Government Printers Postpone Conference

Print associations are having a tough time in this economic climate. Attendance has been way down at conferences for both commercial and in-plant printers, as travel budgets are ruthlessly trimmed.

Perhaps nowhere has this trimming been more evident than in the public sector. As a result, with so many government in-plants unable to travel right now, the National Government Publishing Association has decided to postpone its planned October conference in Virginia Beach.

“Our membership is facing a decline in staffing, budget cuts and travel restrictions,” wrote NGPA President Ragina Ostendorf, in an e-mail to members. “Taking all of this into consideration, board action was taken to postpone the 2010 conference because we do not believe it is fiscally responsible to hold the conference this year knowing that our decline in attendance will affect not only the association’s budget, but impact the ability of our corporate sponsors to continue with their support for future events.”

This is a major decision for the proud, 33-year-old association, which has never before cancelled a conference—not even when Hurricane Katrina destroyed its venue in Biloxi just a month before its 2005 meeting. The group hopes to host its conference at the same Virginia Beach hotel in 2011, though negotiations were still underway at press time.

Though NGPA’s annual conference has long been its most visible networking opportunity, the recent development of a member listserv has generated a lot of interest and participation, with government in-plants around the country sharing information and experiences to help one another. Despite the conference postponement, the association has every intention of continuing to provide educational opportunities for its members. Board elections, usually carried out during the conference, will be conducted electronically this year, Ostendorf noted.