTY Brian Dougherty is co-founder of Celery Design, a brand studio with offices in Berkeley and Paris. His work includes brand strategy, print, digital and industrial design. Brian is the author of Green Graphic Design and lectures internationally on the topic of impact design. Brian will share experiences from the vanguard of environmental and social impact design, including The Charlie Cart Project (hands-on nutrition education), Dovetail (tools for multi-sectoral social impact work) and many more sustainable brands.

These are opportunities not to be missed.

Check out the rest of the programs and register today at http://designconf.vma.bz/.

2

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GREEN GRAPHIC DESIGN: Celery drew from ten years of work to write this engaging survey of sustainable design that helps to reframe the way designers think about the work they create.

LEMNIS: Celery developed packaging from recycled paper that refolds into a stylish modern lampshade so that buying the future of lighting didn't feel like anything that came before.

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GREEN CITY FORCE IS LAUNCHING THE

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE

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CHALLENGE AT FARRAGUT HOUSES!

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INERTECH: How do you explain more efficient, affordable and reliable data centers to non[ LEMNIS: Celery developed engineers? Celery packaging from recycled paper that refolds into a helped get the stylish modern lampshade so that buying the future message across of lighting didn't feel like anything that came before. through Web and external messaging.

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WED, JUNE 14 9 AM – 5:30 PM TICKETS $249

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360º STUDIO

Help to preserve public

WHAT IS housing and the planet

VDM & Why Should You Care?

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GREEN CITY FORCE IS LAUNCHING THE

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE

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Be on the lookout for flyers that state when we will come to your door.

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Reduce electricity consumption Reduce greenhouse gases

GREEN CITY FORCE: Celery Rebranding Renews provided design for the group’s the Life in Maria Giudice successful “Love WhereWebsite You Live” to App Nearables Project from Hell campaign, which cut electricity use in one public housing building by an astounding 20 percent.

Save water

Come and hear stories of design across all media interspersed with creative inspiration.

WiNter 2015

JOIN US!

Questions? Call Green City Force at 646-681-4711 La traducción de este documento está disponible en la Oficina de Administración de su residencial.

The street address Lifewater is used as an inspirational element for the design of the brand and collateral.

GREEN CITY FORCE: Celery provided design for the group’s successful “Love Where You Live” campaign, which cut electricity use in one public housing building by an astounding 20 percent.

.

RAKAFUKI FRIENDS: A fresh approach to marketing energy efficiency. Instead of focusing on global warming, people are invited to play with a paper pig.

.

RAKAFUKI FRIENDS: A fresh approach to marketing energy efficiency. Instead of focusing on global warming, people are invited to play with a paper pig.

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Wednesday, June 3rd and continuing through the months of June and July, Green City Force will visit your apartment to install free energysaving light bulbs and provide tips on how to save energy and water! Corps Members are young NYCHA residents in training for sustainability careers. Learn more about the challenge:

Be on the lookout for flyers that state when we will come to your door.

Help to preserve public housing and the planet

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CONFERENCE EXHIBITORS NETWORKING

StoryboardMagazine.com

DESIGNCONF.VMA.BZ The nightmarish Ebola epidemic may have captured headlines of late, but the greater threat facing Africa and the rest of the developing world is a lack of clean drinking water. So when Rule29 set out to refresh the branding of Christian nonprofit water-development organization Lifewater, they made communicating this need to new generations—using modern means—their top priority.

STARTING JUNE 3RD

CHALLENGE AT FARRAGUT HOUSES!

MY

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BESPOKE WESTFIELD CENTER SAN FRANCISCO

TICKETS + DETAILS ONLINE

Reduce greenhouse gases

HINRICHSSave water

Wednesday, June 3rd and continuing through the months of June and July, Green City Force will visit your apartment to install free energysaving light bulbs and provide tips on how to save energy and water! Corps Members are young NYCHA residents in training for sustainability careers. Learn more about the challenge:

GREEN GR DESIGN drew from te of work to w engaging s sustainable that helps to the way de think about t the

EVENT HOST

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EXHIBITORS

M A G A Z I N E

OFFICIAL EVENT

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Fr in pr ke th th

Adobe Mobile Apps: Lunch & Learn

UPCOMING VMA EVENTS

Places to be. Things to do. People to see.

