IT’S SAFE to say that no one left the 31st annual National Government Publishing Association (NGPA) conference thirsting for more information. Held in Bellevue, Wash., near Seattle, the meeting combined excellent educational sessions with a well-orchestrated plant tour that left many attendees breathless.
Don Bailey
With cutbacks everywhere, government in-plants must operate more efficiently. Managers met recently to share their ideas. by Bob Neubauer Government in-plants are travelling a rough road these days. At the recent National State Publishing Association conference, words like "financially strapped" and "hiring freeze" spilled frequently from the mouths of attendees. Yet just as often, discussions centered on solutions to these difficulties, ways to bring in more revenue with new services, and ideas for doing more with fewer employees. This positive outlook and eagerness to overcome obstacles is one of the defining characteristics of the NSPA, and a key reason the association is still going
Twenty-four years after its first meeting, the National State Publishing Association returned to Carson City for one of its most ambitious conferences yet. The National State Publishing Association certainly has a loyal following. Not only did its recent conference in Carson City, Nev., draw 48 government in-plant representatives from 34 states, but more than a half dozen retired government printers showed up as well—from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii. Their trek to Nevada's state capital was well worth it, because Don Bailey, Nevada State Printer, together with his staff and the NSPA office staff, organized an activity-packed three-day event, blending education and
Nevada State Printer Don Bailey emphasizes training, while making himself accessible to all his in-plant employees. This dedication earned him the industry's top honor. by CHRIS BAUER ALWAYS READY to pass the credit for accomplishments off to his staff and organization as a whole, Nevada State Printer Don Bailey is characteristically humble when asked about winning IPG's Manager of the Year award. "What it did was bring some real recognition to the Nevada State Printing Department itself more than to me," Bailey says. He reports that after he won the award, the department received a proclamation during a legislative session and was praised by
In-plants that emphasize employee training report increased quality, productivity and customer satisfaction. Find out how they do it. KEEPING YOUR in-plant employees' skills up to date in these days of rapidly changing technology can often be a struggle. It is an on-going process that requires information from many sources. "These days it seems like you're always training," admits Gilbert Sosa, director of printing services for the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, who oversees a staff of 28 employees. "Just as you finish learning an operating system or software program, another version or upgrade hits the market. The printing industry appears