Alliance on the U.N.I.T.E Together Board

Amanda Kliegl has been named to the U.N.I.T.E. Together board of directors, succeeding Josh Carruth in his role on the board, and joining Cassie Green in the organization. U.N.I.T.E. is a diverse group of industry leaders working to spread the message of diversity, inclusion, equality, tolerance, acceptance, and compassion within the apparel industry to Understand New Ideas Through Empathy. U.N.I.T.E.’s mission statement: Creating a united, diverse, and inclusive print community while promoting education, mentorship, resources, and accessibility.

Employee Appreciation Day - 401K Resources

Did you know that today is Employee Appreciation Day?! Your HR team truly values every one of you and truly thanks you for your dedication, passion, and hard work! Let’s continue to show our appreciation for one another and continue to create a supportive work environment!

In early February, we held a 401(k) education webinar (more webinars will be held this year) and sent an email that included the webinar recording and some 401(k) information the following day. Since it is important to invest in your future while taking advantage of the benefits that our 401(k) plan offers, here are the resources available to help you successfully manage your 401(k) account:

Visit http://netbenefits.401k.com, also referred to as www.401k.com. This site has several valuable educational resources and tools that are updated frequently. The site also has all of our plan’s information, along with your personal account information.

Contact our plan consultant, John Wenz, or his associate, Amy Gomez, to answer your individual questions/help you with your savings goals. Please call 215-641-2570, or email John: john.wenz@hubinternational.com, or Amy: amy.gomez@hubinternational.com. Or, contact Jeanne, Jen, or Kylie with any questions regarding our 401(k) plan.

Remember – it is so important to save money for your retirement, no matter what your age and no matter how much you save. When you retire you want your pot of gold waiting for you!

Alliance Media Brands Celebrate Women in the Industry

The Alliance Media Brands are celebrating the women in the printing industry. Across all our brands, we are highlighting women throughout the month (and into early April). Hear their stories of triumphs and challenges, as well as their thoughts on the future of the industry and how it can be more inclusive. Women’s History Month […]

Alliance Membership at an All-Time High

Membership continues to be at an all-time high with 4,307 total members, as of February 20. As mentioned in January, the focus for 2024 is on retention, specifically increasing the overall retention by two percent, from 78 to 80.5%. With a robust onboarding program, a strong marketing plan, and the help of all our fellow team members talking about membership throughout the year, we know we can achieve our goal. Stay tuned for additional updates throughout the year!

Brand Chain and PERF Merger

On February 15, the Alliance announced that it has reached a strategic agreement to begin the merger process with Brand Chain and the Print Education and Research Foundation (PERF). The merger is a unique opportunity for the Alliance to expand our footprint and membership reach, further investing in the industry, and utilizing the strengths of each organization to foster future growth and create new membership benefits. More information about the merger, which is expected to be final on April 1, will be shared as details are confirmed. For questions in the interim, please reference the internal FAQs that were circulated on February 14, or reach out to Amanda Kliegl.

Welcome to the Expo Team, Sarah Hussein

The Expo Team is excited to welcome Sarah Hussein to the team! Sarah (pronounced SAR-ah) will serve as our new Senior Event Manager and is based in the Fairfax office. Her primary role will include managing registration, staffing, vendors, and housing for the Expo, in addition to working with staff on their ancillary Expo events.

Sarah’s first day is today, March 1st, and she will be heading straight to the Exhibitor Optimization Summit in Las Vegas this Sunday. We are excited to have her jumping right in!

WPA at the Leadership Summit & Women's History Month Activities

Women in Print Alliance (WPA) hosted a wine tasting in conjunction with the PRINTING United Leadership Summit at PGA National in Florida. The wine tasting was open to all Summit attendees and sponsors and included a $100 Wine.com gift card to a lucky recipient. Special thanks to Patty Perkins for suggesting glow-in-the-dark stemmed wine glasses as favors; they were a big hit! WPA Director Lisbeth Lyons Black also spoke at the event, providing an introduction to the initiative and previewing membership options coming later in the year.

And, throughout the month of March, WPA continues its year-round mission of attracting, advancing, and advocating for women in the print industry – while also taking a moment to reflect on past lessons from women leaders in the print community. On LinkedIn, follow #WomenMakingPrintHistory to recognize and learn from the contribution of women to the printing industry through a month-long social media campaign on LinkedIn. WPA is excited for its LinkedIn channel to serve as a platform for women leaders, educators, innovators, and rising stars to exchange dialogue and engage with their peers. The popular WPA newsletter also serves to educate and inspire women in the industry. This free publication is open to all women working in print at any role or stage of their careers.

Busy Spring Season for Women in Retail Leadership Circle

The Women in Retail Leadership Circle is looking forward to a busy Spring season. Here are a few key events we are looking forward to!

• The Women in Retail Leadership Summit is being held on April 29-May 1 at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island. Only a few seats remain!
  • Speakers include: Chris Evert, Founder, Evert Tennis Academy; Alli Webb, Founder, Drybar and Author, ‘The Messy Truth””; Jacqueline Ardrey, President, CEO and Board Director, Vera Bradley; Angela Clark, Head of Digital, Patagonia; Kat Cole, President and Chief Operating Officer, Athletic Greens; Kelly Cook, President, Marketing, IT and Finance; Mandy Fields, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President, e.l.f. Beauty; and more!

• Women in Retail is excited to be participating at Shoptalk in Las Vegas, where we’ll be hosting the Women in Retail Pavilion inside the exhibit hall on March 18-19. Visitors to the Pavilion will hear from inspiring women retail leaders who will discuss their career journeys and secrets to success in engaging chats that will take place during breaks in Shoptalk’s content program. The Pavilion also will feature unique activations, fun networking opportunities, and more.

Debbie Sausville Representing Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Representing Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Debbie Sausville was invited to participate in a press conference for National Roadway Safety Strategy at the Department of Transportation on February 21 in Washington, D.C. The event was led by Polly Trottenberg, Deputy Secretary at the DOT (left in photo), who invited attendees to speak to the group. Debbie shared the loss of her 16-year-old stepdaughter, Lauren, in a drunk driving crash in 2004 and her passion for preventing underage drinking and eliminating drunk driving.

NJ All-State Concert Performance

River Skalski (Bob Gibbons’ granddaughter) represented her high school at the New Jersey All-State Treble Chorus, Wind Ensemble, and Symphonic Band concert performance at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ on Saturday, February 24th. River sang in the chorus.

Happy birthday, Murphy Lamond

Happy 15th birthday to Murphy Lamond, the stinkiest collection of snorts this side of the Mississippi! He celebrated in true pug fashion by demanding food and taking an 8-hour power nap.