John Sarantakos to Be Honored at IPMA 2022
Veteran printer and former In-plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) President John Sarantakos will receive IPMA’s Outstanding Contributor Award at the 2022 Educational Conference and Vendor Fair, being held June 12-16, in Buffalo, New York. The director of Print and Mail Services at the University of Oklahoma, one of the country’s largest university in-plants, Sarantakos has more than 50 years of experience in the printing field as a manager, educator, and craftsperson.
John Sarantakos
“John Sarantakos is one of the giants within in-plant operations, and we are fortunate to have such an individual,” lauds Kelly Hogg, IPMA president. “His knowledge and leadership have benefitted us all and will for many years to come. The board is proud to honor John for all his contributions to the organization.”
“Recognition from one’s peers is the highest honor any professional can receive,” says Sarantakos. “I have been a member of IPMA since the late ’80s and was given the opportunity to lead this group many years later. I consider my time on the board to be one of my major career successes. IPMA is, without a doubt, the premier organization of our industry, and being named its Outstanding Contributor is a great honor.”
With more than 60 full-time staff members and more than $16 million in annual sales, OU Printing and Mailing has earned more than 260 awards for printing quality and innovative ideas. Sarantakos has been with the university for 25 years and prior to that served as director of production at Indiana University.
From left: Sherri Isbell and John Sarantakos from the University of Oklahoma hold their In-Print 2019 awards during the ceremony. With them is IPMA Awards Chairperson Christopher Donlon, of Kohler Co.
Before entering the in-plant management field, Sarantakos was an assistant professor of graphics at Central Missouri State University and taught and coached at Pontiac Township High School and Livingston Area Vocational Center in Illinois. He received a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Industrial Education from Western Illinois University and a Master of Sciences degree in Graphic Arts Management from Central Missouri State University.
At IPMA 2019, John Sarantakos detailed how his award-winning operation faced a major challenge when a new university president took office.
Sarantakos is a past president of IPMA, and he served on its board of directors for many years. The Franklin Stamp and Ink Society was his brainchild in 2012 after he earned his CGCM. He wanted to devise a method to elevate the CGCM/CMM members and provide leadership and mentorship opportunities to the that group.
He has written frequently for and been featured in In-plant Impressions magazine. He writes a blog titled “The ravings of a mad printer” and speaks regularly on industry-related topics.
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Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 170 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
