Conference Merger Proposal Triggers Heated Dialog
Though some in-plant managers are embracing the idea of consolidating the various in-plant conferences, others are not so sure this will benefit them. Over the past couple of weeks both sides have been voicing their opinions on e-mail listservs and in the comments section of the IPG Web site.
The discussion is in response to an editorial in the October issue of IPG by Editor Bob Neubauer and a column last month by incoming IPMA president John Sarantakos. Both suggested some consolidation, though with different approaches.
“As an in-plant printing industry we do not have one voice; we are way too segmented,” agreed Don Harty, assistant director of campus services at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, in a comment on Sarantakos’s column. “By consolidating our conferences, I personally believe we will get more bang for our buck.”
Long-time attendees of smaller, regional gatherings like the Southeastern University Printing and Digital Managers Conference (SUPDMC), on the other hand, pointed out the value of these conferences, and rejected the idea of dissolving them and incorporating them into a larger group like the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA).
“I will...put my money on the smaller regional conferences to survive,” wrote Jimmy Robinson, printing department director at the University of West Alabama, in a comment on IPG’s Web site. “There is room for ACUP and all the others. It’s a matter of preference. Don’t let a few years of a bad economy change the whole landscape. Things will get better and we will all survive.”
Those who value the camaraderie of the smaller conferences have argued that meeting with a tight-knit group of university or government in-plants to hash out common problems is far more beneficial than being part of a giant group from assorted industries.
On the other hand, proponents of merging conferences have pointed out that this value would not be lost, since conference tracks could be tailored to government or university attendees and breakout discussion groups would still bring those from similar industries together. But in addition to this, those folks would have access to higher caliber speakers and more vendor support—support that may dry up for some of the smaller events, if nothing changes.
“As a merchant I can appreciate both sides of the argument,” wrote one vendor in a comment on IPG’s Web site. “However, current economic conditions make it very difficult for sponsors to support all user groups equally. The most successful ones get most of our attention and have proved, based on their growth, that a unified effort is the way to go.”
Though all the discussion is somewhat cathartic, the reality is, it won’t change anything. Most of the conferences, like the Association of College and University Printers (ACUP) and SUPDMC, do not have a board of decision makers, so no one can actually implement a change—other than the current year’s host. (Witness the SUPDMC/TACUP “merger” last year: Host Steve Burdette simply offered to host both, and members went along for the ride.)
Either several years of low attendance will discourage anyone from stepping up to host the following year, or vendors will pull out of the smaller events, causing them to get more expensive, shrink in scope and possibly fade away. In both cases, those who would have attended will simply switch to other events. IPG