Considerations

Dennis Leblanc is the Territory Sales Manager for the Greater Toronto Area at Drytac.

Ken Burns is the President/CEO of Axis Graphic Installations Inc. He is a native of Boston, MA and studied Business Management in the mid 90’s. He has consulted, developed and managed multiple Fortune 500 companies. In 2006, he approached his friend (who was a 10-year veteran graphic installer at the time) and asked him to teach him the art of installing vehicle wraps. Ken saw the value in this niche industry and had the idea of bringing his knowledge of large corporate structure to a newer industry that was mostly comprised of independent subcontractors. He started his first Axis team in South Florida in 2009 and has since developed teams in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Beyond vehicle wraps, Ken and his teams have become proficient in all types of sign and graphic installations.

Joseph P. Truncale, Ph.D., CAE, is the Founder and Principal of Alexander Joseph Associates, a privately held consultancy specializing in executive business advisory services with clients throughout the graphic communications industry.

Joe spent 30 years with NAPL, including 11 years as President and CEO. He is an adjunct professor at NYU teaching graduate courses in Executive Leadership; Financial Management and Analysis; Finance for Marketing Decisions; and Leadership: The C Suite Perspective. He may be reached at Joe@ajstrategy.com. Phone or text: (201) 394-8160.

Linda Bishop is the founder and president of Thought Transformation, a national sales and marketing consulting group helping printers and other companies achieve top-line growth through a combination of strategies, tools, training and tactics.

Her expertise includes all aspects of outbound selling and account acquisition, account retention and development, solution selling, marketing, and aligning sales processes with marketing strategies. Most recently, she published The ChatGPT Sales Playbook: Revolutionizing Sales with AI and believes AI will offer sales pros new tools for achieving revenue goals.

Before starting Thought Transformation in 2004, Linda sold commercial printing for seventeen years, working as a commission salesperson for the Atlanta division of RR Donnelley Company. She was one of the top performers in the Atlanta marketplace and had annual sales exceeding $9 million.

Linda has a BS degree in accounting from Purdue University and an MBA in marketing from Georgia State. She has written several books on sales topics, speaks nationally on sales and marketing, and has published many articles.

Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.

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.

Tara Seth is a Graphic Media Management student at Ferris State University. She is passionate about the printing industry and wants to share her perspective as well as learn as much as she can about the industry.

David Campbell is a Chief Underwriting Officer at USI, the Administrator of the PRINTING United Alliance Insurance Program. With more than 40 years of industry experience, David has been involved with many aspects of commercial lines underwriting, state filings, insurance systems, reinsurance, and marketing for both carriers and program administrators. David worked for four major insurers before working with USI on the broker side. He graduated from Florida State University with a major in Risk Management & Insurance.

Kieran Blacknall is the UK Academy Manager at Drytac.

Luigi Cristicini is the senior technical research and development manager for Drytac Canada and has been with the company since 1991, earning a stellar reputation in the self-adhesives industry. Fluent in Italian, French, and English, Luigi has played a key role in building Drytac's global presence, working with photo labs, photographers, and the picture-framing industry, as well as leading the Canadian sales team from 1993. With over 30 years of expertise, Luigi is a trusted resource for customers, suppliers, and colleagues, recognized for his dedication and industry knowledge.

Bill Gillespie has been in the printing business for 49 years and has been in sales and marketing since 1978. He was formerly the COO of National Color Graphics, an internationally recognized commercial printer and EVP of Brown Industries, an international POP company. Bill has enjoyed business relationships with flagship brands including, but not limited to, Apple, Microsoft, Coca Cola, American Express, Nike, MGM, Home Depot, and Berkshire Hathaway. He is an expert in printing sales, having written more than $100,000,000 in personal business during his career. Currently, Bill consults with printing companies, equipment manufacturers, and software firms. He can be reached by email (bill@bill-gillespie.com) or by phone (770-757-5464).

Theresa Hegel is the executive editor, special projects & sustainability, at ASI, where she oversees various strategic initiatives for the company’s editorial department and also serves as editor of Promo for the Planet, ASI’s award-winning educational resource hub for sustainability. She writes regularly for Counselor and PPM magazines and the ASICentral news site, with a focus on apparel, technology and sustainability. She’s won multiple regional and national awards for her writing and reporting, including three Jesse H. Neal awards for Best Range of Work By a Single Author.