Program Focused on Social Media and Print Strategies Designed to Leverage Marketing Opportunities

Columbia, Maryland - Printing company executives from across the Mid-Atlantic region converged on Virginia Beach earlier this month to share ideas and explore the opportunities and challenges facing a rapidly evolving graphic communications industry.

The two-day gathering held August 1-3 and hosted by Printing and Graphics Association MidAtlantic (PGAMA) brought together printing company owners, senior executives and sales and marketing leaders to hear the latest ideas, best practices and emerging innovations in the industry.   Industry leaders traveled from seventeen cities across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. to attend the event. 

The PGAMA annual conference is the industry’s leading regional event with unparalleled workshops featuring industry experts who shared business strategies, innovations and educated and inspired attendees included presentations by:

Michael Makin, president of the Printing Industries of America, the world’s largest graphic arts association;

John Foley, Jr., CEO of InterLink One and Grow Social---the Boston-based leading social media advisory for printing companies;

Bill Woods, a former printer turned family business advisor who grew his printing company from sales of $250,000 to over $25 million in metropolitan Atlanta;

Charles Marshall, author of Shattering The Glass Slipper and a noted humorist and motivational speaker on the issues of the day.

Tom Ervin, Senior Vice President of the Ervin Snyder Group at Morgan Stanley provided an investment strategy and financial planning overview;

There was also a dynamic Government Affairs and Legislative Update featuring Fred Gouldin of the Richmond-based law firm Christian and Barton; Ashlie T. Bagwell, of Alexander and Cleaver based in Annapolis; and human resources expert Jim Kyger, an assistant vice president at Printing Industries of America in Washington, D.C. 

“The printing industry attracts people with innovative and curious minds. This conference is no different.” said Kerry Stackpole, president of PGAMA. “Chance favors the prepared mind, and at PGAMA we do everything possible to illuminate the opportunities for our members.”