Regis J. Delmontagne, President of NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies, has announced the appointment of Douglas S. Sprei as Assistant Director of  Communications and Marketing.  Sprei will join the NPES staff in June.  Upon the retirement of Carol Hurlburt as Director of Communications and Marketing December 31, he will assume her title and responsibilities.                 Sprei brings more than 20 years of communications experience and first-hand knowledge of the printing, publishing and converting industry to NPES.  His background includes service as director of communications for Heidelberg Digital, manager of market communications and public relations for Nortel Networks and managing editor of Rochester Business Magazine.  “We feel extremely fortunate to have Doug as a member of the NPES team, with his background and hands-on experience in the industry the Association represents,” Delmontagne said. A graduate of the University of Rochester with a bachelor of arts in film and communications, Sprei joins NPES after two years as a public relations and marketing consultant for corporate clients in the New York area. Hurlburt joined NPES in 1986 in the assistant director position, becoming director of communications and marketing in 1989. “In her nearly two decades with NPES, Carol has contributed to the success of virtually all of the association’s major activities,” Delmontagne said. “She has brought in-depth expertise and professionalism to supporting trade shows, conferences, international trade, educational outreach, major special publishing projects and many other endeavors on behalf of NPES, The Graphic Arts Show Company, and the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation.”