ChampionsGate, Florida, – Offset & Beyond, presented by WOA and Printing Industries of America, showcased the best the offset industry had to offer--strategies, solutions, and tactics--presented by industry leaders and experts, discussing the current environment of the market as well as a look at what the future holds in the dynamic world of traditional and integrated print.

"Don't obsess about the things you can't control, but concentrate on what you can control," said keynote speaker Michael Graff, president and CEO, Sandy Alexander Inc. Graff stated that printers must be more than order takers and manufacturers of custom products. He said you must position your company to be an integrated manufacturer and problem solver.

Robert Murphy, founder and chairman, Japs-Olson Company, was honored as the recipient of the 2011 Harry V. Quadracci VISION Award. Murphy is chairman of Japs-Olson Company, St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The VISION Award is conferred to a web offset printing industry executive who has reached an unsurpassed level of excellence and achievement in the industry.

Keynote Jim Sampey, chief operating officer, Cox Target Media/Valpak Direct Marketing Systems, Inc., stated, "We are proud to be a printer, but we are also taking print into the digital age." He described how Valpak built one of the most advanced and automated manufacturing centers in the world--a hub of technology where automation and robotics are at the core of the operation. Sampey's stressed the importance of knowing your customers, using your core attributes for expansion, and moving beyond price to value for your customers.

John Gaspari, vice president, Operations, Specialty Print Communications (SPC), was named the 2011 H. Howard Flint II, Pressroom Manager of the Year. Gaspari's leadership and determination have vastly expanded SPC's capabilities through the management of millions of dollars in capital investment in new equipment and technology. In thanking Flint for the award, Gaspari announced Western Michigan University as his choice to receive a $2,000 scholarship for their print program.

Offset & Beyond wrapped with a final general session Tuesday afternoon with Jamie Olson, senior director, brand management, Wyndham Vacation Ownership, and Hilary Strauss Hahn, managing director, global marketing, xpedx, with a look at the corporate buyer's perspective on how to survive and grow in today's multi-channel world.

Hahn discussed the explosion of data and multi-media, stressing that it is vital to understand a customer's language and their multi-channel choices without forgetting that print means trust and reliability to customers. Olsen stated direct mail is making a comeback, noting that while 80% of emails are deleted without being opened, 81% of households open and read the direct mail they receive. She also noted, "You cannot unsubscribe from the USPS." Both speakers wrapped with "long live print."

For more information about the Offset & Beyond Conference, visit www.printing.org/offsetandbeyond.