Reston, VA - The Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) has announced the 16th annual EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK, the popular pre-show trends conference that takes place on the eve of GRAPH EXPO is scheduled for Saturday, September 10, 2011, at Chicago's McCormick Place South.  GRAPH EXPO 2011, the year's largest graphic communications exhibition and educational conference, will open the following day and will run September 11 - 14, 2011, in McCormick Place South.

After 15 years of a predominant technology focus, the program has been enhanced to a more blended analysis of key market trends with technology enhancements.  With the theme, "Embracing Technology and Market Trends for Profitability," this year's EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK promises a dynamic conference that will provide attendees with indispensable information on how to use technology to gain a competitive advantage in today's economy.

"Savvy printers today recognize that you can't succeed with great technology alone.  The market forces are changing so quickly these days that you have to constantly be sure that your business is equipped with the right technology to meet market demands," said Ralph Nappi, President of GASC.

EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK 2011 will kick off with a keynote address from Scott L. Zientarski, DME for his unique perspective on the future of print.  DME is a direct-mail marketing company and true print leader that grew from a three-person startup into a $100 million firm.

Following the keynote will be a series of sessions that address the critical industry issues faced by graphic communications professionals today.  These overviews will:

• Share the key features that differentiate profit leaders from the rest of the pack
• Explain what it means to be a 'marketing services provider'-and how to actually do it
• Offer industry 'guru' Dr. Joe Webb's "uncommon wisdom" on how to navigate print's challenging marketplace
• Provide a lively panel discussion in which innovative printers share exactly what they are doing to grow in today's challenging print environment
• Reveal how attendees can embrace digital communication technologies-and successfully integrate them with their existing print mix.

In addition to offering a frank look at the top concerns and trends in the graphic communications industry, one of the main purposes of EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK 2011 is to provide attendees an informed guide to GRAPH EXPO 2011.  As such, EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK will offer a series of technology "vignettes," brief-but-detailed presentations that shed light on what technologies graphic communications professionals should be looking to invest in at GRAPH EXPO 2011.  The technology vignettes will offer updates on:

• Workflow solutions
• Traditional press technology
• Digital press technology
• Management information systems for print
• Sustainability in print, and
• Social media and print.

Not to be forgotten, of course, is the much-anticipated unveiling of the 2011 MUST SEE 'EMS exhibits and products.  A highlight of the EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK Conference, the MUST SEE 'EMS are the technologies and products chosen by a panel of industry experts as being the most compelling at the show.  These designations, along with the WORTH-A-LOOKS, provide a roadmap to the exhibits and technologies that attendees should make a point of seeking out at GRAPH EXPO.

EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK will conclude with the announcement of the Positively Print program awardee.  The program, launched last year, recognizes graphic communications companies that most successfully promote in their communications the power of print in today's media mix.  For complete details and entry forms for the Positively Print program, visit: www.positivelyprint.org.

Recognized as the commercial printing, publishing, mailing and transactional exposition for the Americas, GRAPH EXPO 2011 themed, "Embrace Technology," has been designed to offer a customized show-going experience for a diverse spectrum of attendees from 11 key market segments. The exhibition will offer the latest graphic communications technologies, live equipment demonstrations on the show floor, plus education on the most in-demand products and profit-making opportunities.  Attendees will find nine special interest sections on the show floor. These include the 2011 debut of the Marketing Pavilion, offering education, resources and networking opportunities for today's marketers; News Print pavilion, which returns by attendee demand for a second year at GRAPH EXPO 2011 and answers the call from newspaper printers and production executives for a dedicated show floor section; PackPrint, covering package printing; Future Print, featuring Printed Electronics and RFID; the Mailing & Fulfillment Center, the industry's largest mailing event anywhere in the Americas; the third annual GREENspace, a showcase dedicated to sustainability and eco-friendly products and services; the Prepress/Software/Workflow and Press/Finishing sections; and, Education Main Street for attendees seeking well-educated, talented industry newcomers to augment their company's workforce.

For more information or to register for EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK, visit: www.graphexpo.com/SessionsEvents/EXECUTIVEOUTLOOK.aspx.

For more information or to register for GRAPH EXPO 2011 and also its extensive seminar program, visit: www.graphexpo.com.