Registration took place in the hospitality room on Thursday afternoon.
This was a gathering place for attendees as they arrived for the convention. Thanks to Dietzgen for being a hospitality room sponsor during this time.
Tracy Albinson, the Treasurer and other board members did an excellent job of keeping the registration process moving along.

On Thursday opening day, thirty-two duffers, hackers, and strip miners teed off from the Cranes Landing Golf Club.

Thanks to the players who participated and the many sponsors including Imageologists, Contex Scanners, Oce' North America,
KIP America, Drytac, US Reprographics Network, The IRgA,
Cylix Inc., Image Products of California, Universal Media Solutions, ReproMAX, National Azon, and Michlin Products.

This year’s social event featured live entertainment. Thursday evening’s Kick-off Event, included attending a performance of “Foot Loose” at the Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre. The performance had just about everyone tapping their feet and singing along with the performers. It was the perfect start to our 50th Anniversary Celebration Convention. Afterwards everyone was invited to Hospitality sponsored by Kyocera Mita.

Jackie Wingard organized the companion outing. The ladies enjoyed a shopping trip to Long Grove, famous for its quaint gifts shops, antiques and fine dining. Lunch was enjoyed at a restaurant noted for their fabulous desserts. Just about everyone returned with shopping bags in tow.

Educational sessions were outstanding ……
Leading off Friday morning sessions was Brian Matthews of Autodesk who presented “DWF:
The Printing Benefits and Customer Education” Morten Nielsen of PLP Digital Systems
followed Brian and discussed digital file conversion software processes used to render images
and electro–mechanical process used by various printer manufacturers to put
images on media.
Mr. Neilsen also dispelled some common misconceptions present in the reprographics industry

Rick Farrell of Selling Dynamics presented a session on “Selling has Nothing to do With Selling”. Rick has more than 25 years experience in sales, marketing and business development. His real world approach transcends normal sales techniques of presenting, answering objections and closing.
Rick instead encourages the sales rep to move up to the role of a “change agent”. Acting as a “change agent”, along with traditional selling skills allows the rep to exercise higher levels of consultant selling.

“ Charging for Digital Services” … Everybodys talking about it but is anyone doing anything about it? Digital downloads and CD’s are just a few of the items reducing revenues and reprographers must now look to invoice for support services in order to maintain profitability. Kent Long of Thomas Reprographics and Jim Inzeo of A/E Graphics took on this subject and offered some great ideas and suggestions on how to put together a plan to invoice for Internet based and consultant services.

“Expand your business and increase your profits” …something we all want to do. Ron Butterman of OCE North America presented an overview of the book “The Future Reprographer”. It features how to charge in accordance with the value you provide, and not charge on cost plus mark up. Again, Ron’s presentation fit right in with the theme and drove home several points dealing with increasing profitability by offering value.

John Cronin of PLP Digital Systems continued the theme with his presentation entitled “Moving to a Consultative Business Model” John discussed how to escape the commoditization of products and services.
John pointed out important differences between transactional and consultative selling.
The presentation included a case study from a similar industry to illustrate how a company moved to differentiate themselves with expertise and capabilities.
The discussion also included actions that a company must take to successfully move to more profitable and secure business model.

The Sticker Dude …. Do you know who he is? Well those who attended his session got a rare treat. Luke Zoetmulder of Sticker Dude Designs presented a real world look at the “vehicle wrap business” Luke is not from the reprographic industry but specializes in vehicle graphics. Luke started his vehicle wrap business 15 years ago by showing up at motor cross events and selling custom vinyl adhesive graphics for the motor cross set.
His business blossomed over the years and now he does all kinds of vehicle wrap graphics. Luke has an excellent knowledge of materials, inks and application techniques. Attendees to his session got first hand exposure to theory and wrapped up the experience with a visit to Luke’s shop where they saw a vehicle undergo a transformation.

A special thanks to Luke, The Sticker Dude for taking time out of his Saturday and giving CRA members an opportunity to know more about vehicle graphics.

The CRA continues to get great support from the exhibitors. 43 booths were occupied by 38 exhibitors. Product lines ranged from printing equipment, software, color scanners, media, supplies, financial services.
This year the CRA added value to the exhibitors experience by offering an educational session exclusively for the exhibitors entitled “How to Qualify and Disqualify Leads” presented by Rick Farrell.

The exhibitors rated this as an excellent presentation and would like to see this type of session offered again.

After the exhibits closed Friday evening, everyone gathered for cocktails, dinner and charity auction. It has often been said that the CRA is more than just an industry association; it is an association with a Heart.

Thanks to Mr. Norman Michlin’s vision and establishing the Charity Auction some 16 years ago. We estimate that more that $60,000 has been donated to charitable institutions since then.
This year the auction raised an astonishing $9,660 which will be shared by the Red Cross and Multiple Sclerosis Association.
Truly the CRA is an amazing association totally in touch with the times. Thanks to John and Carolyn Gross, Jackie Wingard, Shirley Zawoyski, Jane Hosking, Shelly O’Hea and Sharon Ainsworth for helping during the evening.
Congratulations to Pat and Mollie Gremillion for the fantastic job they did on organizing this year’s charity auction.

The day’s activities concluded, the attendees and exhibitors gathered in the Hospitality suite, sponsored by PLP Digital System.

This gave everyone time to relax, unwind, and review the day’s activities and perhaps meet someone new over some refreshments.

As the convention came to a close, we celebrated the CRA’s 50th with a Birthday Party. Mrs. Cathie Cushing Duff of Cushing & Color Chicago compiled a brief history of the association and told us a few behind the scene stories and how business was done and disputes were settled by previous generations. Many of the past presidents were present to help the CRA celebrate this Golden Anniversary.
After dinner entertainment was provided by AC Rock an accapella group from Chicago.

Kudos to President Chuck Wingard for presiding over an outstanding benchmark convention, 2005 raised the bar for future conventions.

The outstanding folks that constitute the Officers and Board of Directors are all highly motivated and give of themselves freely to make CRA conventions the success that they are.

Lastly a word about our Executive Administrator Shirley Zawoyski, she is the person that keeps the board on track and responsible for working out all the minute details too numerous to mention. Without her attention to detail and tireless efforts, we would all be working a lot harder.

This is just a short review of the 2005 Convention; you now have a better understanding of just how great this convention was and how much the attendees benefited from attending and participating. The Board of Directors are already planning 2006, so mark your colanders for September 29-Oct 1, 2006. See you all in Austin, TX.

Thanks to the following companies that helped this 2005 convention be so successful

Northlight Color | Sticker Dude Designs | Mimaki USA | Dietzgen Division of Nashua | Kyocera-Mita America
PLP Digital Systems | Cushing and Color Chicago | Western Blue Print

The 2006 CRA Officers and Board of Directors