April 25 Presented by Kelly McCathran Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, 275 5th Street at Folsom, San Francisco $0 members, $45 non members, 11:30 – 1:30 pm

Business Coaching for Creatives Webinar/Podcast

With Peleg Top May 4, May 18, June 1 Online $30 per session or 3 sessions $75 Members $45 per session or 3 session $100 Non members

SAVE THE DATES June 22 – Showcase Awards Reception – Location to be advised $55 members $65 non members

Adobe Mobile Apps: Lunch & Learn

April 19 Presented by Kelly McCathran Maggiano’s Restaurant, San Jose 11:30 – 1:30 pm $0 members, $45 non members

VMA Day at the BallPark: Giants vs San Diego Padres

September 30 Virgin America Club Level Seats 1:05 gametime with tailgate party starting at 11 am $105 members, $125 non members

BEYOND INNOVATION

DISCOVER SOLUTIONS CANON SOLUTIONS AMERICA NAMED A LEADER IN WORLDWIDE HIGH-SPEED INKJET PRESS BY IDC MARKETSCAPE FOR 2016 1 A trusted partner and recognized leader in the industry, Canon Solutions America’s commitment to its customers has led to a comprehensive digital production lineup unrivaled in the marketplace.

There’s only one name you need to know in production printing — and beyond.

We’re one Canon. We’re here for you. Download our Portfolio of Innovative Print Solutions: PPS.CSA.CANON.COM/NEWOPPORTUNITIES

INNOVATIVE WORKFLOW SOFTWARE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

877-623-4969 CSA.CANON.COM

Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.

1 © 2017 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved.

IDC MarketScape: Worldwide High-Speed Inkjet Press 2016 Vendor Assessment; Sept. 2016; Doc # US40331116

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VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

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END-TO-END SOLUTIONS

MEMBER NEWS Misha Pavlov Named President of Dome Tim Poole and Robert Poole, Partners, have announced the promotion of Misha Pavlov to President of DOME, Sacramento. Tim Poole will continue in the role of Executive Chairman and CEO of DOME, while Misha will assume the day-to-day duties as President. Pavlov has been serving as DOME’s Executive Vice President of Operations since January 2016. He brings a progressive management style to DOME from his many years of experience with RR Donnelley and Consolidated Graphics.

“Bob and I have no plans on stepping down, nor are we positioning our company for any type of transition. This move is aimed at expanding our Executive Leadership Team and situating DOME for continued growth in an industry of change,” states Tim Poole.

Services Expanded Since its inception in 1919, Lawson Drayage, Hayward, has clocked countless hours moving all types of machines and high-tech equipment native to the northern California manufacturing landscape. From one to three machine shops to 250 machine Fortune 500 companies, Lawson has the equipment, man power and experience to move machinery. In addition to the Bay Area and Northern California, Lawson is now licensed to do business in Nevada.

Ray Morgan Company Appoints Tim Kent Ray Morgan Company announced that its Executive Management team has appointed Tim Kent as the Ray Morgan Company, Education Market Specialist. Kent joined the Ray Morgan Company following 13 years as a Major Account Executive at IKON Office Solutions. Tim has played an integral role in our presence in the Fresno educational marketplace since he joined the Ray Morgan Company over eight years ago,” said Greg Martin, President of the Ray Morgan Company. “As Education Market Specialist, Tim will provide strategic vision and guidance to keep the company and our customers informed on leading solutions which fall in line with the educational market’s cost constraints and integrated technology needs.”

Blast from the Past Hicks Brothers, San Jose, a VMA members known for used equipment has recently purchased an old foil stamping company with probably 15 presses, foil, type cabinets of various styles and more. As we know, there are quite a few designers who specialize in letterpress work today and it’s considered quite fashionable.

Website Worth a Mention On Line Bindery, Richmond, serves customers from all over the state with an array of stateof-the-art equipment under one roof providing their customers with a complete range of capabilities. On the company’s website, some 18 videos populate the Capabilities page showing how various bindery services are accomplished.

