White Stone, VA, June 2001—The Research and Engineering Council of the Graphic Arts Industry held its 51st Annual Critical Trends Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 3-4. The meeting attracted top industry personnel in a two-day session dealing with critical trends in the industry, and was keynoted by Raymond A. Frick, Jr., CEO and president of The Lehigh Press. In his address, Frick told the group that employees want to commit to their employer, but they expect the employer to be worthy of that commitment. Truly committed and well compensated employees will inevitably act in the best interest of the customer, Frick told the audience. Discussing the recent success of The Lehigh Press, Frick told the group that two revolutions are occurring simultaneously in the printing industry: a technology revolution and consolidation. Citing printing paradigm shifts, Frick talked about changes in industry structure, changes in the impact of technology, and changes in marketplace dynamics. Genuine market leadership can be achieved only by size or by specialization, he said. But well managed, independent printing companies should continue to find a place in the printing marketplace. The effects of external factors upon printing businesses were addressed at the conference by a blue ribbon panel of speakers which included Benjamin Y. Cooper, Senior Vice President—Government Affairs, at Printing Industries of America; Stan Lancey, Chief Economist at the American Forest & Paper Association; Ray Conlin, Senior Vice President of Jevic Transportation; and William Lavelle, Co-Founder of Myo Ergonomics. Internal factors were addressed by William J. Ray, President of Group Infotech; John P. Cleary, Director of Information Technology for Banta Corporation; and Janet Treer, Manager of the R. R. Donnelley & Sons Premedia Center. In describing the meeting, R&E Council managing director Ronald L. Mihills commented: "As in previous years, the Research and Engineering Council of the Graphic Arts Industry again provided the premier forum for discussing significant and critical trends affecting the printing and publishing businesses. No other venue provides industry executives with the insights and far-ranging perspective available at the R&E Council Annual Critical Trends Conference."