PROMOTIONS
Robert E. Strenge was named vice president and region manager, Louisiana Operations, at Vancouver, Wash.-based supplier Boise Paper Solutions, a division of Boise Cascade Corp., Boise, Idaho. Strenge, who has served as Louisiana Operations region manager since 2002, joined Boise Cascade in 1988 as production manager of the company's Vancouver pulp and paper mill. He also has served as production manager of the company's pulp and paper mills in West Tacoma, Wash., and DeRidder, La.; engineering services manager and production manager of its DeRidder paper mill; Paper Engineering senior staff engineer at the company's headquarter facility; and manager of the company's pulp and paper mill in St. Helens, Ore.
Roger Bishop was named a telesales account executive at distributorship Relyco Sales Inc., Dover, N.H. He previously served two years in the distributorship's accounting department. Prior to joining the company in 2001, Bishop served 19 years with the Artisan Apparel Group and Maurice Corp. Doug MacGregor was promoted to technical products manager. MacGregor, who formerly was a member of the company's telesales department, previously served SunGard Trading and Risk Systems. Michelle Blouin was named a telesales account executive. Previously, she served eight years with the U.S. Navy. Kitty Bales joined the company's accounting department. Bales, who previously served Wayne Services Group in Somersworth, N.H., has extensive experience in accounting and office management.
Kathy Sanders Schneider, a sales representative for promotional products manufacturer Prime Resources Corp., now serves an expanded sales territory that includes Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Based in Dallas, she has more than 14 years of experience helping distributors. Larry Baida now serves an expanded sales territory that includes California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Utah. He has more than five years of promotional products industry experience.
Eric D. Belcher was promoted to COO of sheetfed operations at Westmont, Ill.-based supplier MAN Roland Inc. He's responsible for overseeing sheetfed operations throughout North America. Belcher previously served as CFO and directed sheetfed operations for the company's Midwest region. Steve Gilland was named CFO. He's a member of the company's board of directors and is responsible for finance, information technology/ information security and the company's spare parts business. Previously, Gilland served as vice president and CFO of Nordstrom Rack. Paul Tasker was named general manager of the company's Sheetfed Division in Canada. Tasker, who works out of the company's Toronto office, is responsible for a territory that encompasses all of Canada's provinces. He previously served as president of Marathon Graphics Supply, a graphics distributorship in Toronto.
Brian R. Finn was named corporate vice president of promotional products manufacturer Finn Graphics Inc., Cincinnati. Finn, who continues to serve as national sales director, is responsible for product research, development, costing and market analysis. Prior to joining the company in 1998 in research and development of new products, Finn served as an environmental research specialist at KBD Technic, Cincinnati.
Noel Reilly was named managing director of supplier De La Rue Security Print, Basingstoke, England. Reilly, who joined the company in 1966, previously served as managing director of De La Rue Smurfit Ltd., a joint venture of De La Rue and Jefferson Smurfit Group, Bray, England. Keith Brown was named director of business development of De La Rue Global Services. Previously, he served as business director of De La Rue Security Print.
Wendell L. Wilson was named to the newly created position of chief marketing officer at supplier Océ-USA Holding, Chicago. He's responsible for marketing all of the company's North American operations. Wilson, who joined the company in 1999 as group vice president for Océ Document Printing Systems, had served as senior vice president of marketing for Océ Printing Systems since 2002. Prior to joining Océ, he managed a variety of marketing, product and technology programs at Xerox Corp., served as executive vice president and general manager of the CopyMax division of OfficeMax Inc., and served as vice president of operations and product management at Kinko's Inc.
Thomas Duckett was named New England sales manager at Hauppauge, N.Y.-based finishing systems supplier Muller Martini Corp. He's responsible for sales in New England (except Connecticut). A 29-year company veteran, Duckett previously served as New England senior service engineer.
NEW HIRES
Alejandro Quiroz was appointed to the board of directors at DeSoto, Texas-based manufacturer Ennis Business Forms Inc. He replaces Kenneth E. Overstreet, who resigned from the board and retired as president of the company's Financial Solutions Group. Overstreet's resignation from the board was attributed, in part, to his inability to serve as an "independent director" in the future as a result of his prior service as an executive officer of the company. Quiroz will complete Overstreet's term, which expires in June 2005. Quiroz is chairman of the board of PRINTER Group and has extensive experience in the printing industry in the United States and Mexico. He also serves on the boards of directors of several commercial and non-profit organizations.
