PARAMUS, NJ, October 26, 2001 – The National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL) will present its Top Management Conference at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, from February 27th to March 3rd, 2002. The conference theme is "Industry Excellence in Management Information, Leadership Development, Business Strategies and Peer Networking." Designed to meet the needs of owners and top executives in the industry, the five-day event covers a wide range of relevant topics, from an updated state of the industry report presented by NAPL Chief Economist Andrew Paparozzi to a panel discussion on the importance of digital imaging technologies. "In the current economic climate, we believe this conference will be one of the most important we’ve held," observes NAPL President I. Gregg Van Wert. "Not only will participants have an unparalleled opportunity to learn about leading-edge practices and solutions from acknowledged industry experts, but they will also have valuable access to the experience and advice of their peers." Keynote speakers at the Top Management Conference include University of Michigan Professor David Ulrich, who will explore practical methods for enhancing leadership in the face of change. Also speaking will be Kevin Freiberg, author of NUTS! Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success, who will discuss the leadership principles and practices that allow Southwest and other innovative companies to succeed in a tough economy. In addition, Dr. James Harris, author of Finding and Keeping Great Employees, will present strategies for hiring, inspiring and retaining quality staff. A series of highly pertinent breakout sessions will take place on a daily basis, ranging from tips for successful promotional strategies, to process flow for improved production, to communication and persuasion skills. There will also be a special two-part panel discussion on Critical Trends, co-sponsored by the Research & Engineering Council of the Graphic Arts Industry (R&E Council), which entered into a strategic alliance with NAPL earlier this year. Besides providing a forum for thought-provoking educational content and best practices for success, the conference also offers numerous opportunities for informal knowledge sharing, including a First-Timer’s Orientation/Reception, cooking demonstrations, and golf and tennis tournaments. Another highlight is the Management Plus Cocktail Reception and Banquet, which takes place on the evening of March 2nd and honors the winners of NAPL’s Management Plus Program. The cost of attending the NAPL Top Management Conference is $895 for NAPL and R&E Council members, $1,295 for non-members, and $600 for spouses and/or guests. For more information or to register for the event, contact NAPL at 1-800-642-6275 (dial O and ask for the registrar), or register online at www.napl.org/events/tmc/registration.htm. The following companies are generously sponsoring some of the key events at NAPL’s 2002 Top Management Conference: Presstek – Pre-Conference Welcome Reception (Wednesday, February 27th, 6 – 7 p.m.); Komori – Opening Breakfast and State of the Industry Report (Thursday, February 28th, 8 – 9:15 a.m.); Graphic Search Associates – Keynote Speaker David Ulrich (Thursday, February 28th, 9:15 a.m. – noon); Indigo – Annual TMC Golf Tournament (Thursday, February 28th, 1 – 5 p.m.); Heidelberg – Cocktails and Dinner (Thursday, February 28th, 7 – 10 p.m.); American Printer magazine, Compass Capital Partners, Ltd. and MAN Roland – Management Plus Program Cocktail Reception and Banquet (Saturday, March 2nd, 7 – 10 p.m.). About NAPL Chartered in 1933, NAPL is a not-for-profit trade association representing the $88 billion commercial printing industry. NAPL’s mission is to "Enable the printing community to profit from change," through a full range of management and educational services to its membership. In addition to on-site training at its Center for Professional Development in Paramus, New Jersey, and Management Institute (MI) courses held at Northwestern University, NAPL offers consulting services as well as an annual Top Management Conference (TMC) recognized as a leading source of strategic ideas. The organization’s Printing Economics Research Center (PERC) produces both the Economic Edge newsletter and the Leading Indicators Service, a source of late-breaking data on trends within the graphic arts industry, and its Communications Department develops and distributes a variety of industry-specific periodicals and special reports, including Printing Manager magazine. NAPL is also one-third owner of the Graphic Arts Show Company, which owns such major industry events as GRAPH EXPO® and PRINT®.