Users conference fosters successful interaction and information sharing Clifton Park, N.Y., November 8, 2002 -- The Heidelberg Digital Imaging Association - HDIA, a non-profit association of printing, publishing and graphic arts companies that use Heidelberg products, announced the election of a new board of directors during its 14th annual meeting, Directions 2002. This year the board will continue to help users embrace and capitalize on using digital technology. The new board members are: -President: Craig Beedy , Vice President, Technology, Sells Printing, New Berlin, WI -Vice President: John deLoach, Owner & President, Crowson Stone Printing, Columbia, SC -Secretary: Dr. John Leininger, Professor, Clemson University, Clemson, SC -Treasurer: Mario Assadi, Owner & President, Tulip Graphics, Berkeley, CA -Technology Director: Richard Johnson, Director of Press & Prepress Technologies, Bowne & Co., Piscataway, NJ -Canadian Director: Alain Trahan, Director of Sales, Transcontinental O’Keefe Printing, Lachine, QC -Directors at Large: - - Paul Barnes, Vice President, Production, Capital Spectrum, Austin, TX - - Jean-François Cuillerier, Vice President, Technology/Customer Solutions, Quebecor World, Montréal, QC - - Sean Cummins, Owner, Creative Digital Color, Elk Grove Village, IL - - EJ Flammer, Executive Vice President, Bates Jackson, Buffalo, NY - - Joe Goski, Vice President, eBusiness, The Lowe-Martin Group, Ottawa, ON - - Chris Jackson, Vice President, Technology, Harper House, Dallas, TX - - Craig Landers, President, Williamson Express, Dallas, TX - - Brian Oughton,Director, R&D, The Taylor Corp., North Mankato, MN - - Michael Smith, Manufacturing Manager, Lehigh Colortronics, Elk Grove Village, IL Rick Dyer, owner and president, Spire, Inc., Boston, Mass., immediate past president of HDIA, remains on the Board in an ex officio capacity. Heidelberg USA President Niels M. Winther also remains committed as the company’s advisory delegate to the HDIA Board. Directions 2002, held in conjunction with the Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2002 convention in Chicago last month, drew users of Heidelberg’s NexPress 2100, Digimaster 9110, Quickmaster DI, Speedmaster 74 DI and workflow solutions from all over the United States and Canada. For two days, users engaged in intensive learning and networking with other practitioners, leading vendors and Heidelberg experts. Sessions featured user panels and discussion groups focused on sharing technical and marketing solutions among new and experienced customers. During the session, experienced users provided valuable tips and techniques to maximize equipment performance. They also shared their experiences in critical areas such as color management and proofing, variable data processing, workflow management and customer service. Directions 2002 also served as the launch pad for the NexPress User Group, a new specialty group within HDIA that focuses on the opportunities and issues facing color digital printers. The NexPress 2100 sessions - in which initial beta customers passed on their knowledge and experience to recent purchasers - were a big hit. “HDIA members have substantial investments in many of Heidelberg’s major product lines, but the discussions within a user group are often most exciting with respect to the newest, leading-edge technologies,” said outgoing HDIA President Rick Dyer. “For us, that was once prepress, then Quickmaster DI and the Digimaster 9110, but now many of us were focused on the extraordinary marketing opportunities that NexPress brings us.” Meeting participants also were highly interested in Heidelberg's Prinect workflow strategy, which includes the newly announced Prinect Printready System and Prinect Internet Portal. “Heidelberg is showing some pretty serious solutions now for complete workflow management,” said incoming HDIA President and Conference Chair Craig Beedy. “For the techies among us, the printing business is no longer only about bells and whistles but even more so now about thriving in a weak economy. Whether you’re the owner or a production employee, you can’t help, but focus on money-making and profit-making solutions that give your company a competitive edge. Let’s just say there was major, major buyers‚ interest in Prinect Printready and the entire Prinect system, not only among the largest printers in our group but also in the mid-sized shops.” Conference keynote speakers were: · Niels M. Winther, President, Heidelberg USA · Dr. Klaus Spiegel, Member of the management Board, Sheetfed, Heidelberg · Dr. Peter Leu, Vice President, Prinect Program & Product Management, Heidelberg · Mark Pieper, Vice President, Sales/OEM & ROW, Adobe Systems, Inc. · Juergen Kurz, Vice President, Product Management, Quark, Inc. “I’ve attended every single HDIA meeting since the organization was founded as the Hell Users Group in 1989, and this year the interaction with our users was ideal,” said Ray Cassino, Heidelberg USA’s Director of Product Management for Prepress. “Their excitement about our new developments was not only infectious but also very reassuring to us as their vendor of choice. After 14 years of experience with the user group, I can say there is no better way to fine-tune not only the products we offer but also the entire user-vendor relationship than through regular interaction with a committed and highly engaged user community.” The Heidelberg Digital Imaging Association (www.hdia.org) is an independent, nonprofit association led by a Board of 16 Heidelberg users from all around the US and Canada. Further coverage of Directions 2002, including presentations, photos, and audio, is available at www.directions2002.com