Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) Executive Committee member, Greg Walters, recently presented a keynote speech at the 2011 Asia Pacific MPS Conference in Sydney, Australia. In addition to his longtime volunteer work with the MPSA, Walters is creator of the popular MPS blog, thedeathofthecopier.blogspot.com.

As a founding Executive Board member of the MPSA, Walters has been part of the MPS industry throughout its transition. "The industry has evolved more in the last four years than the previous six," he declared. "MPS has changed everything and shifted influence from the OEMs to the individual."

In his keynote presentation, Walters focused on several concepts affecting the marketplace:

- Transformation – "From the inside out. Apple transformed by building what they would use, not what the marketing pundits told them to produce."

-  Partnerships and Collaboration – "Advisories will forge new partnerships. OEM to toner re-man, dealer to dealer."

- The Big Zag, for Today – "Running and managing an MPS practice is challenging. The more who don't understand that, the better for we who do. Once the 'P' is removed, we are left with 'Managed Services'.  If you can run an MPS practice, you can thrive inside an MS."

- What is your Zag? – "Do you ask instead of tell? Do you attract or do you push MPS? Are you chained to your successful past? What makes you different? You do."

- The Death of The Copier, Rise of the Originals – The Ultimate Zag. What does the death of the copier mean today? Greg explained, "…now is the time to let go of our past…we cannot move forward tied to the old models…(of) past success…never before have we, as individuals, had the tools and power to be independent…"