These videos are superb for people unfamiliar with finishing terms and a great review for those who understand bindery processes.

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MEMBER NEWS

WELL EARNED HONORS

Business Recognition Colorprint, Burlingame, has been recognized as the Medium Sized Business of the Year by San Mateo Chamber of Commerce. The award was given at the Chamber’s 22nd Annual Business Awards Dinner in February. In addition, Colorprint regularly donates 25% of its profits each quarter to local charities.

The company offers full service color printing on offset and digital presses as well as digital variable data printing

International Paper Named As a 2017 World’s Most Ethical Company International Paper (NYSE: IP) has been recognized once again by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as a 2017 World’s Most Ethical Company. For the eleventh straight year, IP secured a spot on the list by maintaining its focus on the ethical business practices and standards that have defined the company since its inception 119 years ago. The full list of the 2017 World’s Most Ethical Companies can be found at http://worldsmostethicalcompanies. ethisphere.com/honorees/.

FSC Certification giving you a headache?

Let us be your certification partner.

RACG provides FSC® Chain of Custody Certification for Graphic Communications companies with wood products sales of up to $100 million.

• Fixed Annual All Inclusive Fee • No consulting fees for system setup • Easy On-Boarding Process • Streamlined Audit and Annual Review • Experienced Guidance for On Product Logo Usage • Continuous and Prompt Customer Service • Training and Webinar Instruction

Visit www.racgus.org or contact Jim Frey at VMA, (415) 489-7615, jfrey@vma.bz.

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VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

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VMA Education.

The Choice is Yours.

Stay ahead of the game by learning new skills.

We’re here for you. Because of you. Visual Media Alliance is a trade association helping the careers and businesses of our members to be successful. We offer over 100 public classes, delivered to you in-person, online and through customized training solutions.

DESIGN

PRINT

OFFICE

MARKETING

PROGRAMMING

View Website For Education Listings (800) 659-3363 • education.vma.bz Workshops • Seminars • Webinars • One-on-One • Customized Training Solutions

NEW! Spot and Flood UV Specialty Finishes 1 and 2 Side Laminating

On Line Bindery, Inc.

Family owned and operated since 1990

High speed bindings

Perfect/Saddle Stitch-Loop and Standard Wire-O/Plastic Spiral/Metal Spiral/Comb

Gluing brochures & gluefold envelopes

Remoist/Fugitive/Cold/Hot Melt

15 folders

From ¾ inch panels to 40" wide All folds, double gates, maps etc.

Other capabilities and services

Die Cutting/ Carton folding and gluing Shrink wrapping/Round cornering Kleenstick taping/High speed tipping items to each other/Eyeletting/Drilling Padding/ Index tabbing/ Pick up & delivery

Contact

510.234.7707 TEL 510.235.6606 FAX info@onlinebindery.com- QUOTES ONLY PLEASE

Also own paper shredding company, discounts to bindery customers. Look us up at shreddefense.com

Rooted in Tradition – Growing Toward the Future

L awson Drayage, Inc. Machinery Moving, Rigging & Heavy Transportation for Any Industry

Join Us at Career Day Looking for interns, new employees or planning for the future? You won’t want to miss Career Day at Cal Poly on April 20.

Industry trusted PrIntIng & LabeLIng equIPment mover for over 50 years!

Cal Poly Graphic Communication (GrC) graduates hit the ground running!

Use the GrC Job Board Reach soon-to-be graduates and seasoned alumni. www.jobs.grc.calpoly.edu

LEARN MORE

Visit grc.calpoly.edu Call 805.756.2645

> Machinery Moving and Rigging > Facility Relocation > Storage and Warehousing > Pier Pick Up and Delivery > Crating & Special Packaging of Machinery & Equipment san francIsco bay area

sacramento & san JoaquIn vaLLeys

3402 Enterprise Avenue Hayward, CA 94545 Phone: 510-785-5100 Fax: 510-785-8156

9900 Kent Street Elk Grove, CA 95624 Phone: 916-686-2600 Fax: 916-686-2601

Online: www.lawsoninc.com | Email: sales@lawsoninc.com

A ClieNt

PhoNe

Healthcare Complexity, Simplified!

