IPMA Conference Starts Sunday

Though it takes place later than usual this year, the 53rd In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) conference promises to be an exciting, action-packed event when it kicks off Sunday evening in Kansas City. In-plant managers from all over the country are already packing their bags in anticipation of the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones.

Though the networking at the IPMA conference is often cited as the best part, this year's educational program boasts some excellent sessions. Speakers, many of them fellow in-plant managers, will offer practical advice on how to beat the competition, how to better manage the people you lead, and how to make your operation more efficient. Presentations will cover color management, design, Web-based proof approvals, customer service and more. In-plant managers will talk about new services they have added, such as mail scanning and dimensional printing. And a roundtable discussion will let managers share their success stories to inspire others.

It will all start Monday morning when Kansas City Chiefs’ Hall of Famer Nick Lowery, the opening keynote speaker, talks about how to avoid the fear of failure and how to perform at your very best when it matters most. Tuesday's keynote will be given by Barb Pellow, Group Director, InfoTrends, who will discuss strategies to successfully navigate in an environment where services go well beyond print. And on Wednesday, IPG Editor Bob Neubauer will present the results of a major research project on the in-plant industry, as well as some of the highlights from his visit last week to Canon's operations in Tokyo and Shanghai.

To get an idea of what the conference will be like, watch IPG's video of last year's IPMA conference in Charleston, S.C.