September 2007 -- Continuing to strengthen its close ties to printers, MAN Roland has named two graphic arts industry veterans - Clay Oliff and Martin Pierce - as its new Product Managers for Sheetfed Presses. They are assigned to help press purchasers select the combination of systems, configurations, technology and inline enhancements that better meet the needs of their marketplace.
"Commercial printers who are investing in sheetfed presses require expert guidance in determining which system and what value added features are best to grow their businesses," says Vince Lapinski, CEO of MAN Roland Inc. "Because MAN Roland offers so many different innovations and configurations, our presses can be highly customized to more effectively serve very specific niches. We brought Clay and Martin on board to listen to the printers, analyze their operations, and provide a solution based on the printer achieving the greatest return on their investment in a MAN Roland sheetfed press."
That means, unlike typical product managers, Oliff and Pierce won't be using canned technical presentations. They will instead serve as the press purchaser's technology advocate along the route in the selection process.
"Clay and Martin will work as trusted advisors; consultants to the business, who analyze each printer's entire operation so they can provide specific solutions that are customized, based on each situation," Lapinski adds. "Their mission is to develop pressrooms that will be more profitable for the printer."
Covering the Nation
In his new role, Clay Oliff reports to Michael Mugavero, Vice President of Sheetfed Sales, Eastern and Southern Regions. Martin Pierce handles the rest of the US, reporting to Al Reijmer, Vice President of Sheetfed Sales, Central and Western Regions.
Clay Oliff brings over three decades of experience in the graphic arts to his new position. His background includes almost five years with MAN Roland Inc. as District Sales Manager/Regional Product Manager for the Southern region. He returns after serving as Regional Sales and Service Manager for Printers' Service - Prisco.  He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Printing Industries of Virginia, an affiliate of PIA/GATF.
Martin Pierce spent over a decade with another major press manufacturer, serving first as a press installer/trainer and then advancing to become a sales representative. More recently, Pierce directed operations at several US printing firms. He currently is an Advisory Board Member at the Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton WI.