CoNtaCt

Fax

date magazine

authoRized sigNatuRe

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: ❑ Name correct? ❑ address correct? ❑

Phone # correct?

❑ ad copy correct? ❑ offer correct, if a

• look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone number’s, copy or content.

Process magazine is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

magazine

• sign this page andlife emailwith: it back toChoice, Process magazine.

Let VMA simplify your Proven Cost-lowering • any changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Strategies, Exceptional Customer Service, Time-saving Simplicity, • Process magazine cannot process your job until receipt of sign-off.

Time-savingemail Technology, Human Resource magazine Support baCkPremium to: process@switchstudio.com

magazine

Shannon Wolford 415.710.0568 shannon@vma.bz

David Katz 415.489.7614 david@vma.bz

VMA Insurance Services (800) 659-3363 • insurance.vma.bz VMA Insurance Services has been ensuring business success since 1986.

925-400-4165

Putting Your Inspiration On To Media

…. Ensuring that your creative genius doesn’t go unnoticed.

Ray Morgan Company has over 60 years experience supporting client’s who take the time and effort to design the perfect document that will carry their message.

Let us help you provide your clients with the best quality imaging on any media substrate with the most competitive support programs in the industry.

Digital Presses - Flatbed Printers - Copiers – Scanners – Outsourced IT Services

Sales, Service & Supplies From 22 Locations in California & Nevada Call Us For A Free Imaging Technology Assessment 925-400-4165 * www.raymorgan.com * pressforsuccess@raymorgan.com Sales & Service 22 locations in California & Nevada

NOW WHAT? Post-Election and Print Market Outlook MICHAEL MAKIN, MBA – PRESIDENT & CEO OF PRINTING INDUSTRIES OF AMERICA

N

ow that the election of 2016 is over it is time for a fresh assessment of the direction of the economy and print markets over the next year

or two.

First, the obvious question—do the recent election results matter for the economy and print? The answer is absolutely yes! While the fundamentals of the economy would have remained constant no matter which party won, the political priorities of any new Administration can impact the economy and various industries in incremental, yet significant ways.

Trumpenomics 101 Based on promises made during the campaign by now President Donald J. Trump there are three key political economic policy areas that likely will impact the economy in the short term, 2017-2018: • Regulatory reform—rolling back and easing of various business regulations.

• Tax reform—particularly corporate taxes.

• Stimulus spending on infrastructure.

Three other policy priorities may take a little longer to develop beyond 2018: • Trade policy reform.

• Monetary policy reform—returning to more normalcy and slightly higher interest rates.

• Competitive policy changes (antitrust enforcement).

So how will these impact the economy?

Of course, there are many unknowns as to what might actually happen and which campaign promises might be kept. The early consensus among economists, however, calls for slightly higher growth in GDP, somewhat higher inflation and job growth. Printing Industries of America’s assessment is on the upper end of the consensus for each of these variables.

The 2017-2018 Economy The current economic expansion is now eight years old—one year beyond the average total length of the 11 post war expansions making it the eighth oldest on record. As such, many would assume that we would be vulnerable to a recession. So does the economy have any life left?

PIA believes the answer is yes for two main reasons. First, our recovery while lengthy has been tepid at best and there is potential for continued growth, particularly if a stimulus package or tax reform is introduced. It is like a car; it is not the age of the vehicle but how much mileage has been put on. As discussed above the Trumpenomics polices should add some vigor to the previous trajectory.

Second, the three longer expansions actually had higher average growth rates so longer run expansions need not automatically lead to downturns.

On the negative side, historically the second year after a presidential election (in this case 2018) has had double the risk of recession than the other three years of the cycle. This correlation adds a bit of jeopardy to our forecast. However, the odds still favor the continuation of economic expansion.

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All things considered we believe the expansion should continue into 2017 and 2018. Additionally, the economy will likely pick up speed from regulatory and tax reform plus some possible fiscal stimulus.

The bottom line is GDP growth should be in the range of 2.7 to 3 percent, a significant jump from the expected 2 percent in 2016.

