To fill the seat of former Idealliance Representative Bob Schimek, who will become MTAC Vice Chair in January

Alexandria, Va. - Idealliance, the association for the Visual Communications and Media Industry, is pleased to announce that Tom Glassman has been appointed to serve as an Idealliance representative to the U.S. Postmaster General's Mailers' Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC), for a six-year term.

"We are delighted that Tom will be representing the association and its members on this key mailing committee," says Idealliance President and Chief Executive Officer David Steinhardt. "His insight and extensive experience in mailing, as well as his service with the association's mailing Working Groups, give him a wealth of knowledge he can draw from to contribute to the important work of MTAC."

"I am excited about the opportunity to serve as an Idealliance representative to MTAC," says Glassman. "To have the chance to be involved in the activities of the two core working groups in the mailing industry—Idealliance and MTAC—provides the power to really move the mailing industry forward."

Glassman is Director of Data Services & Postal Affairs at Wilen Direct, serves on the Idealliance Postal Operations & Technologies Council, and is Chair of the association's Education Working Group, which last year launched MailPro®, a mail and postal education certification program with more than 1,000 enrollees. He has also been actively involved with MTAC working and user groups for some years. A graduate of Babson College, he is a USPS certified Mailpiece Design Consultant (MDC) and Mail Design Professional (MDP) and has earned Idealliance Mail Professional certification.

Glassman will fill the seat of former Idealliance MTAC representative Bob Schimek of Quadient (formerly Satori Software), who has been elected Vice Chair of MTAC and is therefore required to resign his position as an Idealliance representative. Schimek will assume his new office in January 2018 and is scheduled to become Chair of MTAC in 2020. He will continue to serve as Chair of the Idealliance Mail.dat Working Group.

"I look forward to becoming MTAC Vice Chair in January 2018!" says Schimek. "I've been active in Idealliance since the early 90s and know the association to be a major player in the mail arena, both within and outside MTAC. I've been serving as Chair of the Idealliance Mail.dat Working Group since 2008, focusing on a specification that collaboratively defines with the USPS and the mailing industry the information highway for mail preparation today. Most importantly," he continues, "I want to thank Idealliance for the opportunity to participate in these important activities. The association is well known for providing the training ground and opportunities to develop the next generation of MTAC leaders."

"Idealliance is extremely active across MTAC Working Groups and our association committees regularly work behind the scenes to advance the work of MTAC," notes Steinhardt. "Since 2000, all but two of the MTAC Vice Chairs have served in Idealliance leadership positions," he adds. "Idealliance is proud to have become a core resource for developing MTAC leadership."

Idealliance has three additional seats on MTAC and is currently represented by Stephen Colella of The Calmark Group, Michelle Zalewski of ALG Worldwide Logistics, and Steinhardt. Nominations for Idealliance MTAC representatives are made by the association's Postal Operations & Technology Council and Mail Working Group, its key mail supply chain partner. Recommendations are then made to Steinhardt and final approval is given by the Idealliance Board of Directors, which unanimously approved Glassman's appointment.

Idealliance MTAC representatives serve a maximum of six years. Steinhardt points out that Michelle Zalewski's term will be complete at the end of 2018 and encourages anyone interested in a committee appointment to "become involved now in the association's mailing activities."