CUMMING, GA–Women of Flexo’s 3rd annual conference, held at the Bobst Competency Center, homed in on both Art—communication, people, creativity–and Science—data, technology, processes.
Ann Rider, VP sales, Tower Products, filed the following recap.
A diverse group of 75 young and young-at-heart women participated. I use the term participated rather than attended because every single individual shared a strength or experience within this group of curious women. The itinerary was a healthy balance of professional development and networking through science-based activities that made for a fun learning experience.
This demonstration center is filled with press equipment, plate processing equipment, and endless samples of flexo-printed materials these machines produce. Katie Graham, whose position as Bobst regional marketing and communications manager, made all the magic happen onsite with her team–Michael Cox and Ryan Young—on hand for demonstrations. We got to see the Master M6 machine run and were able to examine the Digital Master 340 Vision CI press up-close-and-personal. And yes, we did have great male support at the WOF Conference!
Dynamic Talks
The yin/yang theme of Art & Science flowed through the entire event, including the impressive roster of speakers.
Tara Halpin, 4th generation leader of her family printing company, Steinhauser, inspired all of us with her story. She shared a critical pivot point in her business’s survival. In stormy conditions and with a risky outcome, she took Steinhauser’s traditional offset business fully flexo. She learned a lot of lessons through the process, as her strength and confidence were built. She ended her talk by sharing that her high-performing management team had embraced using the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and it has taken them to exciting new levels.
Under the science category, CEO of Ace Media- Rachel Acevedo, updated us on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). Everyone was laser-focused on this topical subject! It was a very interactive session with many questions and live examples of how to use the tools. Major takeaway: every company should establish an AI protocol and include proper training for any employee using the tool.
Business topics ranged from how Fortis Solutions reorganized its sales and marketing team focus to how Flexo Concepts went paperless.
Michele Laird-Williams, director of field marketing for Miraclon, blew our socks off with her powerful and dynamic talk. We had segments on win-win negotiation strategies and effective communication.
Kudos go to Kiersten Borden (XSYS) and Acevedo for making this a smooth-running conference with confident, astute women presenting for the betterment of our industry and each other.
WoF Mission
Women of Flexo is simply structured on the pillars of mentorship and leadership development. There are currently four committees in support of our mission to create a network of professionals who create relevant training and exposure to the diverse universe of the flexographic printing industry.
Through generously sharing our knowledge and experience, we create a stronger industry. With trusted advisors in our network, we are able to function in our careers at a higher level and support others’ growth. This event resonated throughout with soft and hard skills having equal billing.
Professional networking and constructive mentorship are cornerstones for career development. WoF fosters communication, leadership, and resilience for the women of our industry. I look forward to supporting next years event and plan to share this opportunity with as many like-minded people as possible. Check out the website at womenofflexo.org for resources like job positings and quick-training tutorials. Come join us in Pittsburgh! We will be at the FTA’s FORUM INFOFLEX May 4-7.
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