MICHAEL MAKIN

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VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

2017-2018 Print Markets Print markets will, of course, be helped by the bump in the economy. There will be some downward pressure because of the drop in election print but the upswing in the economy should offset this. Our expectations are for print markets to grow nominally (including print inflation) to 2 to 2.2 percent over the next two years.

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At this rate, print markets will add about $3 billion in additional sales in each of the next two years, certainly not chump change! This rate of sales growth should sustain the current 3 percent profit rate on sales earned by the average printer and the 10 percent earned by industry profit leaders (top 25 percent of profitability).

So to sum up the What to Expect Box: • Look for reduced business regulations, which will significantly aid small business in America, the engine of growth.

• Expect business tax reductions which will help most S-Corps in a big way.

• Hope for infrastructure spending increases, which will add to job growth and transportation efficiencies.

• Expect stronger economic growth this year and next.

• Expect print sales to increase by around 2 percent in 2017 and 2018.

STRATEGIC SELLING STORY | LESLIE GROENE

Understand How Your Customers Think (and Feel)!

LESLIE GROENE Leslie Groene is one of the coaching superstars in the world of corporate sales as well as a business development trainer, executive consultant and author.

Her background is in the paper and printing industries as a sales rep and sales manager. She helps her clients focus on revenue generation and profit growth. She authored the business strategy book “Picture Yourself & the Life You Want” and is a nationallyrenowned motivational speaker.

To purchase her book or contact her please go to www.GroeneConsulting.com.

Here is the link to her e-newsletter, http://www. groeneconsulting.com/ Newsletter/2014.12/

1) Happy customers are a lot more likely to tell their friends

4) In fact, retention is the most surefire way to improve your bottom line

On average, happy customers tell nine people about their experiences with a company.

Businesses that grow their customer retention rates by as little as 5% typically see profit increases ranging from 25% to 95%.

2) But a single unhappy customer often means that there are many more For every customer who complains, there are 26 customers who don’t say anything. Often, they’ll simply get fed up and leave. That’s why customers who complain are giving you an extraordinarily valuable gift: insight into what’s probably making many more customers unhappy than just the person who chose to tell you about it.

3) Making existing customers happy can help you sell more than finding new customers When it comes to sales, the probability of selling to an existing happy customer is up to 14x higher than the probability of selling to a new customer. Many people think that the only way to grow their business is to find new customers. But often, the best source for growth is sitting right in front of you: existing customers. You just have to make them happy, and then find ways to deliver more value to them.

5) If you’re known for good customer service, you can charge more 86% of customers will pay more for a better customer experience. With excellent customer service seeming more rare, these customers are willing to pay a premium for it. Deliver on that desire, and your customers will be happy to pay higher prices.

6) But if you don’t deliver great support, your customers will leave 82% of customers have left a company because of a bad customer service experience.

7) When you screw up, don’t forget to apologize 37% of customers are satisfied with service recovery when they are offered something of monetary value (e.g., a refund or credit). But when the business adds an apology on top of the compensation, satisfaction doubles to 74%.

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | SPRING 2017

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communicated length of time (e.g., 5 days) pending her presentation of proper documents. For further guidance on this matter, contact me.

Let VMA Help, Too

HUMAN RESOURCES STORY | BY CHERYL CHONG

Do It Right; Eliminate Stress: I-9 Has Specific Rules CHERYL CHONG Cheryl Chong is VMA’s Human Resources Director and your #1 source for assistance responsible for counseling on HR matters like family leave, discrimination, sexual harassment and wage and hour compliance. She has a Bachelors and Masters degree from Chapman University in Orange, CA, along with 20+ years of HR experience in the trenches. Think of her as an extension of your HR department, courtesy of VMA. Please feel free to reach out for answers or introduce your organization by calling 800659-3363 or cheryl@vma.bz.

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VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

A member company recently inquired about the I-9 form. Employers should be aware of the recent new form I-9 dated 11/14/2016 (used to verify the work authorization and identity of all individuals hired for employment in the US) which went into effect on January 22 this year. The member inquired about a newly-hired employee who could not come up with proper identification for the Form I-9. The employee had presented an expired state ID, but no other documentation. The member asked if they could accept the expired document and continue to employ the employee, let the employee continue with work or if they had to terminate the employment relationship.

