Trends/Analysis

Cory Francer is an Analyst with NAPCO Research, where he leads the team’s coverage of the dynamic and growing packaging market. Cory also is the former editor-in-chief of Packaging Impressions and is still an active contributor to its print magazines, blogs, and events. With a decade of experience as a professional journalist and editor, Cory brings an eye for storytelling to his packaging research, providing compelling insight into the industry's most pressing business issues. He is an active participant in many of the industry's associations and has played an essential role in the development of the annual Digital Packaging Summit. Cory can be reached at cfrancer@napco.com

Toni McQuilken is the senior editor for the printing and packaging group.

Frank D. Steenburgh, partner at New Direction Partners, brings over 45 years of industry experience, including the past 30 years in digital and is internationally recognized as an expert in digital printing and publishing. His experience includes corporate officer at Xerox and president of Indigo’s Americas operations. Frank’s value includes a wealth of global industry contacts, a proven track record in development and implementation of business strategies that drive revenue/profit growth and a deep understanding of horizontal and vertical markets. Contact him at (610) 230-0635, ext. 709.

A graduate of the University of Miami, Keith Loria is a D.C.-based award-winning journalist who has been writing for major publications for close to 20 years on topics as diverse as healthcare, travel, and tech. He started his career with the Associated Press and has held high editorial positions at publications aimed at entertainment, sports, and technology.

Mark Hahn is a managing director and founder of Graphic Arts Advisors, a boutique strategic financial advisory and consulting firm focused exclusively on the printing, packaging, mailing, marketing services, brand management, and related graphic communications industries. With more than 35 years of graphic communications experience in the areas of finance, operations, sales, M&A, and general management, Hahn has served as chief financial officer, chief operating officer and other senior positions with several commercial printing companies, as well as founding and eventually selling his own printing company.The firm assists company owners and management, as well as their lenders, investors and shareholders in the following areas: mergers and acquisitions, sale of business, strategic and financial advisory, capital structure and funding, financial analysis, interim and turnaround C-level management, business valuations and serving as consulting experts. Hahn is the author of The Target Report and is regularly published and quoted in printing industry trade and management journals. Mark Hahn can be reached at (973) 588-7399 or mark@graphicartsadvisors.com

Peter Schaefer, partner at New Direction Partners, is an experienced dealmaker with more than 25 years of investment banking and valuation experience, 20 of which has been focused exclusively on the printing and packaging industries. He has closed more than one hundred transactions in virtually every segment of the printing and packaging industries. In addition, he has performed hundreds of valuations for ESOPs, estate and gift tax planning and strategic planning purposes. Contact him at (610) 230-0635, ext. 701.

Scott Daspin brings 25 years of experience in the capital markets to his middle-market advisory work. He has a strong history of creating new relationships, identifying and closing successful partnerships and transactions. Clients benefit from Scott’s diligence, along with his extensive network of strategic investors, institutional asset managers, and private equity investors who are looking for opportunities across a variety of industries.  Previously, Scott served as a Managing Director at a BNY Mellon company where he was a producing manager with primary responsibilities for marketing global equity businesses. Prior to that, he served as a VP at Merrill Lynch. Scott holds a B.S. from Boston University.  Scott holds Series 7, 24, 63, 65, 79 licenses and SIE.

As editor-in-chief of Packaging Impressions — the leading publication and online content provider for the printed packaging markets — Linda Casey leverages her experience in the packaging, branding, marketing, and printing industries to deliver content that label and package printers can use to improve their businesses and operations.

Prior to her role at Packaging Impressions, Casey was editor-in-chief of BXP: Brand Experience magazine, which celebrated brand design as a strategic business competence. Her body of work includes deep explorations into a range of branding, business, packaging, and printing topics.

Casey’s other passion, communications, has landed her on the staffs of a multitude of print publications, including Package Design, Converting, Packaging Digest, Instant & Small Commercial Printer, High Volume Printing, BXP: Brand Experience magazine, and more. Casey started her career more than three decades ago as news director for WJAM, a youth-oriented music-and-news counterpart to WGCI and part of the Chicago-based station’s AM band presence.

Gary A. Jones is the director of environmental, health and safety (EHS) affairs at PRINTING United Alliance in Fairfax, VA. His primary responsibility is to monitor and analyze EHS regulatory activities at all domestic and some international government levels. He provides representation on behalf of the printing and specialty graphic imaging industry.  In doing so, Mr. Jones works closely with the federal and state-level Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and other agencies.  He also provides membership assistance on EHS compliance and sustainability programs through a variety of approaches including responding to inquiries, presentations, writing, and consulting services.

Mr. Jones is also supporting PRINTING United Alliance’s efforts for the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP). SGP is dedicated to assisting printing operations respond to the customer demand for sustainable printing.

He holds a BS in biology from LaRoche College and an MS in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.

Denise Gustavson is the Editorial Director for the Alliance Media Brands — which includes Printing Impressions, Packaging Impressions, In-plant Impressions, Wide-Format Impressions, Apparelist, NonProfitPRO, and the PRINTING United Journal — PRINTING United Alliance.

Content Marketing Specialist at Smith Corona

Dan Marx, Content Director for Wide-Format Impressions, holds extensive knowledge of the graphic communications industry, resulting from his more than three decades working closely with business owners, equipment and materials developers, and thought leaders.

