A Great Day for Golf
The 5th annual PGAMA Golf Outing took place Monday June 14th with hot temperatures and golfers. 84 players took part in the competition, with the awards for Low Gross Score presented to the team from Lindenmeyr Munroe: Lewis Bloom, Mark Watt, John Gay Jr., and John Gay, Sr. The foursome with the Low Net score was from Todd Allan, and was made up of Bill Mills, Bob Taylor, Ken Popp, and Gary Waesche.
Chris Carroll from the Xerox team earned the prize for Closest to the Pin; while the Longest Drive came from Jimmy VanWie from District Creative Printing. As for the Putting Contest, there were five gentlemen who sunk the 20' Putt: Ken Boone, Tommy Doyle, Steve Kababik, Dave Shreve, and Gary Waesche. Only one person was also able to sink the 30' putt, and he also came within a foot of sinking the 50' putt which would have won him the $3500 prize. That was Jeff Gomes from Automated Graphic Systems.
The tournament was enjoyed by all, and would not have been possible without the generous support of the sponsors: Group Benefit Review, Kline Paper Mill, Wells Fargo, Prisco, Xerox, K&W finishing, inc., Walker Supply, Lindenmeyr Munroe, Printers 401(k), xpedx, Southern Lithoplate, Smith Barney, and the Print Grows Trees campaign. Look for pictures of the event in the Summer issue of Print Matters and on pgama.com.
Region Supports Benefits for Part-Timers
Employers in the Washington-Baltimore region offered part-time workers better perks this year in lieu of creating full-time positions, according to an annual survey of human resources officials to be released Tuesday. In fact, 73 percent of employers participating in the fifth annual Washington-Baltimore Metro Region Benefits Survey Report said they offered leave benefits to part-time employees, compared with 61 percent last year. Many extended medical, dental and 401(k) plans to employees who worked as few as 20 hours a week.
Personnel experts say the strategy may be a move by businesses to hold on to good employees and boost productivity without the full investment of adding another person to the payroll. The 247-page study is based on a survey of 256 public and private employers with a total workforce of more than 224,000. Read the full story at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/07/AR2010060704513.html.
Another Sign of Economic Improvement
In a sharp reversal from the previous 15 months, more people quit their jobs in the past three months than were laid off. Nearly 2 million people quit their jobs in April, the highest number of resignations in more than a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). By contrast, 1.75 million people were laid off in April, the fewest since January 2007.
Quitting is a sign of better economic times, economists say. "During recessions, people are hesitant to quit because jobs are scarce, but resignations generally outnumber layoffs in a healthy economy" says John Wohlford, an economist with the BLS.
Employers cut more than 8 million jobs in 2008 and 2009, sending the unemployment rate to a 26-year high of 10.1 percent. As unemployment spiked, the number of people quitting plummeted to 1.72 million in September 2009, the lowest number the government has seen since it started tracking the number in 2000.
Article excerpted from "More workers quit their jobs, and that's good news for the economy" by Husna Haq. First published June 9, 2010 in the Christian Science Monitor.
Ink & Newsprint Costs to Rise
Ongoing raw material trends, including supply shortages, have pushed up the price of pigments, resins and other intermediates used in the manufacture of heatset & directory inks in North America. As a result, Flint Group has announced price increases on heatset & directory products sold in the US and Canada. Prices will increase by 6 percent on inks and overprint varnishes, effective July 1, subject to existing contracts.
Meanwhile, per followthemedia.com, newsprint producers have increased pricing by 14% this year with FOEX Industries reporting this week's US benchmark price for 30-lb standard newsprint at $581.73.
Low Cost Cooling Tips from the EPA
With the arrival of summer weather, it's a good time to examine ways to save money on cooling costs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star program offers low to no-cost energy-efficient cooling tips to beat the heat. A typical household spends almost 20 percent of its utility bill on cooling, and by taking steps this summer to improve energy efficiency; you can save energy, save money, and help fight climate change. Try these simple tips to start saving today:
- Program your thermostat to work around your family's summer schedule. Set it a few degrees higher (such as 78 degrees) when no one is home, so your cooling system isn't cooling an empty house. With proper use, programmable thermostats can save you about $180 a year in energy costs.
- Check your HVAC system's air filter every month. If the filter looks dirty, change it, but change the filter at least every three months. A dirty filter will slow air flow and make the system work harder to keep you cool, wasting energy.
- Run your ceiling fan to create a cool breeze. If you raise your thermostat by only two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower cooling costs by up to 14 percent. Remember that ceiling fans cool you, not the room, so when you leave the room make sure to turn off the fan.
- Pull the curtains and shades closed before you leave your home to keep the sun's rays from overheating the interior of your home. If you can, move container trees and plants in front of sun-exposed windows to serve as shade.
For other tips from the EPA go to http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/6424ac1caa800aab85257359003f5337/386ebff0a635644f8525773c004d84d3!OpenDocument
*PGAMA partner MetroMedia Power can also help members cut costs this summer, with savings of 8-25% off current electric rates. Look for the flyer with more info about this offer in next week's PGAMA Management Bulletin mailing. Or, contact Tom Gussen to learn more, 732-440-0031.
