LeadingPRINT Summit 2023 logo white

Westin O’Hare Hotel, Rosemont, IL
June 14-15, 2023

LeadingPRINT Summit 2023 logo black

We get it – you’re busy running your business.

You’ve weathered a few rough years and come out geared up for growth, but it’s not exactly “business as usual.”

The labor market has changed, credit may be getting tighter, and it is high time for some new approaches to sales.

So, while we know you’re busy, take a breather and join other business leaders like yourself at the LeadingPRINT Summit in Chicago, where together, we will consider positive approaches to the new business climate we find ourselves in today.

The LeadingPRINT Summit is short and to the point, focused on key areas for sustained business success; influential leadership, revenue growth, attracting top talent, and a solid business plan.

And of course, you will have ample opportunity to connect with your peers through networking events, workshops, and a trip to tour the impressive Quantum Group printing facility.

Give yourself a break to reboot and join us in Chicago, June 14-15, 2023.

Event Details

Event
LeadingPRINT Summit 2023
Location
The Westin O’Hare Hotel, Rosemont, IL
Date
June 14-15, 2023
Registration fee
$299 per person (general registration)
$199 per person (APTech members)
Accommodation
Hotel room $204 per night
Click here to book your room

LeadingPRINT Summit 2023 Agenda

June 14, 2023

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Ken Garner portrait
Peak Performance: Stop Managing, Start Coaching
Ken Garner, Principal, Desired Results Through Coaching     Speaker Bio

It's time for a new "Leadership Playbook." When it comes to company investment, the focus in the printing industry is often on equipment. And while that's important, it's time for leadership to live up to the oft-cited claim that "our people are our most important asset."

In this interactive workshop, leadership coach Ken Garner, explains the concept of Peak Performance and how to invest in organizational cultures that facilitate and support employees’ being the best they can be. You will learn how to create an “employee value proposition”, work on increasing employee engagement and learn a new approach to accountability.

This workshop is limited to 20 attendees and pre-registration is required.

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Networking Reception

Meet old friends and make some new ones, at this kick-off networking reception for all attendees of the LeadingPRINT Summit and APTech members.

Grab your registration badge and enjoy happy-hour libations and appetizers while mingling with your industry peers, sponsors and the Summit presenters.

June 15, 2023

8:00 am – 8:45 am
Richard Romano portrait
The State of the Industry – Print Outlook 2023
Richard Romano, Managing Editor, What They Think     Speaker Bio

We’ll start the day’s program with a breakfast briefing to look at the “state of the state” led by Richard Romano, author of Printing Outlook 2023, a detailed analysis of the latest WhatTheyThink Business Outlook Survey.

Richard shares key findings from the report, some of them quite surprising, including the top business challenges and opportunities cited, investment plans, hiring plans, and new trends that have emerged in the post-pandemic world.

You’ll also hear recent government data on printing industry shipments, profits, and employment, including signage and packaging segments, plus ideas for key trends to pay attention to in 2023 and beyond.

9:00 am – 9:45 am
Gary Laney portrait
Influential Leadership: The Top 10 Competitive Competencies
Gary C. Laney, CEO of Success Masters     Speaker Bio

Learn how to become a highly effective and influential leader by mastering the 10 Competitive Competencies of Leadership. By means of a recent research study to more than 1,000 business executives and entrepreneurs, serial entrepreneur Gary Laney narrowed the large potential list of leadership traits to a set of 10 and describes these elite characteristics as Competitive Competencies.

Competencies, because they exemplify the skill and expertise that extraordinary leaders possess. Competitive, because it gives the leaders who possess them an unusual advantage to get remarkable results in both the employee work environment, and in the business landscape.

10:00 am – 10:45 am
Linda Bishop portrait
What the CEO Needs to Know (And Fix) About Sales Today
Linda Bishop, President, Thought Transformation     Speaker Bio

This is a common situation for many printing companies. The mature salesforce is not as “hungry” as they once were, so they spend minimal time on business development. As a result, many leads get sporadic attention, resulting in longer than necessary sales cycles and few new customers.

In this session, sales and marketing expert, Linda Bishop, shares strategies and tactics to address sales barriers and build processes for repeatable revenue growth, including how to perform a “READY TO WIN” revenue growth audit. This session gives you practical solutions to address today’s selling realities and build the skills and systems your sales team needs to win.

11:00 am – 11:45 am
Jon Budington portrait
The Old Rules Don’t Apply: Financing for New Business Models
Jon Budington, President, More Vang     Speaker Bio

Most print industry business owners know how to raise capital, the traditional way, through traditional banking programs. But what happens when you need to raise money for something that doesn’t have a tangible asset, like a new press, tied to it?

Jon Budington faced the challenge to fund new software development projects – projects that have since catapulted his business in ways his print business never could. Learn how More Vang grew from a printing company to a software development company that also prints, and how Jon learned to present ideas and plans that granted his company access to private equity.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Susan Cain portrait
How to Recruit, Attract & Retain the Right People
Dr. Susan Cain, Partner, The Corporate Learning Institute     Speaker Bio

Change is all around us and no place is this more evident than in recruiting new talent today – it’s become harder than ever to “get the right people on the bus.” In this session, Dr. Susan Cain explains the realities of staff recruitment today, shares how you can build on your strengths to attract new talent, and provides solid recruiting tips specific to our industry.

Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get to work in this interactive workshop-style session, where you’ll work in teams with other participants to develop action plans to recruit and attract new talent for our changing industry.

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Cheryl Kahanec portrait
Quantum Group plant tour & demonstrations
Cheryl Kahanec, CEO, Quantum Group     Speaker Bio

You won’t want to miss this extraordinary chance to visit the production plant and headquarters of Quantum Group, one of the country's premier print communications companies.

We will take a chartered bus to the Quantum facility in Morton Grove, IL (just a short distance from the conference venue) and meet Cheryl Kahanec, Quantum’s CEO. Together, we will tour the facility, see some state-of-the-art equipment in action, and meet some of the people who make Quantum a print and digital communication powerhouse.

Summit Speakers

Ken Garner portrait
Ken Garner
Principal, Desired Results Through Coaching

Ken Garner has over two decades of experience successfully leading organizations in senior leadership positions.

In 2019, he led the development of an industry leadership program with the faculty of George Mason University’s School of Business. He subsequently graduated from George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-being’s “Leadership Coaching for Organizational Well-being” program.

As a current member of George Washington University’s “Transformative Leadership in Disruptive Times” Advisory Committee and a recipient of multiple awards for industry leadership and contributions, Ken has become the leading coach within the printing industry.

Richard Romano portrait
Richard Romano
Managing Editor, What They Think

Richard Romano is Managing Editor of WhatTheyThink | Printing News & Wide-Format & Signage.

He curates the Wide Format section on WhatTheyThink.com. He has been writing about the graphic communications industry for more than 25 years.

He is the author or coauthor of more than half a dozen books on printing technology and business.

Gary Laney portrait
Gary C. Laney
CEO of Success Masters

Gary C. Laney is CEO of Success Masters, author, and serial entrepreneur of 20+ businesses.

Industries include business networking, online media, e-commerce, and intellectual property. A dynamic speaker, Gary has been recognized as a top presenter, motivating tens of thousands of entrepreneurs, professionals, and salespeople.

Prior to his entrepreneurial run, Gary spent 25 years as an executive in corporate high-tech and commercial publishing. He is known for his ability to turn around businesses and create dramatic revenue growth. Gary has a triple major MBA from Northwestern Kellogg in finance, marketing, and policy.

Linda Bishop portrait
Linda Bishop
President, Thought Transformation

Linda Bishop is passionate about sales and marketing, and she believes the best way to grow revenues is to develop and execute a process that grows sales.

For over fifteen years, she was a top performer for a division of RR Donnelley. Today she works with businesses nationwide, helping them grow their sales with the right strategy and the best combination of tools, training, and tactics.

Linda has a BS Degree in Accounting from Purdue University, and an MBA in Marketing from Georgia State University. She is the author of three books, writes regularly for Canvas Magazine, and has spoken at many events including Dscoop, sponsored by HP.

Jon Budington portrait
Jon Budington
President, More Vang

Jon Budington is a philosophical optimist. He believes that change is a constant in life, and that we are all designed to adapt to those changes. His story reads like a proof of this thesis.

He attained a printing degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. Upon graduation, he found a job in he printing industry. It seemed like a great idea, right up until the invention of the internet, the iPhone, and later, social media.

He spent about a decade reinventing our business model, coming to terms with the changing value of printed media while developing a new appreciation for the more casual language delivered through social platforms.

As he explored options for a business focused on delivering people’s printed words,he became obsessed with the human invention of language. Together with his curious employees, he set out on an educational odyssey, learning about human evolution through the lens of language. Storytelling b ecame our focal point. Stories, we learned, were the best tools for processing facts into beliefs.

Susan Cain portrait
Dr. Susan Cain
Partner, The Corporate Learning Institute

Dr. Susan Cain, CLI Partner is a creative instructional designer, strategist, author, executive coach and facilitator. Sue brings her clinical skills and insights into her work with clients.

She has worked across business sectors worldwide with organizations including Kellogg, Cirque Du Soleil, Disney Federal Credit Union, Kerry, Tellabs and Whirlpool.

Susan is a valued organizational coach certified in the use of: Denison Culture Survey, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, all Disc and Everything Disc Personal Profile Assessments, TKI, Situational Leadership Inventory, Firo B, Profiler, EQi 2.0, 16PF, most Leadership 360 assessments, Team Assess, Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and The Learning Styles Inventory. Susan’s coaching philosophy is to provide unbiased and honest support in a solution-focused setting. Susan recently completed the launch of the CLI Professional Styles Assessment after five years of development and research.

Susan holds a doctoral degree in Leadership and a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work and Administrative Management. Susan is on faculty at Elmhurst College.

Cheryl Kahanec portrait
Cheryl Kahanec
CEO, Quantum Group

Cheryl Kahanec is CEO, of Quantum Group, an industry-leading print communication firm in Morton Grove, IL.

Cheryl has more than 35 years of experience in the marketing communications and digital print industry, including transitioning traditional print companies into early digital success stories. She has driven Quantum’s strategic vision to develop integrated and innovative solutions helping marketers succeed in today’s technology and data-driven marketplace.

In 2018, Cheryl was named to the Printing Impressions /Rochester Institute of Technology Printing Industry Hall of Fame.

Sponsors

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