While it’s not unheard of for in-plants to hold regional gatherings, most of these have been west of the Mississippi, in places like Texas, California and Washington. A new in-plant event happening this month bucks that trend.
Taking place in Rochester, N.Y., on Tuesday, February 28, the Western New York In-plant Event will be an informal gathering of in-house print and mail centers from all over upstate New York. The event is unaffiliated with any in-plant association. Catherine Chambers, director of Print & Mail Services at Alfred State, orchestrated the conclave.
"This has always been one of my dreams to do this," she says. "I am new to the area and would like to meet other in-plant managers with whom I can network."
She envisions this event as a way for in-plant staff members, who rarely get to go to conferences, to meet staff from other in-plants and compare notes.
"As an in-plant manager with very limited funding, I am always looking for affordable local opportunities for professional development and networking for my staff," she notes. This event is one inexpensive solution.
“I believe that the value of the day will come from us introducing ourselves to each other, talking about our shops, and touring one of the larger insurance in-plants in Rochester,” Chambers says. "If there is sufficient interest and support, I hope that this grass roots session is the start of regular educational events for in-plant employees in Western New York."
Interested New York in-plants can register to attend here.