(7/18/01) A digital printing and publishing pioneer, Barbara Pellow, formerly senior vice president of marketing for IKON Office Solutions, has accepted an appointment at Rochester Institute of Technology. She becomes Gannett chair in integrated publishing sciences in RIT’s School of Printing Management and Sciences (SPMS). As Gannett chair, Pellow will focus on the relationship between traditional paper-based media and emerging electronic new media. She will provide leadership in strategic management and operations of the publishing industry. She is also responsible for the development of new curriculum. "Barb Pellow brings industry and research experience to her new position as Gannett chair," says Frank Romano, SPMS program chair. "She has been a pioneer in the development of digital printing and publishing, and print-based e-commerce. Faculty, staff and students are looking forward to working with her." Prior to joining IKON in 1999, Pellow served as director of digital print on demand and document outsourcing consulting practice at CAP Ventures. She has also held several senior management positions at Xerox, including vice president and general manager for document production systems, regional vice president of field operations, and vice president of document production systems. Pellow says she’s excited about making the transition to an academic environment. "I love my association with graphic communications industry," she explains. "My father was a commercial printer, so I was exposed to it at a young age. It will be fun to work with today’s students to emphasize quickly emerging new technologies." A resident of Williamson, N.Y., Pellow received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan Technological University.