Students Prefer Paper
A recent nationwide poll found that while most students consider themselves environmentally conscious, they still believe that paper is critical when it comes to key documents. The survey of 420 college students was conducted by Eric Mower and Associates, and also found that:
- 52% students prefer study materials on paper
- 23% report they prefer hard copies of most notes, and also print out class materials (Although they report that professors tend to send out electronic copies.)
- Less than one-third of respondents preferred electronic copies over print for legal contracts, real estate deeds, marriage licenses, birth certificates, passports or drivers' licenses.
- A personal note on paper beat out phone calls, texts and emails for communicating with those close to them about important events or at important times.
Member
News & Activities
Congratulations Alain Ring with manroland who won a $75 gift card for Outback Steak House for referring the newest PGAMA member, the FBI. Bon appetit Alain! If you have a business connection that could benefit from PGAMA membership, contact Jan Keadle at the office with details, 410-319-0900/877-319-0906. If they join the Association, dinner's on us!
If your firm is looking for used Press, Prepress, Bindery and/or Delivery equipment, contact Carol or Debbie at the PGAMA office for information about a recently closed local printing company with items for sale, 410-319-0900.
Upcoming
Events
| June 22 |
Webinar: Controlling Unemployment Insurance Costs, 1:00-2:00pm. Employers across the nation are already facing soaring unemployment insurance (UI) costs, and unfortunately, higher UI tax liabilities will not be limited to 2010. That’s why it’s essential for business owners and managers to re-examine their UI cost management programs to more effectively deal with taxes and other costs. Tune in to Printing Industries of America new webinar, “Controlling Unemployment Insurance Costs,” to get insights on this issue. Led by Ronald Adler, a nationally recognized expert in unemployment insurance issues. Cost is $49 for PGAMA Members ($99 for non-members.) To register go to http://www.printing.org/node/6264. |
| June 22 |
FREE Webinar: Ways to Improve Production and Cost Savings, 1:00-2:00pm. How can your printing operation improve production and save on costs to meet buyer’s demands? See how Nick Benkovich, Director of Product Management for Unified Workflow Solutions with Kodak, improved productivity and savings by implementing an efficient, automated workflow. Also hear from Frank Martell who will discuss the benefits of an extensive and flexible enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for the printing industry. All webinar attendees will be registered in a drawing for a Garmin GPS! Click here to register. Event sponsored by Questex. |
| June 22 |
Cocktails
& Connections-FREE Member
Happy Hour, at Caddies
on Cordell in Bethesda, MD. Member firm Xerox
is sponsoring this event, and invites members
for cocktails, appetizers, and an exclusive
opportunity to meet and learn from Roger Gimbel,
President of Gimbel & Associates,
who will discuss variable data color printing
with live examples of real world successful
applications currently being done. He will
have real business examples of personalized
and customized direct mail marketing,
trans-promo statements, and related marketing
campaigns he has used successfully. Join us
just for drinks, or beat the traffic and
come to the presentation first at 3:30pm, then
stay for happy hour from 5:30-7:30pm. This
is a FREE event for members ($25 for non-members),
but pre-registration is required. RSVP
to PGAMA by June 18, 410-319-0900/877-319-0906
or online at www.pgama.com. |
| June 23 |
CSR
Training Webinar, Noon-1:00pm.
Sid Chadwick's
CSR Webinar Series concludes with part 6: Working to Improve Department Performance, and Successful Employees--The Supervisor’s Challenge. Topics to be addressed include:
- The all-important position description; when to use it, and how to develop it
- How to develop successful employees
- What a FUBR portfolio should contain, and how to use it for department and employee development
- What systematic education and training should accomplish; what to do, and not do
- Employee Performance Reviews --- Critical continuous improvement, and development of trust between employee and supervisor
Cost is $75. All
you need to participate is a phone and a computer with Internet connection! Register
with PGAMA up to two days before broadcast, 410-319-0900/877-319-0906 or www.pgama.com. |
| June 23 |
FREE Webinar: Result Driven Sales, 10:30-11:30am. Owners, sales management and other top executives concerned with the profitability and viability of their firm should tune in to this broadcast. Speaker Jeff Riback of New Direction Partners will discuss measuring actions that drive sales results, optimizing sales opportunities, and establishing appropriate compensation. Brought to you by member firm MargolisBecker. Sign up with PGAMA: 410-319-0900/877-319-0906 or www.pgama.com. |
| July 22 |
Webinar: Making Your Move to Digital A Success, 2:00-3:00pm. Digital printing continues to grow and as a traditional printer, your business plan now includes an investment in a production level digital press. This session will help you to become familiar with the unique business characteristics of the digital print industry and what it takes to acquire, operate, and maintain a profitable digital press operation. Led by Frank Kanonik, President of DigitalPrintInfo, LLC. Cost is $49 for PGAMA Members ($99 for non-members.) More info and register at http://www.printing.org/node/6147. |
October 14-16
|
SAVE THE DATE! Plan now to attend the PGAMA/PIVA Fall Management Conference, and get the direction you need to ensure a successful future for your business. More info to follow in your PGAMA print and email. |
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