Lee Anne Bundesen, CDC, joined distributorship Golden Pacific Systems Inc., Rohnert Park, Calif., as a sales executive. She's responsible for commercial and print management accounts. Bundesen, who has more than 30 years of industry experience, previously served Colfax, Calif.-based distributorship Tully-Wihr Co. DMIA's 2001 Member of the Year, Bundesen has served as a DMIA Membership Liaison since 1999 and as a Regional Coordinator from 1996 to 1998.
Rick Ciordia was named Hunkeler Graphics sales manager at supplier Standard Finishing Systems, Andover, Mass. He's responsible for all sales activities for Hunkeler web finishing products, which are sold directly by Standard throughout North America. Previously, Ciordia served nine years in various sales, technical and project management capacities at Duplo Corporation, and 10 years providing technical services to the business forms industry at Innovative Equipment Ltd.
Robert Nettles was named prepress manager at The Flesh Company, a manufacturer in St. Louis. Nettles, who has 21 years of industry experience, manages the company's prepress operations and is overseeing installation of computer-to-plate equipment at the firm's manufacturing plant in Parsons, Kan. Nettles, who began his industry career as a platemaker, most recently installed digital printing equipment in the Kansas City, Mo., area.
Vladimir Belyavskiy and Chris Orth were named staff programmers at supplier Xetex Business Systems Inc., West Lawn, Pa. They're responsible for customization and development of the company's Xebra 2004 software package.
Jim Schuessler was named customer service manager at manufacturer PRINT-TECH Promotional Group, Madison, Wis. Previously, he served as Asia and Pacific region marketing manager for Fiskars and as product manager for Fiskars' Lawn and Garden division.
Kurt Schier joined Gaithersburg, Md.-based UV curing systems and services supplier Fusion UV Systems Inc.® as senior product manager. He's responsible for providing product management expertise and processes and coordinating product planning and development among marketing, sales, finance, engineering and manufacturing worldwide. Schier, who has more than 14 year of product marketing, management and sales experience, previously served as a consultant to large corporations and assisted several companies in designing and implementing product awareness and sales campaigns. William D'Costa was named to the newly created position of shipping specialist. He focuses on international documentation of all European orders, and soon will focus on shipments to other international locations such as Asia. Previously, D'Costa served 18 years coordinating shipping of all supplies at the American Consulate in Kolkata, India.
MILESTONE
Carrie Hoesli, a member of the customer service unit at Fort Scott, Kan.-based manufacturer Ward/Kraft Inc.'s Kansas Forms Division, earned accreditation as a Certified Document Consultant (CDC). To earn CDC certification, business document professionals must pass a 250-question exam on the design, construction and application of business forms and document systems. DMIA administers the exam. The CDC designation denotes detailed knowledge of business procedures, products, technology, design, materials, production and equipment.
AWARD
Bob Brookens, owner/partner of distributorship Proforma Business Solutions, Milford, Ohio, received the Community Service award from Proforma, a network of 600 independently owned printing and promotional products distributorships in North America and Puerto Rico. The Community Service award recognizes a franchise owner who has exhibited civic duty and humanitarian assistance to those in his or hercommunity. Since 1978, Brookens has served as the leader of a local Boy Scout troop and has been an active member of his church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. As a Boy Scout troop leader, he earned the Bronze Pelican award in 1986, the Wood Badge in 1984 and the Award of Merit in 1988. This year, he also is serving as Deputy Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Council #10003. Brookens received the award at the 2003 Proforma Convention and Family Reunion, held Aug. 10-13 in Las Vegas. At the event, Brookens also was appointed central regional representative of the 2003-2004 Proforma Owner Advisory Council, a group that helps create and manage strategies and programs of the network, and oversees strategic initiatives with technology, marketing and owner challenges. Brookens, who has been a Proforma franchise owner with his wife, Patricia, since 1987, also is a member of the Proforma Million Dollar Club.
IN MEMORIUM
Richard Klein, 59, a senior partner at supplier integra International Inc., Allentown, Pa., died suddenly on Aug. 7 from a heart attack. Klein, whose graphics arts industry career spanned more than 30 years, previously served Didde Graphic Systems, Stevens International Inc., SG, VITS and more than 17 years with Hantscho Press Equipment. In 2002, Klein helped form and became a partner at integra International, which specializes in single width offset web presses. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Inge; daughter, Michelle; brother, Ken; sister, Carol; and mother, Irene. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 255 Lafayette Ave., Suffern, NY 10901.
