Hi, I’m Hassan Igram. I’m President and CEO of Cedar Graphics and I kind of want to talk a little bit about the associations in our industries at NAPL, PIA, and others that have done a lot of good work over the years helping us grow as printing businesses in the United States and Canada.
At this point I think in the way that the industry is – with all the challenges the industry is facing and the strain that the associations are probably under trying to get members to even pay up their dues and come to some of these conferences. And I notice that this conference at NAPL the numbers are – they seem very low to me. I’m a little bit surprised by that. I thought they’re be a few more people here especially with the amount of knowledge that’s here.
I think it might be a good time for discussions and I think there have been to some degree of the two associations collaborating more on conferences for example and seminars where they can both lend their expertise. So that we can learn as printers and print service providers for both associations in one shot because I think time is so important to all of us right now and to take the time to go three or four conferences a year is very difficult. In fact, it’s almost impossible in today’s climate.
When we have to kind of skinny down our staffs and do a lot more work then we really would like to, especially for me at my age to make our businesses viable and help them survive and hopefully thrive in this down economy. And I know that things are probably going to turn around but our businesses are not going to ever be the same. I think everybody would agree with that so we have to – in the process of reinventing ourselves. And the resources – if resources could come together especially through the associations and provide us with a guidance and knowledge in how to do that, I think it would be valuable.
So my opinion is that if the association could collaborate with each other more, they each have their strengths, probably have some weaknesses. I think it would be great for the industry.
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