2021 Spring Virtual Meeting

From Disruption to Opportunity

SCHEDULE – Eastern Time Zone

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

3:45 pm – 5:30 pm

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Opening General Session – Keynote Speaker & Awards

Opening Networking Reception

Bourbon/Louisville Themed Networking Reception

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

11:45 am – 1:30 pm

1:30 pm – 1:45 pm

1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

3:15 pm – 4:15 pm

General Session II – Foundation Forum

Break

General Session III – Management/Technology

Networking with First-Time Attendees

Networking event geared towards New Members/First Time Attendees – match with Hosts

Thursday, April 22, 2021

10:45 am – 12:30 pm

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

General Session IV – Postal Affairs/Public Policy

Break

Closing General Business Session – Keynote

SESSIONS

Day 1 | Tuesday, April 20, 2021

3:45 pm – 5:30 pm

Opening General Session – Keynote Speaker & Awards

Positivity in the midst of a Pandemic: An outlook on Direct Mail and its role in marketing strategies today. A look forward to examining the ROI of Direct Mail and how it plays into a customer journey. We will look at how people are interacting with mail today and what can be done to increase relevancy in using Direct Mail as a marketing channel.

Mark DeBoer, Senior Vice President at Darwill. DeBoer began his career at Darwill in 1996 as an Account Executive, transitioned to Director of Customer Experience in 2009 and into his current role in 2020.

Mark DeBoer, Senior Vice President, Darwill

Day 2 | Wednesday, April 21, 2021

11:45 am – 1:30 pm

General Session II – Foundation Forum

Paul Siegle, Chairman, EMA Foundation will provide a Foundation update.
Rob Melton, Vice Chairman, EMA Foundation will provide an update on the Development Committee.

Cheryl Z. Chapman, Chair, Institute of Postal Studies, EMA Foundation, Product Manager, Bristol and Envelope Papers, International Paper and Susan M. LaChance, Institute of Postal Studies, Trustee, EMA Foundation, President, Seacoast Consultants, LLC., will provide a presentation on the Potential Impacts of Discounting an Oversized First-Class Postcard on the Mailing Industry as a Whole. Mailers express the need for a quick way to prepare a cost-effective mail piece that allows them to reach the customer quickly. Their interest is in being able to mail a postcard piece that exceeds the standard size of 4 ¼” x 6”, at the first-class postcard rate. This workshop will share highlights of the research, and suggest that EMA Members be aware of this proposal, reflect on how any such change might affect their own business model, and consider how best to respond.

Mark Pitts, Executive Director, Printing-Writing Papers, Pulp and Tissue, American Forest & Paper Association, will provide an overview on Extended Producer Responsibility, and the Implications for Envelope Manufacturers and their Customers. He will explain why this issue is rapidly gaining momentum, provide the state of play of EPR legislation in the states, and discuss the potential effects of EPR laws for paper producers, brand owners and the paper supply chain

Cheryl Z. Chapman
Chair, Institute of Postal Studies, EMA Foundation

Susan M. LaChance
Institute of Postal Studies, Trustee, EMA Foundation

Mark Pitts
Executive Director, American Forest & Paper Association

1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

General Session III – Management/Technology

The Management & Technology’s Safety Advocacy Council will provide a brief follow-up on the safety webinars and discuss other industry safety news.

Bobby Congdon, Assistant Director, Clemson’s Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics and Nathan Newsome, will introduce the STRIPE Virtual Online Press, a novel virtual online educational tool for the package printing industry. The goal is to use this platform to foster workforce development at the high school and college level, as well as provide a safe, consistent, and inexpensive method of training press operators. This session will cover project goals and scope, as well as demonstrate of the technology via the web.

Andy Schipke, VP Marketing & Strategic Sales, W+D North America, will discuss New W+D technologies for envelopes and mailing – the opportunities and potential threats these technologies create for EMA member companies. The goal of the presentation is to provide EMA members an understanding of the strategic direction of W+D and to offer an assessment of the various segment opportunities and risks it may present for EMA companies, as the market continues to consolidate and react to the changing mailing and marketing stakeholders’ needs.

Bobby Congdon
Assistant Director, Clemson’s Sunoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics

Nathan Newsome

Andy Schipke
VP Marketing & Strategic Sales, W+D North America

Day 3 | Thursday, April 22, 2021

10:45 am – 12:30 pm

General Session IV – Postal Affairs/Public Policy

The EMA Postal Affairs Team; Lon Robinson, Kurt Ruppel and Bill LeVoir, will give an update on MTAC and recent activities at the US Postal Service.

Jeff Ellington, President & CEO, Runbeck Election Services, will cover the challenges for envelope design and obtaining proper quantities during the election process. The election industry is very dynamic, 2020 brought several challenges to the election industry. Obtaining ballot certified paper and envelopes for a nation that was contemplating significant increases in vote by mail presented many challenges to counties, states and vendors attempting this feat.

Stephen Kearney, Executive Director, Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, will cover important developments at the U.S. Postal Service, including its new strategic plan and new authority to raise rates above inflation. He will give a brief picture of the nonprofit segment of mailers. Steve is in his eight year as the executive director of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, and served in several senior positions at USPS during the prior 33 years. Steve has an MBA in finance, BA in economics, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Jeff Ellington
President & CEO, Runbeck Election Services

Stephen Kearney
Executive Director, Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Closing General Business Session

Panel Discussion – From Disruption to Opportunity – Fixing the Postal Service

The panel will focus on the Future of Mail and the USPS. They will cover the USPS 10-Year Strategic Plan, Changes in the mail stream Post-COVID and new opportunities for the mail.

Maynard H. Benjamin
President & CEO, Envelope Manufacturers Association

Kurt Ruppel
EMA Chairman and Director Postal Policy & Marketing Communications, IWCO Direct®

Lon Robinson
Postal Affairs Committee Chair and Dir. Research and Development, Tension Corp.

Business Session

Kurt Ruppel, EMA Chairman and Director Postal Policy & Marketing Communications, IWCO Direct®, will provide a brief update on the Association.
Maynard H. Benjamin, EMA President & CEO, will provide his president’s report.

NETWORKING

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Opening Networking Reception

Kick off our Opening Networking Reception with this Bourbon Tasting Event that tips its hat to Louisville and our next chance to be face-to-face with each other in Louisville, Kentucky! The event will include a bourbon sommelier from Evan Williams Distillery, and a bourbon gift box provided by our sponsors.

Reception Sponsors

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

3:15 pm – 4:15 pm

First-Time Attendee/New Member Orientation

New members, prospects, and first-time attendees are invited to attend this special orientation. You will receive a brief overview of the Association from the EMA and GEA leadership. Following the orientation, you can chat with the EMA leadership, committee chairs and hosts.