Impressions Xchange

Each year, Wide-format Impressions recognizes its industry Rising Stars – printing professionals who are growing, flourishing, and impressing in their positions. For this episode, we're talking with a couple of our previous Rising Stars to see where their careers have taken them and how they view today's printing industry.

In an episode generated entirely by AI — including the voices in the conversation — we explore how production inkjet is transforming in-plants into faster, leaner, and more essential operations — saving millions, solving labor shortages, and delivering better educational and business outcomes with less waste.

The 2026 Pinnacle Awards submission period is now open. Lindsay Ferrari, program administrator for the awards, discusses new categories, the judging process, and key tips for applicants.

On this episode of the Impressions Xchange podcast, we speak with six PRINTING United Alliance subject matter experts to gather their perspectives on what to expect in 2026 and moving forward. 

In graphics installation, there are two main approaches to getting installs done. One is to hire or train your own staff of installers. The other is to contract experienced, independent installers. But which, or both, is best for graphics producers today? Two seasoned installation professionals shed light on this common quandary.

The promotional products market is huge, amounting to more than $26B in revenue annually in the United States alone. And while promo represents a significant opportunity for print service providers. In this episode Theresa Hegel, Executive Editor, Special Projects & Sustainability with ASI, the Advertising Specialty Institute, illustrates the opportunity.

On this episode of the Impressions Xchange podcast, Ashley Roberts chats with Stephanie Buka of PRINTING United Alliance about advocacy and postal updates, how the Alliance is addressing the Toxic Substances Control Act hearing, and the upcoming PRINTING United Legislative Fly-In.

On this episode of the Impressions Xchange podcast, Theresa Hegel of the Advertising Specialty Institute joins host Ashley Roberts to chat about her article “Five Trends to Keep an Eye on in 2026.”

In this episode of Parlor Talks, RRD's Robert Challman shares how centralized label testing improves performance across packaging applications and highlights emerging innovations in sustainability, linerless labels, RFID, and IoT.

In this episode of Printing's Alive, Warren Werbitt chats with Jim Russell from New Direction Partners about selling a printing business. Jim shares insights on evaluating company worth, determining value factors, and preparing for sale. They discuss market trends, post-sale roles, private equity, and employee considerations in mergers and acquisitions.

With years of experience consulting for in-plants and their parent organizations, Lois Ritarossi, president of High Rock Strategies, shares insights and best practices for in-plant print and mail operations, covering topics such as workflow automation, technology gaps, and strategies for reducing expenses.

Ashley Roberts chats with Josh Golden, chief marketing officer of Quad, about the fascinating findings of The Harris Poll's "The Return of Touch: Holiday Shopping, Reconnected" survey, presented by Quad.

Exploring how effective training can improve both operations and employee retention, this conversation provides three views of training and education in the printing industry. The panelists share what make training worth the effort.

Join host Gabby Houck as she talks with Brian Adam, President of Olympus Group, about the importance of company culture. Throughout their discussion, Adam touches on the importance of fostering employee engagement, fair compensation, safety, and empowerment. He shares his insights on listening to employees, maintaining open communication, and tackling the challenges of remote work and attracting young talent in the print industry.

To learn more about trends at school district in-plants, In-plant Impressions Editor Bob Neubauer sat down with three K-12 in-plant managers from different parts of the country during PRINTING United Expo. They talked about production inkjet, wide-format projects, recent expansions, apparel printing, AI, Expo discoveries and more.

On this in-depth episode of the Impressions Xchange podcast, Ashley Roberts chats with John Bracamontes of Pryntbase, who competed on the most recent season of Netflix's "Squid Game: The Challenge." Hear all the details on this episode.

Linda Bishop, president of Thought Transformation, shares essential skills for modern print sales professionals, including the impact of AI on the industry, and strategies to remain competitive.

PRINTING United Alliance's Amy Servi-Bonner talks about how AI is showing up in the industry, some of the concerns PSPs may have about AI, and what the future holds.

Dave Leskusky, president of PRINTING United Alliance, speaks with Dan Marx, content director at Wide-format Impressions about building community, the PRINTING United Expo, and the path forward for the Alliance.

In this special Expo Short episode of the Impressions Xchange podcast, Ashley Roberts, content director of Printing Impressions, discusses the advocacy efforts of PRINTING United Alliance with Stephanie Buka, government affairs manager at PRINTING United Alliance. They also discuss how attendees of the upcoming PRINTING United Expo can meet with Buka to discuss the Alliance's advocacy efforts. 

In this special Expo Short episode of the Impressions Xchange podcast, Ashley Roberts, content director of Printing Impressions, discusses the comprehensive educational programming at PRINTING United Expo with Denise Gustavson, editorial director at PRINTING United Alliance. They chat about how topics are chosen, the structure of the sessions, and the new Enterprise Print Track.

Nathan Safran, vice president, research at Alliance Insights (part of PRINTING United Alliance) discusses the value of reliable industry data and how PSPs can utilize that data to make more informed decisions about their businesses. Further, he discusses the Alliance Insights team and previews its industry-focused presentations at PRINTING United Expo.

Ashley Roberts and Jules Van Sant, vice chair of the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation, chat about Student Day at PRINTING United Expo, which offers a unique chance for students and educators to engage with industry professionals, explore career pathways, and participate in hands-on demonstrations.

In this episode of the Impressions Exchange podcast, Ashley Roberts, content director of Printing Impressions, chats with Nathan Safran, vice president of Research at Alliance Insights. They delve into key findings from the latest research study, 'AI Adoption in the Printing Industry: From Curiosity to Competitive Advantage.'

