Business News

Printing Industries of America Announces 2010 Officers and Board of Directors

Wednesday 18. November 2009 - Printing Industries of America is pleased to announce the installation of its 2010 Officers and Board of Directors. An installation ceremony took place on November 15, 2009, at Printing Industries' Fall Administrative Meetings held in Charleston, SC.

Chairman of the Board-Bill Gibson, Vice President of Sales, Trico Graphics, Inc., Chicago, IL
Mr. Gibson grew up in a family tradition of print. In 1908, his grandfather started Gibson Graphics, Inc., a commercial sheetfed printing company in Chicago, and Mr. Gibson’s father took over the company after World War II. After graduating college, Mr. Gibson worked for Waverly Publishing until his father decided to sell Gibson Graphics in 1982. Mr. Gibson purchased the company and ran it until 1998 when he sold it to Rider Dickerson. He remained with the company as Vice President of Sales until joining Trico last year. He is active in his local affiliate, Printing Industry of Illinois/Indiana Association (PII), and serves on its board. He is also past president of the Ben Franklin Club of Chicago and past chairman of both Printing Industries of America’s Presidents Conference Advisory Committee and Education Committee.

1st Vice Chairman-Michael Keene, President and CEO, The John Roberts Company, Minneapolis, MN
Mr. Keene started his career while attending The University of Minnesota. After graduating in 1972, he was appointed supervisor of the prepress department and was named Vice President in 1982. Mr. Keene has served as president of The John Roberts Company since 1986 and as Chief Executive Officer since 1994. During Mr. Keene’s tenure, The John Roberts Company has increased market share and maintained a reputation for technical excellence and the effective integration of new technologies. Spearheading the company’s investment in ISO 9001:2000 certification is just one of the ways in which he has led The John Roberts Company into the highly competitive global economy of the 21st century.

2nd Vice Chairman-Laura Lawton-Forsyth of Lawton Printing, Inc., Spokane, WA
Laura Lawton-Forsyth is President of Lawton Printing, Inc. and File-EZ Folder, Inc., both located in Spokane, WA. She is the fourth generation to join the family business, working full-time beginning in January 1991 and becoming President in October 2001. Lawton-Forsyth’s industry involvement is extensive. She has been involved with the Pacific Printing & Imaging Association (PPI) since 2002, most recently becoming Board President in 2008. She has been affiliated with Printing Industries of America since 2001, serving as R&D Committee Member in 2001; Board Member 2002-present; Chair, Young Print Professionals Group, 2004-present; Chair, Education Committee and Executive Committee member 2006-present; and Finance Committee Member, 2008-present. She has also been a Kodak Commercial Printing Advisory Group Member, serving from 2004 to 2007.

Secretary-Timothy J. Burton of Burton & Mayer, Inc., Menomonee Falls, WI
Timothy Burton is currently the president and chairman of the board for Burton & Mayer, where he has served the industry for a number of years. In the 1980s, he served as vice president of sales and marketing at Burton & Mayer. From 1969 to 1980, he served as a sales representative, and prior to 1969, he worked in bindery, prepress, and customer service. Burton has been the Chairman of the Association Relations Committee for Printing Industries of America since 2007. He has been a Premier Print Awards judge since 1997 and has also judged local affiliate contests for PICA, PAF, PIAS, PGAMA, PII, and PINE. He is also involved in several local civic organizations, including Friends of Milwaukee Public Television, Institute for Graphics and Imaging, the Work Services Committee of the Milwaukee Center for Independence, and Paws with a Cause.

Treasurer-Hal Slager of Trico Graphics, Inc, Chicago, IL (continued term)
A Certified Public Accountant by trade, Slager has spent over 20 years with Trico Graphics. Founded as Triangle Engraving Company in 1915, the company evolved to focus on sales and marketing support services with Slager as a driving force in advancing the company into electronic publishing. Slager also serves his community as a Town Councilman in Schererville, Indiana and is a director for the Calumet Region Striders, a local running club of 500 members.

Immediate Past Chairman-Ken Kaufman, President of Omniprint, Inc., Lanham, MD
Ken Kaufman is President of Omniprint, Inc, a print and mailing firm in Lanham, Maryland. In business since 1971, the company specializes in production and distribution of newsletters for businesses, political advocates, and trade associations in Washington, D.C. Four years ago the company expanded into the direct mail market. On January 2, 2008, the company was purchased by Corporate Press Companies, and continues to operate in its own building with its own staff. Since 1973, Mr. Kaufman has been involved with his local Printing Industries affiliate, serving as president of the Printing Industry of Metropolitan Washington in 1989-90. He was also the recipient of its Distinguished Service Award in 1991, and Kaufman continued to serve on the Board of Directors of the Printing and Graphics Association MidAtlantic until 2008. Mr. Kaufman joined the Printing Industries of America National Board in 2000 and has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2005. He is also a four-year member of the Finance Committee, the Investment Committee, and a past chairman of the Presidents Conference Committee.

Also joining the Board of Directors for 2010 are John Raithel of KBA North America, Grosse Ille, MI; Richard Sevigny of Chromatic Inc. Lithographers, Glendale, CA; and Gina Testa of Xerox, Webster, NY.