The 2017 edition of our conference will continue in the tradition of the past 41 years with timely topics and a wealth of time for peer-to-peer conversations…..along with some free time to see the area’s popular sites.

 

Murfreesboro is a booming college town on the outskirts of Nashville, sprouting up from its historic Civil War heritage. (The Battle of Stones River was the 2nd-most deadly battle of the war with nearly 24,000 soldiers losing their lives. This Union victory was a major reason why the Yanks were able to march onto Atlanta.)

 

And, when we say Nashville, need we say more? Music City USA has something for everyone from the obvious – the Grand Ole Opry’s legendary birthplace, the iconic Ryman Auditorium, to the full-scale replica of the Parthenon that helped solidify Nashville’s other famous nickname – Athens of the South.

 

You’ll love your time at the 2017 edition of our conference! Come early and stay late!

 

(More information on area sites to come.)

 

Speakers, Sessions & Tours

(Schedules to Come)

 

SUPDMC Session – The MTSU Story & Marketing Your Department: Andrew Oppmann, host MTSU’s VP for Marketing & Communications, oversees the University’s department of Printing Services. He has been a staunch supporter of the department and a driving force behind the department’s transition to the digital-printing arena, as well as the launching of the highly-popular Blue Print Solutions site at the Student Union. He will speak on two topics in his session: (1) the MTSU Story and (2) marketing your department’s services. As a former Gannett official, he has a broad background in marketing and communications. (We will also tour MTSU Printing Services this week.)

 

SUPDMC Session – Building a Strategic Plan/Justifying your Existence & Retooling to meet Demand:  Sean Carroll, Vanderbilt’s Director of Business Operations, directs the day-to-day operations from his office in Vandy’s Printing Services. He joined Vanderbilt in in 2011 and has seen his department continue to grow in a highly-competitive urban Nashville printing environment. Prior to joining Vandy, Sean was in operations/management with FedEx Office. He will speak about “building a strategic plan/justifying your existence” from first-hand experience at Vanderbilt and “retooling to meet demand”, which he is also presently doing at Vandy. (We will also tour Vanderbilt Printing Services this week.)

 

SUPDMC Session – Building a Network of Clients: As featured on the cover of In-Plant Graphics, Tammy Golden and her team handle the printing needs for the State of Tennessee. From her post as an Asst. Commissioner in the State of Tennessee administration, she has created the Tennessee Government Printing Alliance in a move to direct more and more State printing to sister operations at State entities like UT-Knoxville, MTSU and etc. Her vision will appeal to everyone in challenging us to look beyond our walls for opportunities.

 

SUPDMC Session – A “Potpourri” Roundtable Discussion: Here we will explore topics attendees want to discuss via advanced planning for this session. (We will reach out to you prior to the conference.) We all spend a lot of time listening at conferences. But, we all know we have a lot to share! Here’s your chance to speak (!!), share ideas and ask questions of your fellow conference attendees.

 

SUPDMC Session – Leveraging In-Plant and Outside Vendor Partnerships: Vic Barkin has learned a lot over his 30-year printing career and has a lot to share with this year’s conference. The former Northern Arizona University printing services leader, will speak about leveraging our partnerships with vendors. As we all know, this can be a tricky proposition, but it can be very fruitful if approached correctly. Vic also has aided our industry with a wide range of consultations and audits.

 

SUPDMC Session – Diversify!!: In 2016, Western Carolina University showed us first-hand many diversified avenues to creating profitable revenue for your operation. But, if you are like me, I want to know more! WCU Director of Printing & Mailing Services Tom Frazier will give us some vital details of how he created such a successfully-diverse operation on his campus and open up the session for attendees to share some of their “winning” services. (Be ready to chime in and share!)

 

SUPDMC Vendor Session - Platinum sponsor SCLogic will host a session this year that will enlighten attendees of their many services that make our jobs much, much easier.  SCLogic is a leading provider of innovative campus logistics software systems that leverage the latest barcode scanning, printing, mobile computing and wireless technologies. The company has thousands of enterprise, government and university users around the world. For more information about SCLogic, please visit www.SCLogic.com.