Adriane Harrison is Vice President, Human Relations Consulting at PRINTING United Alliance. Adriane assists members with a wide variety of HR matters involving statutes, regulations, policies, procedures, culture, and staffing, as well as the gamut of day-to-day HR issues.  In addition, she supports professional development by conducting webinars, participating in panel discussions, and speaking at industry events on human resources issues. Currently, Adriane is the Chairperson of the Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition, a member of the Women in Print Alliance, and a founder of the Women’s Print Mentoring Network.

Adriane received a journalism degree from the University of Illinois and a law degree from DePaul University in Chicago. As an attorney, Adriane practiced in both the public and private sectors. Her work was in the areas of Constitutional, commercial, securities, and criminal law. Adriane and her family live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Jeffrey Parker is the National Co-Leader of the EisnerAmper’s Private Client Services Tax Group and Co-Head of New York Tax. He is also a member of the firm’s Financial Services Group, working closely with alternative investment funds. Parker has more than 25 years of expertise providing tax services and guidance on complex tax questions for clients in the financial services industry. You can contact Parker directly at jeffrey.parker@eisneramper.com.

James A. Russell is a partner in New Direction Partners (NDP), the leading provider of advisory services for printing and packaging firms seeking growth and opportunity through mergers and acquisitions. NDP assists its clients by giving them expert guidance and peace of mind at every stage of the process of buying or selling a printing or packaging company. Services include representing selling shareholders; acquisition searches; valuation; capital formation and financing; and strategic planning. NDP’s partners have participated in more than 300 mergers and acquisitions since 1979. Collectively, they possess more than 200 years of industry experience with transactions in aggregate exceeding $2 billion.
For information, email info@newdirectionpartners.com.

Mark Lambert is a product manager for flexible packaging at ACTEGA, a division of the internationally operating specialty chemicals group ALTANA. With production facilities in Europe, North and South America, and China, ACTEGA develops, produces, and distributes specialty coatings, inks, adhesives, and sealing compounds with a focus on the packaging industry. Following the motto "Packed with Expertise", ACTEGA does not only offer technically sophisticated product solutions, but also meets the high safety standards of the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and toy industries. Whether for flexible and metal packaging, folding cartons, or labels, products by ACTEGA provide packaging with a high-quality appearance and innovative functionalities. 

Cindy Cooperman is VP of Global Strategic Brand Sales, X-Rite. Cooperman has spent the last 20 years working with brand owners, designers, premedia partners, printers, and ink companies in the packaging value chain. She brings companies, people, and ideas together to help the packaging industry adopt new technologies in practical, sustainable, and profitable ways.

Kathi Rowzie is the President of Two Sides North America.

Andrew D. Paparozzi joined PRINTING United Alliance as Chief Economist in 2018. He analyzes and reports on economic, technological, social and demographic trends that will define the printing industry’s future. His most important responsibility, however, is being an observer of the industry by listening to the issues and concerns of company owners, executives and managers. Previously, he worked 31 years at the National Association for Printing Leadership. He has also taught mathematics, statistics and economics at various colleges. Andrew holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Boston College and a Master’s degree in economics — with concentrations in econometrics and public finance — from Columbia University.

Stephanie Hill has more than forty years’ experience in the graphics industry, as a designer and in a variety of management positions in sales, consulting, program and project management. Hill recently retired as Senior Business Development Manager, Northeast and Eastern Canada, HP, Print and Industrial Business, Americas.

Hill holds a B.F.A degree from Cornell University and an M.B.A degree from the University of Colorado at Denver. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and has trained extensively in AGILE, Design Thinking and Scrum.

She previously served on the board of the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation and as a member of the Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition

As a proud grandmother of three kids and three dogs, she is an enthusiastic tennis player as well as techie; interested in Gamification, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Artificial Intelligence.

Brendan Menapace is the content director for Promo+Promo Marketing.

Kristen Dettoni is the founder and CEO of Design Pool LLC, the only pattern library created exclusively for interior designers. Since 1996, Kristen has worked for mills throughout North America, designing fabrics for automobiles, furniture, and home furnishings. She developed the first sustainable upholstery fabric for office interiors, the first sustainable upholstery fabric for automotive interiors, and was awarded a patent for automotive suspension seating. Kristen believes strongly in the power of good design to transform our environments and experiences.

Mark Michelson now serves as Editor Emeritus of Printing Impressions. Named Editor-in-Chief in 1985, he is an award-winning journalist and member of several industry honor societies. Reader feedback is always encouraged. Email mmichelson@napco.com

Kalie VanDewater is associate content and online editor at NAPCO Media.

Mike Philie leverages his 28 years of direct industry experience in sales, sales management and executive leadership to share what’s working for companies today and how to safely transform your business. Since 2007, he has been providing consulting services to privately held printing and mailing companies across North America.

Mike provides strategy and insight to owners and CEOs in the graphic communications industry by providing direct and realistic assessments, not being afraid to voice the unpopular opinion, and helping leaders navigate change through a common sense and practical approach.

Jules brings a high-profile presence to her position as Executive Director of Two Sides North America. She has experience in a variety of roles in manufacturing, non-profits, and associations in the print and graphic communications space. Her focus is on truth in messaging around sustainability and greenwashing issues through marketing, direct outreach, and community building.

Jules is also a partner at Bubble & Hatch Marketing and serves on several industry boards. 

Osorio is Environmental, Health, and Safety Affairs Coordinator at PRINTING United Alliance.

Peter Schaefer, is a partner at New Direction Partners.