The employer may not accept an expired ID when completing Section 2 of the I-9. Unless the employee has presented enough other documentation for completion of Section 2, the employer has to inform the employee that she has not established work authorization. The employer must show the I-9 List of Acceptable Documents and ask the employee to provide alternate documentation or a valid receipt for a replacement document. Be sure not to specify which documents on the list she needs to provide, as this must be the employee’s decision. The form I-9 must be completed within three business days of the employee’s date of hire. If she fails to bring acceptable documentation within that timeframe, the employer must either terminate her employment or put her on an unpaid leave of absence for a defined and | CONNECTED | SPRING 2017

Stress is the state of mental or emotional strain or tension or pressure resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. It is the body’s way of responding to any kind of demand either caused by good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed, their bodies react by releasing stress chemicals (adrenaline and cortisol) into the blood stream commonly known as the fight or flight response. It is very natural to experience some kind of stress in the workplace. The key is how to manage the unhealthy or bad stress so that it does not overwhelm us or cause us to have negative health and mental results. Below are some tips to help cope with stress (this is not an exhaustive list, just a few suggestions to alleviate some of the unpleasant symptoms): 1. Cultivate positive relationships at work and outside the workplace – look for sources of joy and support. Look to others to express your thoughts and feelings.

2. Look at situations half full, rather than half empty. Appreciate the many opportunities in life and count your blessings.

3. Get active – any physical and constructive mental activity stabilizes the body and mind and creates improvement in all aspects.

4. Get enough rest and/or sleep. It is essential to have adequate amount of both so that the body can repair itself as well as the mind can clear toxins.

5. Learn how to say no and yes. Having assertiveness in the right activities will help diminish the feeling that one is indispensable. Learn to let go and work together with others to create cohesiveness and peace. Know how to prioritize and organize.

6. Give time for yourself. Ensure that your health and well-being is a priority. Use breathing and relaxation techniques to calm your mind and body.

Stop to smell the roses and love yourself.

7. Be flexible. Having rigidity makes it difficult for anyone to accept change and this likely increases stress. Liken it to being like a tree which is blowing along with the strong wind, rather than a tree whose branches breaks due to its inability to bend.

VMA is a member association with many resources that is dedicated to assisting their valued members with their needs. Go to www.vma.bz to see how the association can assist you in your daily activities in running your business, be it a human resources, printing, government affairs, benefits issue, etc. Be assured that we are committed to providing the best service and value to you today and every day.

NEW MEMBERS graphic installs and project management in the Greater San Francisco, CA Bay Area. 360 Graphix caters to clients who need a trusted and reliable source for all their graphic install needs. We understand the importance of your brand image. This is why we pride ourselves on best-in-class installs and attention to detail.

We have all the professional knowledge to install all types of graphics; from architectural finishes, wallpaper, decorative window film, fleet graphics, store barricades, and so much more.

Ross Cobb 415-992-6794 ross.cobb@360graphixonline.com www.360graphixonline.com

Sight8

Sight8, San Anselmo, provides a range of creative services and support to aspiring start-ups, well-established enterprises and not-for-profit organizations. We are proud to have created lasting relationships across a divergence of industries including; technology, healthcare, financial services, entertainment and education.

Tanya Laramie 415-454-3382 tanya@sight8.com www.sight8.com

PapaLlama

Letterpressed greeting cards for smart-asses, sassy-pants, goof-balls, and introverts.

Risa Culbertson 415-955-7485

360 Graphics

We lead the industry for the highest quality

hello@papallama.com www.papallama.com

AllianceBernstein

AB is a leading global investmentmanagement and research firm headquartered in New York with a San Francisco office.

We bring together a wide range of insights, expertise and innovations to advance the interests of our clients around the world.

We provide forward-looking perspective, independent research and investment discipline across all asset classes, leveraging our extensive global footprint—built over five decades. Every day, we work with clients to earn their trust, move their vision forward and help keep them AHEAD OF TOMORROW. Charmae Lewis Charmae.Lewis@abglobal.com www.abglobal.com

northplains

TM

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | SPRING 2017

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FIND-AN-EMPLOYEE

PROGRAM Print ProductionElectronic Prepress (image assembly /output) Versatile and resourceful pre-media producer with over 29 years of experience in the printing industry.