 

SUPDMC Tour – Middle Tennessee State University’s Printing Services and its student-focused site – Blue Print Solutions. MTSU has evolved into a two-site operation that has increased services, revenue, profit and most-importantly – visibility. Visibility has translated into a much stronger brand identity. The campus community of more than 22,000 students has fully embraced this growing operation.

 

SUPDMC Tour – Vanderbilt University’s Printing Services. Vanderbilt successfully provides both an impressive offset-printing service and an expanding presence in the digital-printing field. This off-campus facility continues to be vibrant even in the heart of Nashville, a major printing center in the region. They also staff an on-campus site in the heart of the campus for those quick-turn needs. As you’ll hear in the conference session headed by their leader Sean Carroll, they know how to not just compete, but, more importantly – win.

 

Sunday 10/15/17

 

Check into the beautiful Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro this afternoon and then head down to the registration table while our vendors begin setting up their displays. We’ll host a welcoming, relaxing gathering of everyone this evening with food and drinks for all. Feel free to burn the midnight oil as you share your stories with your fellow attendees.

3 – 5:30 p.m.  Registration & Vendor Set-up

4:30 – 5:30 p.m. (optional) Print Shop Pro User Meeting

6:30 – 9 p.m.  Reception

9 p.m. – 12  Nighttime Networking

 

Monday 10/16/17

8 – 9 a.m.  Breakfast

8 – 9 a.m.  Registration

8 – 10 a.m.   Vendor Set-up

9 – 10 a.m.  Session 1 – Keynote

We’ll get right to work Monday at 9 a.m. with a series of informative Sessions and our popular Vendor Fair. We’ll make sure you get plenty to eat at lunch and even give you a few minutes to catch your breath before we head out for a delightful evening meal.

10 – 11 a.m.  Vendor Fair

11 – Noon  Session 2 –

Noon – 1p.m. Lunch

1 – 2 p.m.  Session 3 –

2 – 3 p.m.  Session 4 –

3 – 4 p.m.  Vendor Fair

4 – 5:30 p.m. Session 5 –

6:30 – 9 p.m.  Dinner

9 p.m. - 12   Nighttime Networking

Tuesday 10/17/17

8 - 9 a.m. Breakfast

Today will be chock full of events as we reconvene our Sessions of timely topics at 9 a.m., followed by more time with our vendors. Don’t miss today’s Vendor Fair as they award door prizes galore! We’ll pause at lunchtime to eat, relax and chat, then commence with more Sessions before gathering for more nighttime food/fellowship and fun. Today will also offer us an opportunity to visit host Middle Tennessee State University’s printing operations.

9 – 9:30 a.m. Host Comments, Updates

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Session 6 –

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Vendor Fair

11:30 – Noon Vendor drawings/Must be present to win

Noon – 1p.m. Lunch

1 – 2 p.m. Session 7 –

2 – 3 p.m. Session 8 –

3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Board bus to tour Middle Tennessee State University’s Printing Services’ 2 campus sites

6 p.m.   Dinner

9 p.m. – 12   Nighttime Networking

Wednesday 10/18/17

8 - 9 a.m.  Breakfast

Today gives us time to sit down and hold our annual SUPDMC business meeting before heading out to tour Vanderbilt University’s operations, a mere 30 miles up I-24, as well as take time to relax and visit an area site(s). We may even take time to slow down and grab some food and drinks along the way. Use this time on the road to talk with your fellow attendees.
9 – 10 a.m.   Session 9 –

10 – 11 a.m.  Business Meeting

11 – Noon   Lunch

Noon – 3 p.m. Board bus to tour Vanderbilt U.’s Printing Services

3 – 6 p.m.   Tour Nashville/Music City USA

6 p..m.  Dinner

9 p.m. – 12  Nighttime Networking

Thursday 10/19/17

8 - 9 a.m.  Breakfast

11 a.m.   Check-out