As in-plant industry veteran Debbie Pavletich prepares for retirement, we chatted with her about her her remarkable career in the in-plant printing world, from her days running Briggs & Stratton's award-winning in-plant, to her time leading the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association, to her second career as an in-plant consultant with Ricoh.

On the second PRINTING United Expo podcast short, Ashley Roberts, content director of Printing Impressions, speaks with  Josh Carruth, senior vice president Association at PRINTING United Alliance. They delve into the numerous benefits for attendees, including networking opportunities, educational tracks, and exclusive advantages for Alliance members.

Chris Curran, VP, group president - media and events at PRINTING United Alliance, provides a fast-moving overview of (nearly) everything taking place at the 2025 PRINTING United Expo (October 22-24 in Orlando, Florida). It's essential listening for anyone seeking to maximize all the massive event has to offer.

On this first PRINTING United Expo podcast short, Ashley Roberts, content director of Printing Impressions, speaks with Mark Subers, chief innovation officer at PRINTING United Alliance, about the Expo's brand new PRINTING AI Pavilion. They discuss the pavilion's features, including educational sessions and an AI wall. 

Providing context for, and background information on, the recently released Wide-format Impressions 150 list, which highlights the top 150 wide-format producers in U.S. and Canada, Dan Marx, content director, Wide-format Impressions, speaks with this colleague, Gabby Houck.

Chris Wells of DSG | UW discusses the company's strategic expansion into new technologies and markets, integration of new equipment, the shift in educational testing from print to digital, and the importance of automation and AI in improving marketing communications. The episode also covers trends in direct mail, innovations in audience targeting, and the company's approach to leveraging USPS postal promotions to benefit their clients.

This episode of The Broadcast features Lisa Cross, principal analyst with Alliance Research as she shares finding of three recent surveys. The data presented provides a strong view into how wide-format producers are -- or are not -- automating their production processes, and how emerging opportunities like robotics and A.I. are changing the scope of the automation opportunity.

When you're both a witness and a woman in a transforming field, you bring a unique point of view. These PRINTING United Alliance editors share what they've seen, what's inspired them, and why representation matters.

In this candid conversation, Mike Loyd, executive director of the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association, reflects on his decades-long journey through the in-plant world — from managing Louisiana State University's print operation to leading IPMA and shaping its future. He shares behind-the-scenes insights from the Spokane conference, discusses the strength, challenges, and camaraderie of the in-plant community, and contemplates his upcoming retirement.

On this episode, host Warren Werbitt welcomes expert Bill Farquharson, who has more than 40 years of experience in sales.

Sylvia Palmer, supervisor of Reprographics at Jurupa Unified School District, talks about her path into printing, her in-plant's embrace of inkjet, and her experience at PRINTING United Expo, which she called  “an incredible opportunity.”

Host Linda Casey and guest Suzanne Bowden of Catapult kick off the first episode of Parlor Talks by exploring a wide range of packaging, branding, and retail topics.

In this episode of the Impressions Exchange Podcast, host Ashley Roberts is joined by Joe Marin, senior vice president of Member Services at PRINTING United Alliance, to discuss the upcoming G7/G7+ Exchange event — taking place on Oct. 21 in Orlando, Florida, the day before PRINTING United Expo.

On this episode of the Impressions Xchange podcast, Ashley Roberts is joined by Stephanie Buka to discuss the upcoming inaugural PRINTING United Alliance Legislative Fly-In.

We talked with IPMA President John Cruser about his journey from being Bloomberg's first and only in-plant employee to becoming the global print operations manager overseeing locations in multiple countries. John shared insights into his career growth, the expansion of the in-plant, and how his team's dedication to quality and customer service has been key to its success.

In this episode, Rich Thompson, president of Ad Graphics, discusses the unique challenges and opportunities within cruise ship graphics.

During a visit to Pennsauken, New Jersey-based BookBaby, we chatted with president Jim Foley about the company's history, how it got its unusual name, why it recently invested in a fleet of new equipment, and what it has planned for the future.

Brendan Menapace and Christopher Ruvo from ASI join us to chat about the opportunity promo poses for wide-format printers, and how they can get started and be successful in the space. 

For family-owned businesses, the transfer of the company from generation to generation is a profound event. To explore generational business succession, WFI Broadcast welcomes Ted Corman of Firehouse Image Center, and Eric Kahle of Visual Marking Solutions.

On this episode of Printing's Alive, Warren Werbitt speaks with Dorinda Gibbons, director of Profile Recruitment, an international recruiter specializing in the printing and packaging markets. They discuss the market, trends, challenges, and strategies in recruitment.

On this episode of The Impressions Xchange podcast, we follow up on our January article “The Economic, Legislative, and Regulatory Outlook for 2025,” by catching up with five PRINTING United Alliance subject matter experts to find out what print service providers really need to know as we kick off 2025.

In the first episode of our rebranded In-plant Outlook podcast series, In-plant Impressions Editor Bob Neubauer talks with well-known in-plant consultant Howie Fenton, principal of Howie Fenton Consulting. In a wide-ranging discussion, they explore Fenton's long career, how he started consulting for the in-plant market, why he enjoys working with in-plants, past in-plant consulting jobs where he feels he made the biggest impact, and much more.

In the first episode of our rebranded In-plant Outlook podcast series, In-plant Impressions Editor Bob Neubauer talks with well-known in-plant consultant Howie Fenton, principal of Howie Fenton Consulting. In a wide-ranging discussion, they explore Fenton's long career, how he started consulting for the in-plant market, why he enjoys working with in-plants, past in-plant consulting jobs where he feels he made the biggest impact, and much more.

In the first episode of TPW Printing's Alive Podcast, host Warren Werbitt welcomes top industry leaders from Kornit, Scodix, and Highcon to explore digital printing innovations, Israeli technology leadership, and the future of sustainable printing solutions.