Pittsburgh, Pa., April 24, 2002 - From governments to corporations, documents for travel and identification are at the heart of today’s security issues. No less important are the security issues surrounding packaging and labels. To help printers understand the issues at stake and some of the latest applications for these types of jobs, the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) will host the GATF Advanced Security Printing Symposium in partnership with the Institute of Packaging Professionals. Being held August 25–28, 2002 at the Westin Hotel and Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the conference will familiarize printers with specialty material, equipment, techniques, and different characteristics related to a secure document. "The array of new technology and new marketplace needs are dizzying-microparticle tagging, smart cards, laminates, new substrates, government needs, and those of the security-conscious private sector," says Richard Warner, who will be hosting the upcoming symposium that will address these topics and much more. Recently retired from GATF, Mr. Warner led the GATF Research Department on issues of unauthorized printing for over a decade through U.S. government-contracted work. Mr. Warner will team with Douglas C. Gordon, a prominent security printing expert, to open the conference with three pre-symposium sessions. Warner will offer a comprehensive overview of the products and techniques involved in the printing niche while Mr. Gordon will brief participants on the liability and responsibility behind being a "security printer." Currently, Mr. Gordon is the president of Ontario’s CALESEC & Associates Inc.-specialists in secure document applications, technology, and development. With over 30 years of experience in the security documents field, Mr. Gordon has been enlisted to organize and moderate the conference. Day one will focus on package security as today’s firms seeking security in their packaging want more than just a printer-they want a partner. Day two will explore the technologies driving the security printing segment. Successful security printers understand these technologies, from substrates to biometrics, and their applications. Day three is packed with a comprehensive look at travel and identification documents. "The techniques we will demonstrate can be implemented by the average mid-sized printer and even many smaller printers," said Mr. Warner. "This is definitely a growing field and the technically competent printers have a lot to gain." Additionally, GATF will offer a special Sunday evening reception prior to the conference and a Monday dinner with guest speaker Barry J. Kefauver, former deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State. Currently he is a private consultant for Fall Hill Associate LLC and is very active in the field of identification through cards and passports. As a witness to one of the September 11 attacks, he will provide some fascinating insights on measures that, if in place, could have gone a long way to prevent the event from happening. The GATF Advanced Security Printing Symposium is an opportunity for printers to expand their business. Registration to the conference is $1,095 ($995 for GATF/PIA members). The pre-symposium workshop is an additional $225 ($195 for GATF/PIA members). If registered by July 8, all companies can receive a $100 early bird discount. To obtain a free brochure detailing the conference or a registration form, call the GATF/PIA fax-on-demand line at 888/272-3329 and request document number 13001 (available after May). Please visit the GATF Security Printing Conference page for more information on this conference.