CHESTNUT HILL, MA - The votes are in, and the first-ever PBI Midwest Conference was an unqualified success.
 
The one-day Conference, produced by Print Buyers International (PBI), was held on May 19th in Chicago for print buyers, production managers, creative directors, graphic designers, marketers and other people who work "at the intersection of print and digital media." Featuring an all-star line-up of speakers and an unparalleled program of professional education, networking and growth, the Conference received high praise for the timeliness of the topics, the depth of information and the quality of the speakers and attendees.
 
"This conference was useful in educating me as well as giving me a vision of how I need to develop my skills," noted Brad Hentz, manager of manufacturing and product delivery for the independent book publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. With a career that spans more than 15 years, Hentz found that PBI Midwest offered glimpses into the future of print – and the skills he needs to stay relevant in his profession. "Through this conference I got to see what print buying looks like at the 'next level' for me as well as provided speakers and resources that could help me get there," he said.
 
During a full day of non-stop education and interaction with presenters, peers and sponsors, approximately 70 attendees connected with and learned from some of the industry's leading thinkers, such as:

• RIT Professor Emeritus Frank Romano
• Forecaster and consultant Dr. Joe Webb
• G7 inventor Don Hutcheson
• Elite print buyers Melissa Clemente and Jeff Dickerson
• Cross-channel marketing pro Heather Gims, and
• "Margie's Print Tips" author, blogger, speaker and Conference Host Margie Dana

Thought-provoking questions inspired new ideas as attendees and speakers grappled with the topics on everyone's minds today, including: what's really going on with digital printing; how print buyers are dealing with new media trends; where the print industry is headed; and what a successful cross-media campaign looks like.
 
For Shari Pritchard, production manager at the marketing communications firm, Simantel, PBI Midwest provided answers to the challenges she faces in her job. "As the production manager for an agency, I wear many hats and the topics of each speaker covered them all!" Pritchard related in a post-Conference evaluation. "I didn't want it to end."
 
Six generous sponsors – Foster Printing Service, Inc.; Japs-Olson Company; OSP; Unisource Worldwide; Vision Integrated Graphics Group; and Xerox – helped to make PBI Midwest a success.
 
PBI's next event is its 6th Annual Print & Media Conference on Tuesday, September 13th and Wednesday, September 14th. Co-located at Graph Expo at McCormick Place in Chicago, this two-day Conference will build upon PBI's recent success and provide cutting-edge information for people who work with print and digital media. A one-day PBI Boot Camp will precede the Conference on Monday, September 12th. Program details and online registration, including Early Bird Registration information, will be available later this month at www.printbuyersinternational.com.

In addition to two days of programming, the annual PBI Conference can accommodate 30 sponsors in its Sponsor Center, which is part of the main PBI ballroom, one floor down from Graph Expo's show floor.

"The positive response we've received to the first PBI Midwest is a strong indication that we are striking the right notes with people who purchase, design with and market with print," says PBI founder Margie Dana. "It's clear that our Conference attendees appreciated the program's quality and depth. We look forward to expanding the experience in September, when we launch our two-day Conference at Graph Expo."

To learn more about PBI and the 6th Annual Print & Media Conference, visit www.printbuyersinternational.com.