Motivated, creative problem-solver with a proven aptitude for mastering new skills and technologies and a keen attention to detail. Extensive experience using printing software including Adobe Suite (InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop), Preps, Acrobat (PitStop), Prinergy (Workshop workflow), Apogee, (Agfa workflow) and SmartStream for HP Indigo’s Digital Presses. Also has extensive knowledge of all print methods of printing with dies, varnishes and bindery.

Sacramento – Sprinkel 4178

Print Management - Estimating Over a decade of experience in everything from data entry to billing & invoicing, managing multiple priorities, anticipating resource needs & allocation, and inventory management.

Adept at press checking for color and copy, estimating, layouts, negotiating terms with vendors and resolving high level customer service issues resulting in relations in customer relations for national brands.

Experience tracking costs to identify saving opportunities throughout the printing process.

Proficient in assortment of computer software including Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Access, Excel, Word) as well as navigating proprietary software

VM Access Goes Mobile!

| CONNECTED | SPRING 2017

Skills: • Adobe Suite (all versions): Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Flash, After Effects & Acrobat

Print Production – Bindery

• Strong ability to color correct in Photoshop, Illustrator, prepress software & print machine presets

Over 10 years of experience running Bindery equipment.

Skills: • Ran Polar Cutter, Stahl Folder, Die Cutter • Shrink wrap, 3-hole drill punch, coil binding, and packing • Making binders and notebooks Employee 120600

Print Management – Production Management Over 10 years of experience as a Reprographics and Office Manager.

Skills: • Docutech Manager Print and Reprographics Manager (6155, 6135, 6110, 135, and all Docutechs) • Freeflow Scanner 665 and Versions 7.0 and 8.0 expert and all the software

• Copying/Digital Printing/Bindery/ Mail Manager for all incoming jobs and Hospitality food ordering (catering)

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

Over 7 years of experience in both Prepress and Graphic Design. My passion is in Graphic Design work.

• Strong ability to use line, shape, & color to create design based around print & or web campaign

• Law Office Manager of more than 15 - 20 people and 150 lawyers at several large law firms

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Creative Production – Graphic Designer

and database management.

South San Francisco – Esteves 4175

• DocuColor 7000 & 8000 and Large format printing of HP large blotters and print management

Now Visual Media Access is available on all your mobile devices from smart phones to tablets. Try it out today at vmaccess.org.

NOW FEATURING: • Location based search • Single search box • Easy to use category search • 12,000 impression a month • As a member, your company is listed. Make sure your company information is up-to-date!

• Mailroom Supervisor/ Management and worked at several law firms and other corporate settings at different professional positions Employee 1683

• Prepress software: Strong preparation of CAD files, iCut, iCut Layout & Preflight • Hardware: Viewtech large format printer, Kongsberg cut/crease tables, Canon digital press • Prep & Pro for substrates: Corrugated (kraft/White, various flutes), vinyl, acrylic, styrene, paper, aluminum Employee 120362

VMA’S FIND-ANEMPLOYEE PROGRAM

We encourage members to post their job openings on our website viewed by hundreds of job seekers every month at vma. bz/findemployees. We encourage job seekers to post their qualifications at vma.bz/findjob.

This service is complimentary for seekers and employers.

Contact jessica@vma.bz for more information.

SEMPER INTERNATIONAL, LLC.

For members looking for more extensive service finding permanent or temporary workers for all industry skill categories, from design to binder, contact Lisa Arruabarrena, 415.992.3743 or lisaa@semperllc.com, at Semper International, LLC. our endorsed provider available to members at discounted rates.

The Art of Paper Xpri Recycled  Xpri Recycled Digital Gloss  Velvet  Text  Cover

665 3rd Street, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94107

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live green, print green ®

SIT BACK & RELAX

LET US BE YOUR ONE STOP PRINTING & MARKETING CommerceSOLUTIONS

& MA RKE TING SOLUTI ON S

Give us a call and one of our printing consultants will be available to help you.

916.442.8100 • www.commerceprinting.com