PROMOTIONS
David Walker was promoted to director of special markets at Bridgeport, Conn.-based promotional products manufacturer Prime Resources Corp. He continues to serve as Southeast sales manager, a position he has held for four years.
Bob Howes was named plant manager of Medford, Ore.-based manufacturer Sterling Business Forms Inc.'s stock forms plant in White City, Ore. He's responsible for managing the plant's daily operations and for helping the company develop and deploy a wide range of short run programs. Howes has more than 30 years of print manufacturing experience, including more than 15 years of print manufacturing management experience. He previously served as plant manager of the company's plant in Sacramento, Calif. Donna Matekel, CDC, was named Sacramento plant manager. She's responsible for managing the plant's daily operations and for helping the company maintain its leadership role in the central California market and improve its regional sales and service efforts.
Sam Mikhail was named vice president of sales at the eBusiness Division of supplier ACOM Solutions Inc., Long Beach, Calif. He's responsible for sales of ACOM products used in the Microsoft® software environment, including EZPayManager corporate payment suite, EZeDocs e-document output management suite, and EZConnect EDI-XML and EZWebForms e-commerce translation, connectivity and data management products. A 10-year company sales veteran, Mikhail has served as director of sales at the company's Payment, iSeries and eCommerce divisions; regional manager of the Payment, iSeries and eCommerce divisions; and sales account executive.
Keith Beck was appointed to a 12-month term as president of distributorship franchise Proforma's 2003 Development Coach Council. He owns Proforma Pacific Systems, Pleasanton, Calif. Currently, the council oversees 29 owners who serve as mentors or leaders in the owner network and recruit new owners and staff. Beck, who has served as a development coach for eight years, previously served as a regional representative on Proforma's Owner Advisory Council, and president and chairman of the board of Western Business Systems Association. The first member of Proforma's Million-Dollar Club, Beck currently serves as a member of the Promotional Marketing Association of Northern California.
NEW HIRES
Digby Jones was named chairman of Solihull, England-based distributorship etrinsic plc. He currently serves as director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, the United Kingdom's premier independent business organization. He's the senior non-executive director of Manchester, England-based iSOFT plc, an application product manufacturer for the international healthcare market; a member of the Advisory Board of the Commonwealth Education Fund, a group that promotes education in developing countries throughout the British Commonwealth; chairman of the Tourism Alliance, a group that lobbies the English and Belgian governments on key issues facing the tourism industry; a member of the National Learning and Skills Council, a group that funds education for individuals in England who are older than 16 years old; and a vice president of UNICEF. He's also a fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce; a companion of the Institute of Management; and an honorary doctor of the University of Central England, the University of Birmingham and the University of Manchester's Institute of Science and Technology.
John Skummer was named account executive at Dayton, Ohio-based manufacturer CRABAR/GBF. He's responsible for serving customers in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. Skummer, who has 15 years of technical experience in custom business forms, label products and direct mail manufacturing, previously held a sales position at USA\docufinish. He began his career as account manager at GBF Graphics (formerly General Business Forms).
Thomas Caldwell was named director of membership at the Printing Industries Association Inc. serving Northern Kentucky and Ohio (PIANKO), Westerville, Ohio. He leads PIANKO's efforts to grow membership and serve and assist members. Previously, he served as a sales representative at Ohio Color Plate, CarPec Corp., The Anderson Group, Airtouch and Enovation Graphic Systems.
Timothy R. Mandich joined Westmont, Ill.-based supplier MAN Roland Inc. as its sheetfed press sales representative in Wisconsin. A 21-year graphics arts industry veteran, Mandich previously served seven years as Midwest and West Coast regional sales manager for MEGTEC Systems. Susan K. Klutnick was named Western regional sales manager for commercial web. Her territory covers the West and Southwest, from Texas to California and north to Montana (excluding Washington and Oregon). Klutnick, who has more than 30 years of experience running global printing and publishing operations, previously served as director of operations at the Los Angeles Times' Olympic printing facility, Western field operation manager for Time Inc., division director of R.R. Donnelley's Los Angeles division and vice president of manufacturing at R.R. Donnelley's Magazine Group.
RECOGNITION
Gary L. Bernstein was named 2002 Salesperson of the Year at Roswell, Ga.-based supplier Neenah Paper. Based in Downers Grove, Ill., Bernstein serves as an account manager. Bernie J. Hennessy was named 2002 Most Valuable Team Contributor. Hennessy, who is based in Downers Grove and serves as regional sales manager, was honored for his team-building skills and for developing existing business and new channels. The awards were bestowed at the company's national sales meeting.
IN MEMORIAM
Michael E. Kramer, 49, president of Cincinnati distributorship doubleM documents LLC, died April 10. Kramer, who had more than 20 years of printing industry experience, joined Moore Corporation Ltd. after graduating from Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio, in 1977. Four years later, he joined Sycamore, Ill.-based manufacturer Duplex Products Inc., which was purchased by Dayton, Ohio-based Reynolds & Reynolds in 1996. He started doubleM documents in October 2001, operating the company out of his home. A golf enthusiast, Kramer was a member of his college golf team and enjoyed playing golf weekly with his sons, Trevor M. Kramer and Todd W. Kramer. He also was active in his community, coaching his sons' basketball and baseball teams for years when they were children. He is survived by his wife, Michelle "Mickie" Honerlaw Kramer; two sons, Trevor and Todd; sister, Pam Witt of Cincinnati; two brothers, David Kramer and Bruce Kramer, both of the Butler, Ohio, area; and six nieces and nephews. Services were held April 14 at St. Barthomew Church, Cincinnati. Memorials may be made to St. Xavier High School Scholarship Fund, 600 W. North Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45224.
