John Manning is the new General Manager of Western Region, Sales, Parts and Service, for MAN Roland, heading the company’s Huntington Beach (Los Angeles) office and responsible for a territory that encompasses 11 states. A 1985 graduate of RIT with a BS in Printing Management, Manning was Plant Manager of a commercial printing company before coming to MAN Roland. Prior to that, he served as Regional Director for a press manufacturer, specializing in newspaper web and heatset offset sales. "Over the years, I have consulted for press systems in newspaper, heatset web offset, and sheetfed commercial markets," he says. "Combined with printing plant management experience, I feel I am prepared to consult with printers from all markets on business solutions designed to maximize their market opportunities. MAN Roland specializes in these solutions. "We’re building a sales and service team that goes beyond the ‘nuts & bolts’ to provide customers with smart, networked state-of-the-art solutions that will help them thrive in this tough economic climate." Manning got his start in the graphic arts as a prepress stripper before heading off to RIT. He also holds an Associate Degree in Printing Technology from Chowan College in North Carolina and is a licensed Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE). His goal at MAN Roland is to "build a sales and service team to meet the future opportunities of our Western Region customers."