IPA to Join IDEAlliance, April 1, 2010

March 10, 2010

The membership of IPA has overwhelmingly approved a merger with IDEAlliance, an organization with a 40+ year history of developing and sharing best practices within the publishing and information technology industries. IPA and IDEAlliance will join forces effective April 1, 2010. The new entity, which will retain the name IDEAlliance, brings together the knowledge and experience of more than 5,500 professionals from almost 500 companies to better serve members in today’s fast-changing print and graphic communications environment.

The new organization will be ideally aligned to facilitate the effective adoption of cross-media workflows and technologies, combining the power of print and emerging digital technologies for greater efficiencies and better results.

The benefits IPA members have always enjoyed will remain, including The Bulletin magazine, in-depth webinars, studies and reports, and extraordinary networking opportunities with industry leaders. In addition to these valuable benefits, as of April 1, employees of IPA member companies will be afforded all rights, privileges and responsibilities of membership in IDEAlliance.

The backbone of IDEAlliance is active, ongoing, and forward-looking groups composed of members. As of April 1, members may participate in IDEAlliance committees, networks and working groups. See details of IDEAlliance groups

As of April 1, 2010:

• IPA members will be classified members of IDEAlliance, with all of the rights, privileges and responsibilities accorded to IDEAlliance members.
• IPA Members' dues payable to IDEAlliance shall remain at the current IPA corporate membership rates and shall not increase before June 2011.
• IDEAlliance will increase its number of Directors from twelve to seventeen, adding five IPA members to its leadership body:
  • Bob Cockerill, Regional Managing Director, Schawk Canada
  • Mark Levin, President Americas, Presstek
  • Chip Harding, President/COO, Harper House, Inc.
  • Kent Hatterick, President/CEO, Beck Graphic Solutions
  • Marriott Winchester, Senior Vice President, SGS International
• IDEAlliance's Board of Directors will select an IPA representative to serve as IDEAlliance's Vice Chair in 2011 and leading the organization in 2012.
• IDEAlliance will expand its purposes, drafting a new mission statement to include the provisions to honor, maintain, and embrace the mission of IPA.
• IDEAlliance shall appoint IPA representatives to leadership positions on IDEAlliance's committees, networks, and working groups.
• IDEAlliance shall establish a new Integrated Media Production Committee to coordinate the identification and documentation of best business practices in cross-media workflows.

The IPA staff and Board of Directors thank you very much for your past support. We hope we can count on your continued support as we build a new organization that makes the promise of tomorrow happen today.

If you have any questions regarding your membership status, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Thank you,

Steve Bonoff
IPA President
800-255-8141